Forum global sur la sécurité alimentaire et la nutrition (Forum FSN)

I would like to strongly endorse S. Justice's comments concering the importance of mechanization to promoting smallholder agriculture, the emphasis on contract access vs. direct ownership, and the main stream development effort tendency to overlook the importance of mechanization.

I think the development efforts overlooking mechanization is related to the short comings of agronmy, which is my profession. Agronomy working mostly on small plot research does an excellent job of determining the potential of an area, but says nothing about the operational needs to extend the small plot results across the remainder of the field, farm or smallholder community. The default assumption is that it is not a problem, and only requires extension education for interested farmers to adopt the technology. There is little  analysis of labor requirements, or more important the availability of the needed labor, or the rational compromises farmers have to make in adjusting technology to thier limited labor and operational capacity. This falls into an administrative void between the agronomists and social scientists.  Who in any given agricultural development project is assigned to sort out labor requirements, where the labor will come from for the entire smallholder community, and what the compromises are when not available. 

Unfortunately labor is in severe short supply as well as the dietary energy to fuel that labor, leaving most of the development effort ineffective as the lack of labor will extend the basic crop establishment out to 8 weeks or more well past the period when recommendations are valid. Please consider the following webpages: 

https://smallholderagriculture.agsci.colostate.edu/promoting-the-green-…;

https://webdoc.agsci.colostate.edu/smallholderagriculture/OperationalFe…

https://smallholderagriculture.agsci.colostate.edu/calorie-energy-balan…

Thank you

English translation below

تأثير تفشي فيروس كوفيد - 19 في منطقة الشرق الأدنى وشمال إفريقيا

تواجه منطقة الشرق الأدنى وشمال أفريقيا تحديات رئيسية، من بينها القضاء على الفقر والجوع، وكذلك الاستجابة لآثار تغير المناخ والحفاظ على الموارد الطبيعية لتجنب المزيد من تدهور الأوضاع.

هل أدى تفشي فيروس كوفيد - 19 إلى تفاقم التحديات التي تواجهها الزراعة الأسرية للحيازات الصغيرة، وكيف ذلك؟

نعم

حيث أدى تفشى فيروس كوفيد إلى غلق الأسواق الصغيرة مما أدى إلى حدوث مشاكل فى تسويق المنتجات الزراعية

ما هي مجالات التدخل الرئيسية التي من شأنها أن تعمل على بناء قدرة الزراعة الأسرية للحيازات الصغيرة على التأقلم والصمود، وضمان سبل كسب العيش المستدامة؟

تفعيل دور الجمعيات الزراعية فى ارشاد الأسر الزراعية وتوجيههم

هل بإمكانك مشاركة أمثلة نجاح في المنطقة؟

قد يتحد المزارعين فى توفير وسيلة نقل للسوق جماعية لتقليل تكلفة النقل لمنتجاتهم

The impact of COVID-19 outbreak in the Near East and North Africa

The Near East and North Africa region is experiencing major challenges, including eradicating poverty and hunger, responding to the climate change impacts and preserving natural resources to avoid further deterioration of conditions.

Has the COVID-19 outbreak exacerbated the challenges faced by small scale family farming, and how?

Yes. Small markets were closed due to the outbreak of COVID-19, leading to problems in marketing agricultural products.

What are the main areas of intervention that would build the resilience of small scale family farming and ensure sustainable livelihoods?

Activating the role of agricultural societies in guiding farming families.

Do you have any success stories to share about the region?

Farmers may cooperate to secure a collective means of transportation to markets to reduce the transportation fees of their products.

Somewhere the question was put " Is there still a role for older technologies and for traditional approaches? Or embracing industrial production systems should be the way forward?"   Having worked in  South and SE Asia in ag mechanization R and D for  20+ years I hear and read this either-or question discussed by many African colleuages and aqaintences.  And my answer has always been that if you take a South South view of what is going on in the developing world, particularly south and South and SE Asia but also in some countries in S America and even now Africa you will find that there are many diverse and "mixed large and small scale" or middle paths to near levels of 100%  agricultural mechanization.  The  term coined  7-8 years ago in development speak as "scale appropriate" mechanization. Meaning that in a scenario like Bangladesh  you will currently find 700,000  2-wheel (AKA power tillers available in 12- to 22 HP )  and 80,000 4-wheel tractors (available from 25 - 75 hp).  And where now 95% of all Bangladesh's farmers don't own a machiney but can easily "rent in" tillage, threshing and transport services via these and other machinery.   

Another characteristic in many of these Asian countries the machinery are fairly priced where  2WTs (Chinse made) cost roughly 120 USD per HP (1500 - 2600 USD) and 4WTs (Indian made) costing prettying much around 200 -260 USD for every HP ( HP tractor).  It took time but even in place like Nepal where the competitaive prices has greatly increased the availabity for purchase and for renting in of such machines.  Even the family farms in  Nepal's Himalaya mountains are currently mechanizing with even smaller small  appropriate equipments like the light weight, low cost (350-500 USD)  6 HP mini tillers (total sales in last 5 years has reached over 25,000 ) that can be carried and if the operator is good even driven up and down the side of the mountains and providing tillage services to the point that in many mountian districts  plow oxen have nearly dissappeared.      

So this view of its either traditional hand hoe/animal drawn OR industrial production systems is just faulty.  To be sure there are industrial production systems in all these S and SE Asia countries. But its the ever mechanizing small family farm (now commonly renting in reaper or even combine harvesrer services), that continues to gain in productivity while reducing time costs that has development policy leaders,  development planners and academics ( see https://www.researchgate.net/publication/289928057_The_puzzle_of_East_a… ) scratching their heads about persistence of small family farms in Asia.  Where small family farms of smaller SE Asia rice growing countries farmers are out producing out exporting even the US rice farmers nearly every year for the last 20 years. And a development basic case of the 1970s and 80s Bangladesh goes from about 10 MTs per year to over 30MTs of rice per year. ANd they do so with small single cylinder diesel engine irrigation pumpsets, 2WTs that plow  nearly all the SE and South Asia's river delta rice growing areas.   

There are many naysayers that South South is not useful and I will be first to agree that Asia and AFrica contexts are very different. But already there are pockets of scale appropriate emergying in places like Ethiopia, Tanzania etc. 

Maputo 2003,   AGRA 2006 , and theirs and other high level  pronouncements  (AU, BMG,  etc) to  "retire the hoe to the museums"  while outwardly support the mechanizing of African Agriculture have in fact done very little.  This in turns  has actually left most African countries with same or even smaller levels of mechanization than they had 20 years ago.  THe  shutting down of the academic debates on ag mechanization in development more than 30 years ago (https://csisa.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/06/BiggsJusticeIFPRI_…; -    Please excuse me for a moment of blatant self promotion ) by lead donors and the academy left S  and SE Asia's mechanization mostly in the hands of the private sector. In places like Bangladesh, THailand and even Nepal the emerging local private sector seeminly had the needs of their countries' farmers in mind,  and led to a late but interesting and I argue  socially equitable mechanization processes that have mostly benefited farmily farms there.

We should all worry that this time around that even with plenty of evidence that the mechanization debates restarted sometime ago for Africa but have produce  little public sector led programming. This is at least partially due to  donor focus on two other inputs seed and fertiizer that now after decades of programming have not contributed as expected to Africa's agriculture. This bias in effect continues to leave  Africa not to any emergying national private sectors - there are none- but to the west, east and south based multinational  tractor OEMs. And even when bilateral  donors whose develpment organizations were free  to promote technologies they felt best suited local conditions are now policitically tied to back and promote their nation's tractor manufacturers. The question here hardly needs to be asked. In whose best interests are these development decisions being made?  

English translation below

L’agriculture familiale un socle majeur pour les ressources naturelles et la résilience en zones difficiles

L’Algérie qui veut instaurer une agriculture performante pour assurer sa sécurité alimentaire, entrevoit une politique véhiculant une volonté farouche d’augmentation des productions et de renforcement de l’organisation des différentes filières alimentaires. Le tissu institutionnel d’appui et de formation et très dense. Aussi, les subventions et aides accordées à l’agriculture sont très significatives. Or, l’uniformité e ces politiques qui tendant toutes à la mise en place de systèmes intensifs modernes et productifs, ne montre pas la flexibilité nécessaires pour s’adapter aux spécifiés territoriales et sociales de certains systèmes agricoles pouvant être impactés négativement par l’intensification. L’agriculture familiale qui s’apparente à la forme traditionnelle de la petite agriculture structurée autour de la famille pour la nourrir et subvenir à ses besoins sans recours à la main d’œuvre externe, constitue une forme presque non concerné par l’entreprenariat capitaliste axé sur le profit et prôné par les pouvoirs publics. En effet, de par ma propre expérience en Algérie, il me semble que les politiques gouvernementales de développement de l’agriculture sont loin de prendre en considération spécifiquement le renforcement et le développement de l’agriculture familiale.

Une volonté productiviste freinée par des facteurs structuraux très nombreux

L’exiguïté des terres agricoles et la croissance démographique n’ont en effet pas permis à l’Algérie d’atteindre la croissance agricole nécessaire permettant de réduire le recours très important aux marchés externes pour approvisionner le marché local, particulièrement en blés, en lait, en sucre et huile. Les intrants agricoles dont les engrais, les semences et les traitements médicamenteux des maladies et parasites sont aussi largement importés. La mise en place de systèmes productivistes compétitifs et modernes se heurte en effet au problème très important du foncier agricole (terres privées dans l’indivision et terres publiques non encore dans un statut sécurisant), au manque de ressources hydriques et aux gaspillages. Toutes ces contraintes s’entremêlent et font émerger d’autres freins comme la faible professionnalisation des acteurs, la faible formation, la faible organisation des filières etc. Cet état de fait rend les efforts financiers et humains entrepris peu bénéfiques.

Dans le même ordre d’idées, l’état a développé, afin de gagner le plus de production possible, une politique permettant à aider les agriculteurs à produire le plus possible et, par conséquent, à rentrer dans un cycle d’intensification permettant de gagner le plus de revenus possibles quel que soit la région, le territoire ou la forme d’agriculture. Ces aides octroyés soit par des subventions d’opérations culturales spécifiques ou par la garantie des prix sont nombreuses et couteuses.

