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World Food Day talkpoint: is there a future for small-scale farms? World Food Day talkpoint: is there a future for small-scale farms?
(about 2 hours later)
According to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (pdf), there are about 500 million smallholder farms in the world, and 2 million people currently rely on them for their livelihoods.According to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (pdf), there are about 500 million smallholder farms in the world, and 2 million people currently rely on them for their livelihoods.
But small farms often struggle to raise money to expand and invest in new crops or technologies, especially in countries where land rights are weak. As a new animation from brewing company SAB Miller points out, smallholders globally need an estimated $450bn (£281bn) in finance, but are largely unable to access it. They have the benefit of having close links to local markets and communities, which is a vital part of food security in developing countries. But larger farms have links to international markets, which means food can be exported, and money made for new investments. But small farms often struggle to raise money to expand and invest in new crops or technologies, especially in countries where land rights are weak. As a new animation from brewing company SABMiller points out, smallholders globally need an estimated $450bn (£281bn) in finance, but are largely unable to access it. They have the benefit of having close links to local markets and communities, which is a vital part of food security in developing countries. But larger farms have links to international markets, which means food can be exported, and money made for new investments.
While big farms have the advantage of being able to afford drought and diseases-resistant crops, small farmers can lose their crops to toxic contamination without safe storage equipment. At the other extreme, intensive farming methods often used on big farms can have damaging environmental impacts such as soil, air and water pollution.While big farms have the advantage of being able to afford drought and diseases-resistant crops, small farmers can lose their crops to toxic contamination without safe storage equipment. At the other extreme, intensive farming methods often used on big farms can have damaging environmental impacts such as soil, air and water pollution.
NGOs and development agencies have focused on finding a middle-ground, where smallholders are better linked to markets and able to safely store and transport their crops. With such room for improvement for the world's small farms, and as global agricultural trends change, smallholders are touted as the hope for ending food insecurity.NGOs and development agencies have focused on finding a middle-ground, where smallholders are better linked to markets and able to safely store and transport their crops. With such room for improvement for the world's small farms, and as global agricultural trends change, smallholders are touted as the hope for ending food insecurity.
Along with traditional donor support, large-scale food producers such as Unilever are helping smallholders improve their yields through better access to seeds, training and fertilisers. But are the worlds of small-scale cultivation and agribusiness compatible? Is having support from big farms useful for smallholders, or does it pave the way for their farms to be taken over and eventually replaced? Where should support for smallholders begin and end, and how can it bring about the best impacts on food security and poverty reduction more broadly?Along with traditional donor support, large-scale food producers such as Unilever are helping smallholders improve their yields through better access to seeds, training and fertilisers. But are the worlds of small-scale cultivation and agribusiness compatible? Is having support from big farms useful for smallholders, or does it pave the way for their farms to be taken over and eventually replaced? Where should support for smallholders begin and end, and how can it bring about the best impacts on food security and poverty reduction more broadly?
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