Malgré Tous ces efforts, l’élan qu’a pris la croissance des différents produits agricoles ne semble pas changer pour se rapprocher de la courbe effrénée des besoins alimentaires ce qui garde un niveau trop élevé des importations. Compte tenu de cela, l’état se tourne désormais vers la culture des terres sahariennes en créant des unités de production grandes et modernes et en encourageant l’investissement. Cette orientation suscite déjà beaucoup de questions et les débats à son sujet sont très controversés. Les questions de l’économie de l’eau saharienne peu renouvelable, des couts de productions élevées …font que beaucoup de spécialistes sont contre cette nouvelle stratégie.

Et l’agriculture familiale…….

Cette forme continue de nourrir une couche importante de la population notamment dans les zones difficiles d’accès telles que les montagnes, les oasis et certaines zones reculées de la steppe. A titre de rapprochement les exploitations agricoles ayant moins de 10 ha totalisent 25% de la SAU algérienne, soit plus de 2 millions d’ha. Non affectée par le capital et le profit, cette agriculture permet certains objectifs majeurs :

• Le maintien des semences et races locales portant en elles les gènes de la résistance et de la résilience,
• La couverture des besoins des familles de ces régions en nutriments de qualité, soit une participation significative à la sécurité alimentaire, aspect à dimension stratégique bien mise en exergue par les effets de la pandémie du Covid 19.
• Le maintien des pratiques et savoir-faire d’une agriculture traditionnelle,
• La vivification des sols et des pâturages ce qui permet une dynamique positives de beaucoup d’écosystèmes
• Une harmonie positive avec les écosystèmes et l’environnement

L’inexistence de politiques spécifiques et la standardisation des politiques d’intensification impactent négativement l’agriculture familiale.

Ces effets se matérialisent aux niveaux pertinents suivants :

• La semence (les races animales locales) de ferme (exploitation, échanges, commercialisation) :

La non existence d’un cadre légal qui règlemente la production et les transferts intercommunautaires des semences et géniteurs locaux (de ferme) ne permet pas une visibilité sur l’état et les mécanismes de maintien et d’amélioration de ce patrimoine dont l’importance cruciale en matière de préservation de gènes rares de résistance aux maladies et parasites et de résilience aux chocs climatiques, n’est plus à démontrer.

• L’agrotourisme

Le secteur de tourisme n’inclue pas encore officiellement la notion d’agrotourisme comme une forme organisée et réglementée de façon à contribuer à l’essor commercial des produits de l’agriculture familiale et surtout à la sensibilisation des populations aux bienfaits de ce type d’agriculture qui peut se classer comme une agriculture écologique et saine.

• La valorisation des produits du terroir

L’absence d’une politique de reconnaissance des produits de l’agriculture familiale et leur marquage officiel constitue un frein à la prospérité économique des familles rurales en rendant difficile la commercialisation locale et surtout en minimisant les revenus. La protection des produits signifie la protection des savoirs faires et des processus traditionnels de production, de conservation et de packaging. Malgré les efforts menés par le gouvernement à ce sujet, le gouffre est encore important et les produits concernés ne sont pas issus spécifiquement de l’agriculture familiale.

• L’amélioration des conditions des femmes rurales

L’agriculture familiale est maintenue malgré l’impact négatif des divers facteurs grâce à l’implication des femmes rurales qui y trouvent la seule activité générant des revenus même maigres mais constants. Malheureusement ces revenus restent très bas et ne permettent pas de valoriser et d’améliorer les conditions de vie, elles-mêmes liées à la condition égalitaire des femmes dans les sociétés rurales.

Pour une prise en charge effective de l’agriculture familiale par les différentes politiques agricoles

Un plan d’action spécifique est nécessaire pour une prise en charge effective de l’agriculture familiale par les différentes politiques de développement agricoles et rurales. Ace titre, il est nécessaire de procéder par les étapes suivantes :

1. Délimiter les territoires considérés comme dominées par cette forme d’agriculture et définir en détail la forme s’apparentant à chaque territoire :

• Superficies et cheptels moyennes par famille et par territoire
• Taille de la famille impliquée et sa composition
• Types et importance de taches exécutées par membre de la famille
• Organisation et leadership au sein de la famille en matière d’affectation des taches et de gestion économique et financière
• Caractérisation des produits et des pratiques agricoles et agroenvironnementales ainsi que le calendrier des disponibilités sur le marché
• Reproduction et gestion des semences végétales et des génotypes animaux

2. Repérer les cas types de chaque territoire et déterminer leurs forces, faiblesses, opportunes et menaces

3. Entrevoir des mesures de facilitation et d’aides appropriées dans le but d’inciter les acteurs affiliés à l’agriculture familiale à initier des projets à caractères territoriaux (implicant les acteurs locaux) qui tendent à ouvrir plus d’espaces à leurs produits, à renforcer leur qualités et prix et surtout à améliorer leur conditions de vie.

Family farming a major foundation for natural resources and resilience in difficult areas

Algeria, which wants to establish efficient agriculture to ensure its food security, envisages a policy conveying a fierce desire to increase production and strengthen the organization of the various food sectors. The institutional support and training fabric is very dense. Also, the subsidies and aid granted to agriculture are very significant. However, the uniformity of these policies, which all tend to set up modern and productive intensive systems, does not show the flexibility necessary to adapt to the territorial and social specifications of certain agricultural systems that may be negatively impacted by intensification. Family farming, which is similar to the traditional form of small-scale agriculture structured around the family to feed it and provide for its needs without recourse to external labor, constitutes a form almost not concerned by profit-oriented capitalist entrepreneurship and advocated by public authorities. In fact, from my own experience in Algeria, it seems to me that public agricultural development policies are far from specifically taking into consideration the strengthening and development of family farming.

A productivist desire hampered by very numerous structural factors

The scarcity of agricultural land and population growth have in fact not enabled Algeria to achieve the agricultural growth necessary to reduce the very significant recourse to external markets to supply the local market, particularly with wheat and milk, sugar and oil. Agricultural inputs including fertilizers, seeds and drug treatments for diseases and pests are also widely imported. The establishment of competitive and modern productivist systems comes up against the very important problem of agricultural land (private land in joint possession and public land not yet in secure status), the lack of water resources and wastage. All these constraints are intertwined and lead to the emergence of other obstacles such as the low professionalization of the players, the low training, the weak organization of the sectors etc. This state of affairs makes the financial and human efforts undertaken of little benefit.

In the same vein, the state has developed, in order to gain as much production as possible, a policy to help farmers produce as much as possible and, therefore, to enter into an intensification cycle allowing to earn as much income as possible regardless of the region, territory or form of agriculture. These aids, granted either by subsidies for specific cropping operations or by price guarantees, are numerous and costly.

Despite all these efforts, the momentum that the growth of different agricultural products has taken does not seem to change to approach the frantic curve of food needs, which keeps the level of imports too high. In view of this, the state is now turning to the cultivation of Saharan lands by creating large and modern production units and encouraging investment. This orientation already raises many questions and the debates about it are very controversial. The issues of the economy of low-renewable Saharan water, high production costs ... cause many specialists to be against this new strategy.

And family farming…

This form continues to feed a large segment of the population, especially in hard-to-reach areas such as mountains, oases and some remote areas of the steppe. By way of comparison, agricultural holdings with less than 10 ha total 25% of the Algerian UAA, or more than 2 million ha. Unaffected by capital and profit, this agriculture allows certain major objectives:

• The maintenance of seeds and local breeds carrying the genes of resistance and resilience,
• Covering the needs of families in these regions for quality nutrients, i.e. a significant participation in food security, an aspect with a strategic dimension clearly highlighted by the effects of the Covid 19 pandemic.
• Maintaining the practices and know-how of traditional agriculture,
• The revitalization of soils and pastures which allows a positive dynamic of many ecosystems
• Positive harmony with ecosystems and the environment

The lack of specific policies and the standardization of intensification policies negatively impact family farming.

These effects materialize at the following relevant levels:

• Semen (local animal breeds) from farm (exploitation, trade, marketing):

The non-existence of a legal framework that regulates the production and inter-community transfers of seeds and local (farm) progenitors does not allow visibility of the state and the mechanisms for maintaining and improving this heritage, the importance of which is crucial in terms of preserving rare genes for resistance to diseases and parasites and resilience to climatic shocks, which no longer needs to be demonstrated.

• Agrotourism

The tourism sector does not yet officially include the notion of agrotourism as an organized and regulated form in order to contribute to the commercial development of family farming products and especially to the sensitization of the populations regarding the benefits of this type of farming, which can be classified as ecological and healthy agriculture.

• Promotion of local products

The lack of a policy for recognizing family farm products and their official marking hinders the economic prosperity of rural families by making local marketing difficult and above all by minimizing income. Product protection means the protection of know-how and traditional production, conservation and packaging processes. Despite the efforts made by the government in this regard, the chasm is still large and the products concerned are not specifically from family farming.

• Improving the conditions of rural women

Family farming is maintained despite the negative impact of various factors thanks to the involvement of rural women who find it the only activity that generates even meager but constant income. Unfortunately, these incomes remain very low and do not make it possible to enhance and improve living conditions, linked to the equal status of women in rural societies.

For effective support for family farming through the various agricultural policies

A specific action plan is necessary for effective support for family farming by the various agricultural and rural development policies. As such, it is necessary to proceed by the following steps:

1. Demarcate the territories considered as dominated by this form of agriculture and define in detail the form relating to each territory:

• Average areas and livestock per family and per territory
• Size of the family involved and its composition
• Types and importance of tasks performed by family member
• Organization and leadership within the family in terms of task assignment and economic and financial management
• Characterization of agricultural and agri-environmental products and practices as well as the calendar of availability on the market
• Reproduction and management of plant seeds and animal genotypes

2. Identify the typical cases of each territory and determine their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats

3. To envisage appropriate facilitation and aid measures in order to encourage actors affiliated with family farming to initiate projects of a territorial nature (involving local actors) which tend to open up more space for their products, to strengthen their quality and price and especially to improve their living conditions.

English translation below

السإال الأول: 

تؤثٌر تفشً فٌٌروس كوفٌد - 91 فً منطقة الشرق الأدنى وشمال إفرٌ قٌا

هل أدى تفشً فٌروس كوفٌٌد - 91 إلى تفاقم التحدٌات التً تواجهها الزراعة الأسرٌٌة للحٌازات الصغٌرة، وكٌٌف ذلك  ؟

لا ٌوجد تعرٌٌف واحد للزراعة الأسرٌٌة. وٌمكن إعتبارها "وسٌلة لتنظٌٌم الإنتاج فً مجالات الزراعة والغابات وصٌٌد الأسماك والرعً وتربٌٌة الأحٌٌاء المائٌة التً تدٌٌرها وتقوم بها الأسرة، وتعتمد فً الغالب على العمل الأسري لكل من النساء والرجال .فى ظل وجود ترابط بٌٌن الأسرة والمزرعة ،على أن تتشاركان فً التطور وتجمعان بٌٌن الوظائف الاقتصادٌٌة والب ئٌٌة والاجتماعٌٌة والثقافٌة"

فً كل من البلدان المتقدمة والنامٌٌة، تمثل الزراعة الأسرٌٌة الشكل السائد للئنتاج الزراعً  .وٌوجد ما ٌقرب من 055 ملٌٌون مزرعة أسرٌٌة  تمثل أكثرمن 15 % من جمٌٌع المزارع على مستوى العالم .وتنتج المزارع الاسرٌٌة أكثر من 05 % من الأغذٌٌة فً العالم. واتضح خلبل الفترة الماضٌٌة أن الزراعة الأسرٌٌة ستبقى جزءآ رئٌ سٌ آ من الحل لمشكلة الجوع فى العالم . وبالتالً ٌحتاج المزارعون الأسرٌٌون إلى الدعم حتى ٌتمكنوا من تحقٌق كامل إمكاناتهم.

    وأكثر من 15 %من المزارع ٌقوم بتشغٌلها فرد أو أسرة وٌتضح بها جلٌآ نموذجآ للمساواة والنوع الإجتماعى وتعتمد المزارع فً المقام الأول على عمل الأسرة وفقًا لمنظمة الأغذٌ ة والزراعة، بحلول عام 505٠، سوف ٌحتاج الإنتاج الزراعً فً العالم إلى زٌٌادة 05 2 من أجل إطعام السكان المتزاٌ دٌٌن .وتعتبر الأمم المتحدة أن الزراعة الأسرٌٌة هً المفتاح لنظام غذائً مستدام وتحقٌق أهداف التنمٌٌة المستدامة . وٌ مثل عقد الأمم المتحدة للزراعة الأسرٌ ة إطاراً ٌمكن للبلدان من خلبله تطوٌٌر السٌاسات العامة والاستثمارات اللبزمة لدعم الزراعة الأسرٌٌة من منظور كلً، وإطلبق العنان للئمكانات التحوٌ لٌٌة للمزارعٌٌن الأسرٌ ٌن للمساهمة فً تحقٌق أهداف التنمٌٌة المستدامة .

 ووفقآ لمنظمة الأغذٌٌة والزراعة و الصندوق الدولً للتنمٌٌة الزراعٌة، "ٌتمتع المزارعون الأسرٌون، عند دعمهم بالسٌٌاسات والبرامج الإ جابٌٌة، بقدرة فرٌٌدة على معالجة فشل نظام الغذاء العالمً الذي لا ٌزال ٌهدر ثلث الأغذٌٌة المنتجة، وٌٌفشل فً الحد من الجوع وأشكال سوء التغذٌٌة المختلفة.

وٌٌمثل القطاع الزراعً بمصر نحو ٠.99% من الناتج المحلً الإجمالً وٌعمل به حوالً ٠..0% من إجمالً المشتغلٌٌن فً الدولة.

وخلبل الفترة الماضٌٌة من إنتشار فٌٌرس كرونا  طالت تداعٌٌات الأزمة الاقتصادٌٌة، قطاع الزراعة فً مصر، على المستو ٌن المحلالمحلً والتصدٌٌر، وعلى الرغم من تؤثر

القطاع الزراعً سلبا فً أوقات الأزمات لكنه لم ٌتوقف مثل قطاعات أخرى كالسٌٌاحة.

وفى ظل أوامر "إبقى فً منزلك" التى إنتشرت فً مختلف أنحاء البلبد، إلا أن المزارعٌٌن  كان علٌٌهم الإلتزام فً الوقت ذاته بمقتضٌٌات التباُعُد الاجتماعً ، وقد أدى ذلك إلى تضاعف حجم معاناتهم بسبب القوانٌن وغٌٌرها من التغٌرات التً طرأت على طول سلسلة الإمدادات الغذائٌٌة حٌٌث أن وقف الأنشطة السٌ احٌٌة بشكل كامل والمطاعم بشكل شبه كامل، قد أدى إلى انخفاض الطلب على الخضر والفاكهة بنسبة تتجاوز 5٠%.

وقد أدى تعطل المواصلبت العامة والنقل بسبب إجراءات الحظر الجزئً إلى تؤثر القطاع الزراعً سلبآ وٌرتبط  ذلك أٌضا بغٌٌاب المعلومات الكافٌٌة حول الاختلبفات فً الإجراءات الاحترازٌة بٌٌن الدول العربٌٌة وهو ما فاجؤ المصدرٌٌن المصرٌ ٌن بهذه الإجراءات بعد قطع مسافات طوٌٌلة بالمحصول بالفعل، واضطرهم إلى اتخاذ طرق أبعد وما ٌتضمنه ذلك من تكالٌٌف إضافٌٌة وارتفاع الفاقد.

وأكدت الإدارة المركزٌٌة للحجر الزراعً أن أزمة كورونا أثرت على صادرات الزراعة المصرٌٌة بنحو ٌتراوح بٌٌن 95% إلى 90% ومن ناحٌٌة أخرى، ٌمكن أن ٌإثر فٌروس كورونا ففً الأمد الطوٌل سلبًا على تنمٌٌة القطاع الزراعً والصناعات المرتبطة بشكل مباشر بهذا القطاع مثل الغزل والنسٌٌج، والصناعات الغذائٌٌة وذلك بسبب تداعٌٌات الوباء على استٌٌراد مستلزمات الإنتاج والمواد الخام وقطع الغٌٌار والآلات الزراعٌٌة. 

أما فٌٌما ٌتعلق بالأمن الغذائً ، فمن المرجح أن ٌتؤثر سلبًا بفعل اتخاذ عدد من الدول قرارًا بحظر تصدٌٌر المواد الغذائٌٌة والحاصلبت الزراعٌٌة للبلدان الأخرى لضمان الحفاظ على مخزونها السلعً لتلبٌٌة الاحتٌاجات المحلٌٌة، بالإضافة إلى تؤثره بنقص العمالة الناتجة عن تقٌ ٌد الحركة ومنع التجمعات.

وٌٌقول تقرٌر صادر عن المركز المصري للدراسات الاقتصادٌٌة، إن أشد المحاصٌٌل تؤثرا سلبٌٌا بؤزمة كورونا هً التً تزامن مٌعاد حصادها مع تفاقم الأزمة داخلٌٌا وخارجٌٌا، وهو ما ظهر جلٌٌا فً حالة محصول البطاطس التى انحفض سعرها محلٌٌا إلى 9٠55 جنٌٌه للطن فً حٌٌن تصل تكلفته إلى 4 آلاف جنٌهات للطن، كما تراجعت أسعار التصدٌر من 9٠5 دولار إلى أقل من 95 دولارات للطن. كما تؤثرت الفاكهة التً تعتبر سلعة ترف هٌٌة فً أوقات الأزمات، فٌٌما عدا البرتقال نظرا لارتفاع الطلب الخارجالخارجً علٌٌه كفاكهة معززة للمناعة ضد الفٌٌروسات. وقال التقرٌٌر، إن القمح تؤثر بصورتٌٌن متضادتٌٌن منذ بداٌٌة الأزمة، حٌث تراجعت أسعاره بوضوح خلبل الربع الأول من 5٠5٠ )فبراٌٌر – مارس(. ولكن عاودت الارتفاع فً أبرٌٌل الماضً ، بسبب اتجاه العدٌٌد من الدول المنتجة إلى فرض حظر على صادراتها من القمح.

وبصفة عامة  فقد تراجع دخل العاملٌٌن بالقطاع الزراعً وتدهور مستوٌٌات معٌٌشتهم بشكل متسارع  ولكن مما ساعد ففً تخفٌٌف أعباء الأزمة وجود تضامن إجتماعً قوي بٌٌن أهالً الرٌٌف بمصر ففً أوقات الأزمات، وهو ما ساعد على تكٌٌفهم مع الأزمة ، ولا عنً ذلك عدم تأثرهم سلبا، ولكنه عنً القدرة على التعاٌٌش مع تداعٌٌاتها السلبٌٌة.

 ما هً مجالات التدخل الرئٌ سٌٌة التً من شؤنها أن تعمل على بناء قدرة الزراعة الأسرٌٌة للحٌٌازات الصغٌٌرة على التؤقلم والصمود، وضمان سبل كسب العٌٌش المستدامة؟

فى ظل تداعٌٌات أزمة فٌروس كورونا فقد ظهرت الحاجة إلى التدخلات الآتٌٌة 

9- إتخاذ القرارات التى من شؤنها إعادة النظر فً التركٌٌب المحصولً للدورة الزراعٌٌة القادمة لتؤمٌن أكبر كم ممكن من احتٌٌاجات مصر من المحاصٌٌل الإسترات جٌٌة محلًٌّا تحسبًا لأي ارتفاعات مستقبلٌٌة فً الأسعار، أو أي قٌٌود تصد رٌٌة ٌفرضها منتجو المحاصٌل الاسترات جٌٌة.

٠-  أهمٌٌة دعم المزارع المصري من خلبل زٌٌادة قروض البنك الزراعً مع تؤجٌل سداد أقساط القروض المستحقة علٌهم ودعم صندوق التكافل الزراعً ومشاركة البنك الزراعى المصرى ووزارة الزراعة فً توفٌٌر القدرات الفنٌٌة لدعم قطاع الزراعة  ولزٌٌادة الإنتاج الح وانً .

.-  دعم المزارع المصرى بإعادة الخطة العامة لجهاز تحسٌٌن الأراضى لما لها من دور هام فى تحسٌٌن التربة الزراعٌٌة وبالتالى زٌٌادة الإنتاج من وحدة المساحة. 

4- - دعم البحوث الزراعٌٌة.

0- الإهتمام بدعم الشباب وضمان استدامة الزراعة  الأسرٌٌة  .

1. تعزٌٌز وتعظٌٌم الدور القٌادي للمرأة الرٌ فٌٌة ونشر ثقافة المساواة بٌٌن الجنسٌٌن فً مجال الزراعة  .
2. الإهتمام برفع وعى المزارعٌٌن بضرورة العمل التعاونى وإنشاء كٌٌانات تعاونٌٌة منتخبة تمثل المزارعٌٌن على أن ٌراعى فٌها النوع الإجتماعى.  

1. تعظٌٌم دور الزراعة الأسرٌٌة لتعزٌٌز الابتكارات الاجتماعٌٌة التً تسهم فً التنمٌٌة االرٌ فٌٌة ورفع مستوى المعٌٌشة للمزارعٌٌن.   
2. دعم المزارع المصري ومنحه مزٌٌدا من الاهتمام وتفعٌٌل الزراعات التعاقدٌٌة .

                  95-     الإهتمام بمنع التعدٌٌات على الأراضى الزراعٌٌة .

السإال الثانى:   

هل ٌمكنك تقدٌم وصف موجز لأهم عوامل تؤثٌر تغٌر المناخ على إنتاجٌة أنظمة الزراعة الرئٌ سٌٌة فً المنطقة؟

 ) ستكون رؤٌٌتى والأرقام والمعلومات لهذا الجزء فٌٌما ٌتعلق بدولة مصر(

أكدت العدٌد من الدراسات العلمٌٌة  أن الارتفاع والانخفاض فً درجات الحرارة وانخفاض نسب توافر المٌاه وهطول الأمطار المتوقعة نتٌٌجة التغٌرات المناخٌٌة سوف تقلل من صافً الإنتاجٌٌة للمحاصٌل الزراعٌٌة، وسوف تتسبب ففً زٌٌادة الآفات وأمراض النبات مما ٌإثر على انخفاض إنتاجٌٌتها بنسب كبٌرة. .  

وعلى الرغم من أن مفهوم التغٌٌرات المناخٌٌة بدأ الوعً به فً مصر خلبل السنوات الأخٌرة، إلا أن دراسة نشرها المركز الوطنً لبحوث الغلبف الجوي بالولاٌٌات المتحدة الأمر كٌٌة، بعنوان "تقٌ ٌم الآثار المناخٌٌة المتكاملة على الاقتصاد الزراعً لمصر"، أكدت أن جمٌٌع السٌ نارٌٌوهات المحتملة المتعلقة بتؤثٌر تغ ُّر المناخ على القطاع الزراعً فً مصر )مستورد رئٌ سً للؤغذٌٌة ( تإكد أن هناك انخفاضًا فً إنتاج المحاصٌل وزٌ ادةً  فً احتٌاجاتها المائٌٌة.

وأوضحت الدراسة أن مصر عرضة للبحتباس الحراري والتغٌرات المحتملة فً الزراعة والمٌٌاه، وأن هذه التغٌ ٌرات ستإثر على الأرجح على العدٌٌد من العوامل الاجتماعٌٌة والاقتصادٌٌة، مما ٌإثر على غذاء المواطنٌٌن، وارتفاع أسعار الأغذٌٌة، خاصةً  وأن مصر كما سبق أن ذكرنا بلد مستورد رئٌ سً للؤغذٌٌة .  

وقد كشفت منظمة الأغذٌة والزراعة "الفاو" عن أن تغ ُّرات المناخ تهدد قدرتنا على تحقٌٌق الأمن الغذائً العالمً ، والقضاء على الفقر، وتحقٌق التنمٌٌة المستدامة ووفق تقرٌر لها صدر فً 590٠، وإن للتغٌر المناخالمناخً آثارًا مباشرة وغٌر مباشرة على الإنتاجٌٌة الزراعٌٌة، تتضمن تغ ُّر أنماط هطول الأمطار، والجفاف، والفٌضانات، وإعادة التوزٌٌع الجغرافً للآفات والأمراض، وإن الكمٌات الهائلة من غاز ثانً أكسٌٌد الكربون المنبعثة لها أثرآ سلبٌآ على الحٌاة بصفة عامة.

ومن خلبل العدٌٌد من الدراسات على تؤثٌٌر التغٌٌرات المناخٌٌة على قطاع الزراعة بمصر إتضح لى الآتى : 

ٌعتبر القمح من أهم المحاصٌل الإسترات جٌٌة التالتً تعتمد علٌها مصر ففً غذائها؛ إذ تُعَدُّ  أكبر مستورد للقمح فً العالم، فالاستهلبك المحلً منه زٌٌزٌدٌد عن 96 ملٌٌون طن سنوٌ ًّا، نستورد من هذه الكمٌٌات 9٠ مل ونًا و4٠. ألف طن، وفق تقرٌٌر رسمً لوزارة الزراعة صادر عام 590٠ إن محصول القمح تؤثر بصورة كبٌرة بسبب موجات الصقٌٌع وطول الفترة الممطرة.

وبعد أن ضربت موجات الصقٌٌع والبرودة محصول القمح هذا العام وخاصة أثناء ما حدث من الإعصار المسمً بالتنٌٌن فإن العدٌٌد من مزارعً القمح تعرضوا لخسائر كبٌٌرة وانخفاض فً الإنتاجٌٌة، خاصةً  مزارعً صنف القمح سدس 9٠، الذي كان من أكثر الأصناف تؤثرًا بالتغٌٌرات المناخٌٌة والإصابة بمرض الصدأ الأصفر ومرض صدأ أوراق القمح هو مرض فطري صٌٌصٌبٌب بعض المحاصٌٌل الزراعٌٌة مثل القمح، وٌنشط مع الرطوبة العالٌٌة وموجات الصقٌٌع والفترات الممطرة الطوٌلة، وتسبَّب فً نقص كبٌٌر فً الإنتاجٌٌة هذا العام لبعض الأصناف ضعٌٌفة المقاومة، ، ووصلت الخسائر فٌٌه إلى 65%. وتؤثرت زراعاته بالتغ ُّرات المناخٌٌة، لكن بعض أصناف كانت أكثر مقاوِمةً  للؤمراض ولهذه التغٌٌرات كصنف جٌٌزة 979 الذي كان أقل تؤثرًا بالتغٌٌرات الجوٌة.

ولم تفلت زراعات الخضر من خطر التغٌٌرات المناخٌٌة هذا العام أٌ ضًا؛ فمحصول الطماطم كان أٌ ضًا من المحاصٌٌل الأكثر تؤثرًا هذا العام .حٌٌث إن محصول الطماطم من المحاصٌٌل شدٌٌدة الحساسٌٌة للحرارة، ومع ارتفاع درجات الحرارة الموسم الصٌ فً الماضً اكتسبت الآفات صفات جدٌٌدة جعلتها مقاوِمةً  للمبٌٌدات، خاصةً  آفات الذبابة البٌضاء وسوسة الطماطم ، ما أثر على إنتاجٌٌة المحصول بصورة كبٌٌرة. وقد تبٌن أٌٌضآ أن درجات الحرارة المرتفعة تسببت فً زٌادة عدد الأمراض التً تصٌٌب محصول الطماطم، مثل الندوة البدرٌٌة والتبقع البكتٌٌري والندوة المتؤخرة والبٌٌاض الدقٌ قً والبرغوتٌٌة، التً تُعَد من أشد الأمراض الفطرٌٌة التً تدمر محصول الطماطم.

وهذا ما أكدته دراسة بعنوان "تغ ُّر المناخ والأزمات الزراعٌٌة المصرٌٌة"،التى أثبتت وأكدت نتائجها أن التغٌٌرات المناخٌٌة ستإدي إلى ارتفاع درجة الحرارة ومن ثم انتشار العدٌٌد من الأمراض النباتٌٌة الفطرٌٌة، وكذلك الإصابات الحشرٌٌة المختلفة، ومن أمثلة ذلك اللفحة المتؤخرة لك ل  من الطماطم والبطاطس، وصدأ الساق والأوراق لمحصول القمح، الأمر الذي ضٌٌف تحدًٌّا جدٌ دًا للمحافظة على الإنتاجٌٌة والمعاملبت الزراعٌٌة المناسبة.

وقد إتضح انخفاض فً الموسم الصٌ فً الماضً 591٠ بصورة كبٌٌرة؛ إذ بلغ إنتاج الفدان فً موسم 591٠ حوالً 90 طنًّا، مقارنةً  بالموسم السابق له؛ إذ كان الإنتاج حوالً 40 طنًّا، ما تسبب فً ارتفاع كبٌٌر فً أسعار الطماطم فً الأسواق بصورة غٌٌر مسبوقة فً تلك الفترة. كما أن ظروف الحر الشدٌٌدة هً مناخ ملبئم لتكاثر

الحشرات مثل الذبابة البٌضاء، بالإضافة إلى انتشار الأمراض الفطرٌة، معتبرًا أن المناخ هو المسإول الأول عن انتشار الحشرات والأمراض .

حجم التأثٌٌرات المستقبلٌة

وكانت  الدراسات قد كشفت عن أن للتغٌرات المناخٌٌة العدٌٌد من التؤثٌرات، على رأسها التؤثٌر على إنتاجٌة المحاصٌٌل، وتملحُّ الأراضً وغرق مساحات من الأراضً الزراعٌٌة فً شمال الدلتا، وتناقصُ الأمطار فً الساحل الشمالً ، ونقص الزراعات المطرٌٌة، وتناقصُ مٌٌاه الخزان الجوفً ، وتهدٌٌد الزراعات الصحراوٌٌة، وزٌٌادة الاستهلبك المائالمائً للمحاصٌٌل.

وفٌما ٌخص تؤثٌر التغٌرات المناخٌٌة على الإنتاج النباتً ، شددت الدراسة على أن الزٌادة المتوقعة فً درجات الحرارة وتغٌ ُّر نمطها الموسمً ستإدي إلى نقص الإنتاجٌٌة الزراعٌٌة لبعض المحاصٌٌل، وكذلك إلى تغٌٌرات فً النطاقات الزراعٌٌة البٌ ئٌٌة؛ إذ سٌإدي ارتفاع درجة الحرارة إلى تحرُّك إنتاج الحبوب الشتوٌٌة إلى الشمال، حٌث تتفق هذه المناطق فً درجة حرارتها مع الاحتٌٌاجات الفسٌ ولوجٌٌة لتلك المحاصٌٌل.

أوضحت النتائج أن إنتاجٌٌة محصول القمح ستقل بنسبة 1% إذا ارتفعت درجة الحرارة درجتٌن مئوٌ تٌن، وسٌٌزداد الاستهلبك المائً لهذا المحصول حوالً ٠.6% بالمقارنة بالاستهلبك المائً له تحت الظروف الجوٌٌة الحالٌٌة، فً حٌٌن سٌصل معدل النقص إلى 90% إذا ارتفعت درجة الحرارة 4 درجات مئوٌٌة.

بٌنما ستقل إنتاجٌٌة الذرة الشامٌٌة بنسبة 91% بحلول منتصف هذا القرن إذا ارتفعت درجة الحرارة 0.. درجات مئوٌٌة، وذلك بالمقارنة بالإنتاجٌٌة تحت الظروف الجوٌٌة الحالٌٌة، وسٌٌزداد استهلبكها المائً -تبعًا لذلك- نحو 0%.

و ُعَد الأرز من المحاصٌٌل الإسترات جٌٌة فً مصر، حٌٌث ٌسود نمط غذائً ٌعتبر الأرز مكونًا أساسٌ ًّا فً الوجبة ال ومٌٌة الرئ سٌٌة، تشٌر الدراسة إلى أن إنتاجٌٌته ستنخفض بنسبة 99% مقارنةً  بإنتاجٌٌته تحت الظروف الجوٌٌة الحالٌٌة، فً حٌن سٌٌزداد استهلبكه من المٌٌاه بنسبة 96%.

وفٌٌما ٌتعلق بمحصول الطماطم الذي ُعَد من المحاصٌٌل الحساسة جدًّا لارتفاع درجة الحرارة، كشؤن العدٌٌد من محاصٌٌل الخضر، أكدت الدراسة أن إنتاجٌٌته ستنخفض بنسبة 94% إذا ارتفعت درجة الحرارة درجتٌٌن مئو تٌٌن وسٌٌزداد الاستهلبك المائً لهذا المحصول ما بٌٌن ٠.4 و0.7%، بالمقارنة بالاستهلبك المائً له تحت الظروف الجوٌٌة الحالٌٌة، فً حٌٌن أن هذا النقص سٌٌصل إلى حوالً 09% إذا ارتفعت درجة الحرارة 0.. درجات مئوٌٌة.

على عكس ما سبق، فإن إنتاجٌٌة القطن ستتؤثر -وفق الدراسة- تؤثرًا إ جابٌ ًّا؛ إذ ستزداد إنتاجٌٌته بنسبة 97% إذا ارتفعت درجة حرارة الجو درجتٌٌن مئوٌ تٌٌن، إلا أن الاستهلبك المائً لهذا المحصول سٌزداد ما بٌٌن 4.9 و٠.0% بالمقارنة بالاستهلبك المائً له تحت الظروف الجوٌٌة الحالٌٌة، وسٌٌصل معدل الزٌٌادة فً هذا المحصول حوالً 9.% تحت ظروف ارتفاع درجة الحرارة 4 درجات مئوٌٌة، ومن ناحٌٌة أخرى سٌٌزداد استهلبكه المائً نحو 95%، مقارنةً  باستهلبكه المائً تحت الظروف الجوٌٌة الحالٌٌة.

دراسة أخرى تحت عنوان "تق ٌم الآثار الاقتصادٌٌة لتغٌر المناخ على الزراعة فً مصر"، كشفت نتائجها أٌ ضًا عن تراجع صافً إٌٌرادات الزراعات بسبب تؤثٌٌرات التغ ُّرات المناخٌٌة والتربة وعوامل أخرى، بعد إجراء مسح عن طرٌٌق إجراء مقابلبت مع 155 أسرة من 5٠ محافظة فً مصر.

وأوضحت نتائج الدراسة أن التغٌرات المناخٌٌة وما تسببه من ارتفاع فى درجة حرارة سطح الأرض سوف تإثر سلبٌ ًّا على إنتاجٌٌة العدٌٌد من المحاصٌٌل الزراعٌٌة المصرٌٌة؛ إذ تسبب نقصًا شدٌ دًا فى إنتاجٌٌة معظم محاصٌٌل الغذاء الرئ سٌة فى مصر. وأن صافً دخل المزرعة ٌتراجع، نتٌٌجة المتغٌرات الخاصة بالمناخ والتربة والمتغٌٌرات الهٌ درولوجٌٌة والاقتصادٌٌة والاجتماعٌٌة. وأظهرت النتائج أن تغٌٌر المناخ وارتفاع درجة الحرارة سٌٌعوق الزراعة فً مصر، وأن الري والتكنولوجٌٌا هما خٌٌارا التكٌ ُّف الموصى بهما.  

•        كٌٌف ٌمكن أن ٌوفر عقد الأمم المتحدة للزراعة الأسرٌٌة أدوات وتدابٌٌر من شؤنها أن تساعد الزراعة الأسرٌٌة للحٌازات الصغٌٌرة على مواجهة التحدٌات المناخٌٌة والتحدٌات الاجتماعٌٌة الاقتصادٌة؟

الأدوات والتدابٌر التى من شؤنها أن تساعد الزراعة الأسرٌٌة للحٌازات الصغٌرة على مواجهة التحدٌات المناخٌٌة والتحدٌٌات الاجتماعٌٌة الاقتصادٌٌة؟

 9 - ضرورة مضاعفة الإنفاق على البحوث الزراعٌٌة، خصوصًا البحوث المتعلقة باستنباط الأصناف المتحملة للملوحة والحرارة والجفاف والأصناف قصٌرة العمر والمقاومة للؤمراض والآفات . وا ستنباط أصناف جدٌٌدة موسم نموها قصٌٌر؛ لتقلٌٌل الاحتٌٌاجات المائٌٌة اللبزمة لها، كما جرى فً محصول الأرز، باستنباط أصناف لها القدرة على تحمُّل الملوحة ونقص المٌٌاه والجفاف وتعمل على مقاومة الأمراض، وغٌٌر مستهلكة للمٌٌاه وتزٌٌد الإنتاجٌٌة.  

٠-  إعداد سٌٌاسة للتكٌ ُّف مع التؤثٌٌرات المعاكسة لتغ ُّر المناخ على الزراعة،على أن تركز هذه السٌاسة على ثلبث مجالات هى : إدارة المحاصٌل، وإدارة المٌاه، وإدارة الأراضً .

 . -  بناء قدرات المزارعٌن وتدرٌبهم على المواعٌٌد المثلى للزرعة وبذر محاصٌٌلهم لتفادي الإرتفاعات غٌٌر المتوقعة فً درجات الحرارة. وللتكٌف مع نقص مٌٌاه الأمطار. 

4 -  توعٌٌة المزارعٌٌن بإستخدام أنواعًا مختلفة من المحاصٌٌل والأصناف تتناسب مع المناخ الذي تشهده مصر مع زٌٌادة كفاءة استخدام المٌٌاه وخٌٌارات الإنضاج المبكر المتنوعة.

0 -   ضرورة تغٌ ٌر مواعٌٌد الزراعة بما ٌلبئم الظروف الجوٌٌة الجدٌٌدة، وكذلك زراعة الأصناف المناسبة فى المناطق المناخٌٌة المناسبة لها، لزٌادة العائد المحصولً من وحدة المٌٌاه لكل محصول. 

6 -  قٌام الجهات البحثٌٌة بوزارة الزراعة على تقلٌٌل مساحة المحاصٌل المسرفة فً الاستهلبك المائً لها أو على الأقل عدم زٌٌادة المساحة المقررة لها )مثل الأرز وقصب السكر(، وزراعة محاصٌٌل بدٌلة تعطً الغرض نفسه وٌكون استهلبكها المائً وموسم نموها أقل، مثل زراعة بنجر السكر بدلًا  من قصب السكر، والري فى المواعٌٌد المناسبة وبكمٌٌة المٌٌاه المناسبة فى كل رٌٌة حفاظًا على كل قطرة مٌٌاه .  7-  قٌام وزارة الزراعة بإصدار نشرات توصٌا ت  دورٌ ةً  فنٌٌة بالتنسٌق مع المراكز البحثٌٌة والإرشادٌٌة،  لتوعٌ  ةً للمزارعٌٌن بك فٌٌة التعامل السرٌٌع مع موجات الطقس غٌر المستقر .

0-  قٌام مراكز البحوث الزراعٌٌة بتهٌٌئة المحاصٌل الزراعٌٌة للتكٌ ُّف مع التغٌرات المناخٌٌة المحتملة حٌٌث أن ذلك من أهم التحدٌٌات التً تواجه التطوٌر ففً قطاع الزراعة، مش رًا إلى أنه ٌجب أن تكون هذه التهٌئة متكاملة وفعالة ومستمرة ومخططًا لها على المدى البعٌٌد.

1 - على الرغم من الجهود المصرٌٌة الكثٌٌرة المبذولة لمجابهة قضٌٌة التغٌرات المناخٌٌة، ما زلنا نحتاج إلى العدٌٌد من الدراسات والبحوث المتخصصة، بالإضافة إلى أننا نحتاج إلى الكثٌٌر من الدراسات التطبٌ قٌٌة التً تطور نظمًا جدٌٌدة للتخفٌف من التؤثٌٌرات السلبٌٌة للتغٌٌرات المناخٌٌة أو التكٌٌف مع هذه التؤثٌٌرات عند حدوثها.

95 - إنشاء قاعدة بٌٌانات زراعٌٌة، من شؤنها أن تإدي إلى تبادل المعلومات والمعرفة ومنع الازدواجٌٌة فى العمل، وأن تقوم بتجمٌٌع وتداول البٌانات اللبزمة لدراسة العلبقة بٌٌن تغٌر المناخ وقطاع الزراعة ،  وتعزز التعاون وتبادل المعلومات والمعرفة بٌٌن مختلف الوزارات والجهات البحثٌٌة والجامعات بخصوص التغٌٌرات المناخٌٌة  والمعرفة الزراعٌٌة .

99 - بناء نماذج إلكترونٌٌة لحصر غازات الاحتباس الحراري فً القطاع الزراعً ، وتقدٌٌم الدعم الفنً والتقنً من أجل خطط المرونة والتكٌٌف مع قضاٌٌا تغٌر المناخ فً قطاع الزراعة مع وزارة البٌٌئة.

9٠ – تنظٌٌم مركز معلومات تغٌٌر المناخ دورات وورش عمل فى مجال تغٌ ُّر المناخ لرفع كفاءة الكوادر البشرٌٌة )مهندسٌن زراع ٌن، مرشدٌن زراعزراعٌٌنٌن، مزارعٌٌن(.

 9. - تطوٌٌر الجهات المنوط بها وضع السٌاسات والإجراءت التً تقلل من مخاطر التغٌرات المناخٌة فً القطاع الزراعً ودمج تغٌر المناخ فً برامج التنمٌٌة المستدامة وإستراتٌ جٌات الحد من الفقر، ومساعدة متخذي القرار والمزارعٌن على تجنُّب مخاطر التغٌرات المناخٌٌة، والحد من الآثار السلبٌٌة لتغٌٌر المناخ على الصحة والاقتصاد والبٌٌئة، وزٌٌادة الوعً العام، وتقٌ ٌم الآثار من خلبل وضع س نارٌٌوهات للتؤثٌٌر على إتاحة المٌاه، والتبخر، وآثار ذلك على كل قطاع، ودعم إجراء البحوث ذات الصلة.

94 – التنسٌٌق بٌن كل من مراكز البحوث الزراعٌٌة وبحوث الأرصاد الجوٌٌة الزراعٌٌة، والمعمل المركزي للمناخ الزراعً ، ومركز معلومات تغٌٌر المناخ والطاقة المتجددة، لتعمل هذه الجهات جنبآ إلى جنب على إنجاز الدراسات ووضع السٌٌاسات المعنٌٌة بتغٌر المناخ.

90- التوسع فى نشر محطات الأرصاد الجوٌٌة والمناخ فى جمٌٌع محافظات مصر لرصد وقراءة وتسجٌٌل عناصر الطقس المختلفة فً أوقات محددة ، وقٌٌاس درجة الحرارة، كمٌٌة المطر، كمٌٌة ونوع وارتفاع قاعدة الغٌٌـوم، الحالة الجوٌٌة وقت الرصد، الرإٌٌة، اتجاه الرٌٌاح وسرعتها، قٌمة الضغط الجوي وكافة المعلومات المناخٌٌة التى من شؤنها تحدٌٌد أنواع وأصناف ومواسم ومقننات الرى للمحاصٌٌل المختلفة طبقآ لكل محافظة. 

                                                       أكرم أحمد الخرجاوى

Akram Ahmed Youssef ElKergawy

Egypt - Faiyum – Messala

Agricultural Consultant, Director General at the Ministry of Agriculture. Experience in projects funded by the European Union and Food and Agriculture Organization.

E-consultation to share expertise and inputs to contribute to developing the UNDFF regional action plan for Near East and North Africa.

Question (1):

The impact of COVID-19 outbreak on the Near East and North Africa

Has the COVID-19 outbreak exacerbated the challenges faced by small scale family farming, and how?

There is no single definition of family farming. However, it can be considered as a means for organizing production in the areas of agriculture, forestry, fishing, pastoralism and aquaculture. It is led by households and depends mainly on the family work of both men and women. There is a strong correlation between families and farms, as they both share in the development process and have economic, environmental, social and cultural functions.

In both developed and developing countries, family farming represents the main form of agricultural production. There are almost 500 million family farms, accounting for more than 90% of all the farms all over the world. Family farms produce more than 80% of the world food. It has been recently demonstrated that family farming will be essential for addressing the hunger problem in the world. Therefore, family farmers need support to be able to make best use of all their potentials.    

More than 90% of farms are managed by a person or a household, and they reflect an evident model for gender equality. Farms mainly depend on the family work. FAO reported that by 2050 agricultural production needs to be increased by 50% annually in order to be able to feed the vast growing population. UN considers family farming the key for securing a sustainable food system and achieving SDGs. UNDFF is a framework which enables countries to develop policies and investments required for supporting family farming from an inclusive perspective. It also unleashes the family farmers’ transformative potential, thus contributing to achieving SDGs.

According to FAO and IFAD: “When supported with effective policies and programs, family farmers acquire a distinctive capacity to address the failures of the world food system which still wastes one third of the food produced, and fails to end hunger and the various forms of malnutrition.

The agriculture sector in Egypt contributes 11.2% of the national GDP and employs about 23.8% of the total active population.

Because of the Covid-19 pandemic experienced over the last period, the economic crisis has negatively affected the agricultural sector in Egypt, at the local level and in terms of exports. Despite the negative effects of the crisis on agriculture, it was not suspended like other sectors, e.g. tourism.

Despite the instructions to stay at home which was spread nationwide, farmers had to respect the social distancing requirements. This in turn doubled their sufferings due to regulations and other changes made to the food supply chain. Demand on fruits and vegetables has been decreased by more than 20% due to the entire suspension of tourism activities and almost entire suspension of catering activities.         

The disruption of public transportation due to the partial lockdown measures has negatively affected the agricultural sector. This is also attributed to the lack of sufficient information about the different precautionary measures adopted by the Arab countries. These measures shocked the Egyptian exporters after traveling long distances with their crops. They were then obliged to take longer routes and incur additional costs and high losses. 

The Central Administration of Plant Quarantine confirmed that the Covid-19 crisis has affected Egyptian agricultural exports by 10% to 15%. On the other hand, in the long term Covid-19 has negatively affected the development of the agricultural sector and related industries, such as spinning and weaving and food industries, due to the pandemic repercussions on importing the production inputs, raw materials, spare parts and agricultural machinery.    

Concerning food security, it is likely to be negatively affected by the decision of some countries to prohibit the food and agricultural exports, in order to preserve their commodity stocks to meet the local needs. In addition, food security is affected by the shortage of labour due to the restrictions on movement and gathering.

The Egyptian Centre for Economic Studies (ECES) reported that the crops most heavily affected by Covid-19 pandemic are those which harvest has coincided with the crisis exacerbation nationally and globally. Potato is an evident example for this, as its price has been locally reduced to EGP 1,200 per ton, while its cost reaches EGP 4.000 per ton. Besides, potatoes’ export price has been reduced to USD 10 down from USD 120 per ton. 

Fruit, which is a luxury commodity in times of crisis, has also been affected, except orange that is highly demanded being among the fruits that boost the immune system. The ECES report also indicates that wheat has been affected in two contrasting ways since the beginning of the crisis. During the first quarter of 2020 (February-March), the price of wheat decreased, but it increased again in April, due to the tendency of some wheat producing countries to impose an embargo on wheat exports.

In general, agricultural workers suffered from reduced income and rapid deterioration of the standards of living. The consequences of the crisis can be mitigated through strong social solidarity among the Egyptian villagers in times of crisis. This in turn has helped them to build their resilience and cope with the crisis, despite its negative impacts.

What are the main areas of intervention that would build the resilience of small scale family farming and ensure sustainable livelihoods?

Due to Covid-19 repercussions, the following interventions are needed:

1. Taking decisions on reconsidering the crop structure for the next agricultural cycle to secure the largest possible amount of Egypt's needs of local strategic crops, in anticipation of any future price increases, or any export restrictions imposed by the strategic crop producers.
2. Supporting Egyptian farmers by increasing access to the Agricultural Bank loans, while delaying the payment of installments. Enhancing the support of the Agricultural Solidarity Fund, and the participation of the Egyptian Agricultural Bank and the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) in providing the technical capabilities to boost the agricultural sector and increase livestock production.
3. Supporting Egyptian farmers by repeating the general plan of the Lands Improvement Organization, due to its significant role in improving the agricultural soil, and increasing production from the area unit. 
4. Supporting agricultural researches.
5. Supporting youth and ensuring the sustainability of family farming.
6. Promoting and maximizing the leading role of the rural woman and spreading the culture of gender equality in agriculture.
7. Raising farmers' awareness of the importance of the cooperative work and establishing elected gender-sensitive cooperative entities to represent farmers.
8. Maximizing the role of family farming to promote social innovations that contribute to rural development and raise the farmers’ standard of living.
9. Supporting and prioritizing the Egyptian farmer and activating contract farming.
10. Preventing encroachment on agricultural lands.

Question (2):

Could you provide a brief description of major climate change impacts on the productivity of basic agricultural systems in the region?

(My vision and the figures and information included in the following part are related to Egypt)

A number of scientific studies emphasized that the decrease and increase in temperatures, lack of water and expected lower precipitation resulting from climate changes will reduce the net productivity of crops, and will increase pests and plant diseases. This in turn would result in decreased productivity.

Although the concept of climate change has recently become known in Egypt, a study published by the US National Centre for Atmospheric Research entitled "An Assessment of the overall Climate Impacts on the Agricultural Economy of Egypt", revealed that all the possible scenarios related to the climate change impacts on the agricultural sector in Egypt (a major food importer) emphasize a decrease in crop production and an increase in water demand.

The study showed that Egypt is vulnerable to global warming and potential changes in agriculture and water, and that these changes will likely affect some social and economic factors, which will reduce food and increase its prices, especially since Egypt is a major food importer, as mentioned above.

FAO pointed out that climate changes threaten our ability to achieve food security, end poverty, and achieve SDGs. In a report issued in 2018, FAO further indicated that climate change has direct and indirect impacts on the agricultural productivity. These imapcts include change in precipitation patterns, droughts, and floods as well as the geographical redistribution of pests and diseases. The report also ilustrated that huge amounts of carbon dioxide emitted have a negative impact on life in general.

Through a number of studies on the impact of climate change on the agricultural sector in Egypt, I found out that:  

Wheat is one of the most important strategic crops on which Egypt depends for food, thus it is considered the largest wheat importer in the world. The local consumption of wheat exceeds 16 million tons per year, the imported quantity is 12.243 million tons. An official report issued by the MOA in 2018 indicated that wheat crop was significantly affected by frost and the long rainy periods.

After the frost and cold waves hit the wheat crop that year, especially the “Eye of the Dragon” storm, many wheat farmers incurred substantial losses and low productivity, especially the  one-sixth 12 wheat cultivar, being among the most affected cultivars by the climate change impacts and infection with the diseases of yellow rust and leaf rust. Wheat leaf rust is a fungal disease that affects some crops such as wheat. It becomes active with high humidity, frost waves and long rainy periods. It caused a significant decrease in the productivity of some cultivars with poor resistance to diseases. Losses reached 65%, and planting wheat was affected by climate changes. However, some cultivars were more resistant to diseases and to these changes, such as Giza 171, which was less affected by climate change.

In 2018, vegetables were also affected by climate changes. Tomato was also one of the most affected crops that year since it is very sensitive to heat. With the rise of temperature in the last summer, pests acquired new characteristics that increased their resistance to the pesticides, especially the whitefly and tomato weevil. Consequently, the tomato yield was significantly affected. It was also found that the high temperatures caused an increase in the number of tomato diseases such as the early blight, the bacterial spot, late blight, the white powdery disease and black rings. These are the most severe fungal diseases that destroy the tomato crop. 

This is reflected in a study entitled "Climate change and Egyptian agricultural crises", which proved that climate change  will lead to high temperatures and spread of many fungal plant diseases, as well as various pest infestation. These diseases include the late blight of tomatoes and potatoes, and the wheat stem and leaves of rust. This has imposed a new challenge to the preservation of productivity and appropriate agricultural transactions.

Magnitude of Future Impacts

Studies revealed that climate changes have a number of impacts, the most important of which are the impact on crop production, soil salinization, sinking of agricultural land in the northern delta, decrease of rain in the northern coast, lack of rainfed agriculture, decrease of underground reservoir water, desert crops vulnerability, and the crops intensive water consumption.

With regard to the impact of climate changes on plant production, the study emphasized that the expected higher temperature and change in its seasonal pattern will lead to a decrease in agricultural productivity of some crops, as well as changes in the range of agro-ecological zones. In addition, the rise in temperature will force farmers to grow winter grains in the north, as these regions' temperature is appropriate for physiological needs of these crops.

The study findings indicated that the wheat yield will decrease by 9% if the temperature increases by 2 degrees Celsius, and wheat water consumption will increase by about 6.2% compared to its water consumption during the current weather conditions. Besides, if the temperature increased by 4 degrees Celsius, wheat production will decrease by 18%. 

The production of sorghum will decrease by 19% by the middle of this century if the temperature rises by 3.5 degrees Celsius, compared to the productivity under the current weather conditions, and its water consumption will increase accordingly by 8%.  

Rice is one of the strategic crops in Egypt, since it represents a main dish in the daily diet of Egyptians. The study indicates that rice production will decrease by 11% compared to its production under the current weather conditions, and its water consumption will increase by 16%.

Regarding the tomato crop, which is very sensitive to high temperature as many other vegetables, the study confirmed that its production will decrease by 14% if the temperature rises by 2 degrees Celsius and its water consumption will increase by 4.2% to 5.7%, compared to its water consumption under the current weather conditions. However, this decrease will reach about 51% if the temperature rises by 3.5 degrees Celsius.

On the contrary, according to the study, cotton production will be affected in a positive manner. Its production will increase by 17% if the temperature rises by 2 degrees Celsius. However, its water consumption will increase between 4.1% to 5.2% compared to its water consumption under the current weather conditions. The production of cotton will increase by 31% if the temperature rises by 4 degrees Celsius. On the other hand, its water consumption will increase by about 10%, compared to its water consumption under the current weather conditions.

Another study entitled "An Assessment of the Economic impacts of Climate Change on Agriculture in Egypt” concluded that the net farm income will decline due to climate change impacts, soil and other factors. The study finding are based on a survey by interviewing 900 households from 20 governorates in Egypt.

The study findings showed that the climate changes and the rise in earth temperature will negatively affect the productivity of many Egyptian agricultural crops, and substantial lack of most of the main food crops in Egypt. The net farm income is declining as a result of changes in climate and soil, and the hydrological, economic and social variables. The study revealed that climate change and high temperature will be a major challenge to agriculture in Egypt, and that irrigation and technology are the recommended options for resilience and adaptation.

How could UNDFF provide instruments and measures to help small scale family farming face the climate and socio-economic challenges?

Instruments and measures that would help small scale family farming respond to climate and socio-economic challenges include:

1. Doubling the spending on agricultural researches, particularly those related to salinity, temperature, drought, diseases and pests-resistant crops and short-lived crops. Introducing new varieties with short growing season to save water. An example for such is rice, where some varieties found to be more resistant to salinity, water shortage, drought, and diseases. In addition, these crops need less amounts of water and increase productivity.
2. Developing a policy for adapting to the adverse impacts of climate changes with an emphasis on three aspects: crops management, water management, and land management.
3. Building farmers’ capacities and providing them with training on the optimal timing for planting and sowing in order to avoid unpredictable increase in temperature and adapt to shortage of rainwater.
4. Raising farmers’ awareness of planting different crop types and varieties, which are suitable for the climate of Egypt, while increasing the efficiency of water use, and their awareness of the various different early ripening varieties.
5. Adjusting planting timing according to the new weather conditions as well as planting the appropriate varieties in the climate-appropriate regions to increase crop water productivity per water unit.
6. Conducting studies by the MOA research entities on reducing areas of planting water intensive crops, or at least not increasing the designated areas for planting such crops (e.g. rice and sugar canes). Instead, alternative crops that serve the same purpose and require less amounts of water and shorter growing season should be cultivated, including sugar beet rather than sugar cane. Timely irrigation with the appropriate amounts of water should be highly considered to save water.
7. Publishing periodic technical recommendations by the MOA in coordination with the research and extension centres to raise farmers’ awareness of how to handle unstable weather waves rapidly.
8. The agriculture research centres should adapt crops to the possible climate changes, since they are considered a key challenge to the development of agriculture. Such adaptation should be comprehensive, efficient, continuous, and planned for a long term.
9. Despite the considerable Egyptian efforts exerted to address climate changes, conducting more studies and specific researches is still needed, along with many applied studies, which develop new systems to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change or to adapt to these impacts once experienced.
10. Establishing an agricultural database, which would help in information exchange and avoidance of duplicate works. Through such database, all data required to study the correlation between climate change and agriculture will be collected and communicated. It will also promote cooperation and exchange of information and knowledge among different ministries, research entities and universities interested in climate changes and agricultural knowledge.
11. Developing electronic models to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions in agriculture, and providing technological and technical support for developing plans for adaptation and resilience to climate changes in agriculture, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment.
12. Organizing workshops and trainings on climate change by the Climate Change Information Centre to enhance the human resources efficiency (agricultural engineers, extension workers and farmers).
13. Developing the capacities of the entities mandated to set policies and procedures reducing climate change risks in the agricultural sector and integrating climate change in sustainable development and poverty reduction strategies and programs. Assisting decision makers and farmers to avoid the climate change risks, reduce its negative impacts on health, economy and environment. Increasing public awareness and evaluating the impacts through putting different scenarios on how it affects availability of water, evaporation, and how would that affect each sector, all while supporting the conduction of relevant researches.
14. Coordinating among agricultural research centres, agricultural meteorology research centres, the Central Laboratory for Agricultural Climate and the Climate Change Information Centre to work together on resuming studies and developing policies on climate change.
15. Expanding the distribution of agrometeorological stations nationwide to monitor, read and record climate different factors at specific times, and to measure temperature, rainfall, and the clouds amount, type, and height of clouds base. These stations will record the weather conditions at the time of monitoring, wind direction and speed, pressure, and all relevant weather information. They will further identify types, varieties, seasons, and regulations of irrigation for different crops by governorate.

Akram Ahmed ElKhergawy

Impact of COVID-19 outbreak in NENA region

How does/did the COVID-19 outbreak exacerbate the challenges faced by small-scale family farmers (SSFF)?

The effect was mainly because of lack of exportations to the usual markets that is normally with large inversors, the local market was full with products and with very cheap prices and of higher appeard quality to the consumers as compared with small hoders whose produces is more or less (though in reality of better nutrutional quality as it is mostly landraces) of less uniformity and may of some pests infections that make it non marketable in big stores in the city. Moreover, due to the lock downs in several occasions the farmers couldnt market their products through their local chains and for the lack of storage facilities they lost their products in many cases. The good thing in FF was the accessibility to their small scale interprices whilst challenges of large scale farmers reaching their farms.

And what are the main areas of interventions that could efficiently build SSFF resilience and ensure sustainable livelihood?

Mainly markets and fairs through which they could sell their goods and sustaining a good seed sources at affordable prices and/or hosting seed storage facilities or platforms of exchange, On the other hand, provisions of good agricultural extension and supporting regulatory farmers associations.

Can you share success examples in the region?

women's associations in the north of Jordan were able to manufature farm products at homes and send to the market whenever the lock down is released.

2) Sustainable transition towards more sustainable agri-food systems

Can you give brief description of  key CC impact factors on productivity of main farming systems in the region?

The impact in Jordan is mainly lack of water and in the rainfed agricultural even the distribution of pricipitation. Moreover, the different waves of dust and heat that are recently occuring caused and will cause different adverse impacts on the produce as direct or indirect by increasing the pests infections

How can innovation and digital solutions accelerate such transition of the agi-food systems?

The innovative solutins and technology could enable early warning to possible catastrofic events and sesible tools toward better predection of precipitation and heat waves for example and better communitation between the small holder farmters and the technical platforms or relevant institutions that will end up in better results of any action. Also, enables accessibility to different data bases and information sources to markets of products and seeds.

How can the UNDFF  provide tools and measures that help SSFF facing the climate and socioeconomic challenges?

By supporting goverments to enhance guided institutional changes and stragegies to support FF systems as well as to support local law toward better orginizations and farmer's representing agencies. 

Concerns expressed so far tend to focus on farmer income rather than food security. A family farm that is not providing a high cash income through sale of crops or livestock is not in trouble, in this pandemic, while it is still adequately feeding the family. Money is needed in most of these rural economies, to pay fees for school attendance, for taxes, fuel, other material needs, travel, and the transport of products and inputs. But during a time of crisis, surely the governments in these regions can legislate assistance to cover essentials, while suspending fees and rents until the virus is under control. In the meantime, the access to seeds and water, to grow food crops that can be used on-farm, or shared/marketed locally, seems to me to be a higher priority than continuing the access to commercial markets.

Name Mr Yusuf Abdi Lare Titlle  CEO of Livelihood Relief & Development Organization based in Somalia I am also Agronomist  for at least 27 years  who have worked with different UN, internation & Local NGOs in Sectors of Humaniarian Aid service Dev\livery To jump at my Contribution here in Somalia with the Field of Agricuture facilities & products hazards or destructon, so there are  three main issues 1- floods disater on small agriculture people living on the Banks of bpoth Shabelle & Ja\uba Rivers 2- droughts  3- conflicts anyway there diffirents of agriculture inputs or Investment  to mitigate many lives who are now in Humanitarain crisis at high risks though mostly vulneralble  & mostaffected communities are farmer women who belong to Minority clans , they have fled from Janaale district  & its aound villages some have fled from floods in Afgooye district & some other have fled from Jawhar & Balcad districts ,  also in hiran there recurrency floods & AWD cases plus measels 

thanks 

Mr Yusuf 

English translation below

1) تأثير تفشي فيروس كوفيد - 19 في منطقة الشرق الأدنى وشمال إفريقيا

تواجه منطقة الشرق الأدنى وشمال أفريقيا تحديات رئيسية، من بينها القضاء على الفقر والجوع، وكذلك الاستجابة لآثار تغير المناخ والحفاظ على الموارد الطبيعية لتجنب المزيد من تدهور الأوضاع.

• هل أدى تفشي فيروس كوفيد - 19 إلى تفاقم التحديات التي تواجهها الزراعة الأسرية للحيازات الصغيرة، وكيف ذلك؟
  • إن الإجراءات التي اتخذتها الحكومات للحد من تفشي فيروي كوفيد-19 كان لها تأثير كبير على الزراعة الاسرية للحيازات الصغيرة. حيث أدى تقييد الانتقال بين الريف والمدن والمحافظات إلى عدم تصريف المنتجات الزراعية في الوقت والقيمة المناسبين. غالبا ما تعتمد الزراعة الأسرية على التسويق المباشر في المدن المجاورة للريف والجديدة. لذلك فإن الدخل الأسري تأثر كثيرا بتقييد الانتقال بين الريف والمدن، كذلك خوف سكان المدن في التعامل مع أهل الريف والأخرين بصفة عامة. وهذا ما أدى إلى تراكم المنتجات في هذه الفترة وعدم تصريفها بالقيمة المناسبة.
  • كما أدي زيادة الخوف من المشترين بالمدن إلى امتناعهم من شراء منتجات الألبان الجيدة وكذلك المنتجات الزراعية النباتية من المزارعين. وهذا ما يحدث في المدن الجديدة مثل مدينة العبور كمثال يحتذي به والتي هي مكان مناسب لتصريف الزراعات والمنتجات الأسرية من القرى والمراكز المجاورة مثل بلبيس.
•  
• ما هي مجالات التدخل الرئيسية التي من شأنها أن تعمل على بناء قدرة الزراعة الأسرية للحيازات الصغيرة على التأقلم والصمود، وضمان سبل كسب العيش المستدامة؟
  • إن مجالات التدخل الرئيسية التي تساعد على أصحاب الحيازات الصغيرة بالزراعة السرية على التأقلم والصمود وضمان سبل كسب العيش المستدامة من خلال:
    • بناء شبكة تسويقية محلية بين أصحاب الحيازات الصغيرة (أصحاب المنتجات) وبين المشترين في المدن المجاورة لضمان تدفق المنتجات وبيعها في الوقت المناسب وبأسعار عادلة. حيث انه في الوقت الحالي أصحاب الحيازات الصغيرة تعتمد على العلاقات الشخصية للتسويق في هذه المدن. لذلك يمكن تنظيمها من خلال تطبيق محلي يجمع الكل (بورصة الزراعات السرية للحيازات الصغيرة).
    • بناء القدرات والتدريب والتوعية لصحاب الحيازات الصغيرة في مجال الممارسات الزراعية الجيدة والتسويق والإتصال.
    • الدعم المباشر من خلال المنح الصغيرة لتنظيم وسائل نقل المنتجات إلى الأسواق والمدن.
    • العمل على إدخال المناهج الخاصة بالزراعات الأسرية وتنميتها في التعليم الفني الزراعي بالقرى.
• هل بإمكانك مشاركة أمثلة نجاح في المنطقة؟
  • يوجد بعض أصحاب الحيازات الصغيرة بالشرقية (بلبيس) يعملون من خلال شبكة اتصال مباشرة مع المشترين (اتصال مباشر بالموبيل).

3) نحو نمو شامل وعادل

لن يكون كل من تحسين إنتاجية واستدامة المزارعين الأسريين أصحاب الحيازات الصغيرة وحدهم كافيًا لتحقيق إنجازات عقد الأمم المتحدة للزراعة الأسرية أو أهداف التنمية المستدامة في منطقة الأدنى الأوسط وشمال إفريقيا. إن إشراك المراهقين والشباب والنساء والأفراد الذين يعانون من أوضاع هشة مثل المهاجرين، سيكون حاسمًا لتحقيق النمو الشامل والعادل على المدى الطويل.

• بناءً على خبرتك، ما هي الاستراتيجيات أو الأدوات أو الآليات الفعالة التي تضمن الوصول الكافي إلى الخدمات والموارد وتحقيق الحماية الاجتماعية بين الفئات المهمشة أو الضعيفة، بما في ذلك في السياقات الإنسانية؟
  • يجب أن تعتمد الزراعات الأسرية على نظام عمل الجمعيات الأهلية المتخصصة في تنمية الزراعات الأسرية.
  • دعم النظام التعاوني بين مجتمع الزراعات الأسرية.
  • يجب تطوير النظام الإرشادي للزراعات الإسرية، ويفضل اسناده إلى جمعيات أهلية متخصصة.
  • دعم المشاريع الأسرية الإبتكارية للتصدير.
  •  
• على الرغم من الطابع غير الرسمي لقطاع الزراعة، فإن أي دعم لزراعة الأسر الصغيرة يمكن، بل وينبغي، أن يسير على خُطى تعزيز جدول الأعمال الخاص بالعمل اللائق. ينخرط المزارعون الأسريون في عملٍ شاقٍ وخطيرٍ في بعض الأحيان لتقليل التكاليف وتعويض انخفاض إنتاجية المزرعة، لدرجة أنهم يُشركون الأطفال أيضًا في العمل. من واقع خبرتك، يُرجى عرض ثلاثة من الإجراءات ذات الأولوية لتوفير فرص عمل لائقة لأصحاب الحيازات الصغيرة في الريف، والشباب، والنساء، وكذلك للقضاء على عمل الأطفال في الزراعة الأسرية.
  • دعم انشاء المدارس الريفية ذات الفصل الواحد لتعليم الأطفال المناهج المتوافقة مع الزراعات السرية، حتى يكون العمل والتعليم والترفيه هدف واحد مشترك.
  • تنمية النساء الريفيات في المجالات الاجتماعية والمهارية والاتصالات والتسويقية من خلال عمل مدارس النساء الريفيات المبدعات.
  • إحياء عمل الأسر المنتجة من خلال الجمعيات الأهلية.

4) البيئة التي تُمكن من تنفيذ عقد الأمم المتحدة للزراعة الأسرية

إن خلق بيئة تمكن من تنفيذ خطة العمل الإقليمية لعقد الأمم المتحدة للزراعة الأسرية يعني توافر ما يكفي من موارد، كما يعني أن الحوكمة والترتيبات المؤسسية فعالة وشاملة.

• كيف تحدد أدوار كل من الحكومات ووكالات التنمية ومنظمات المزارعين ومنظمات المجتمع المدني والقطاع الخاص في تنفيذ إطار عقد الأمم المتحدة للزراعة الأسرية؟
  • الحكومات: دور أشرافي وحكم بين جميع أصحاب المصلحة،
  • وكالات التنمية: الدعم المباشر للمشاريع الابتكارية في الزراعات الأسرية، أي توجيه الدعم مباشرة إلى المزارعين وعدم توجيه الدعم للمعاهد والهيئات الحكومية، وينبغي أن يكون دور المعاهد والهيئات الحكومات أشرافي فقط.
  • منظمات المجتمع المدني: العامل الأساسي في تنشيط الزراعات الأسرية من خلال التدريب والإرشاد والتنمية والتسويق.
  • القطاع الخاص: العامل الساسي في تصدير وتسويق المنتجات ذات الجودة العالية.
• ما هي العوائق التي قد تواجهها أي من المؤسسات المذكورة أعلاه عند تنفيذ عقد الأمم المتحدة للزراعة الأسرية في المنطقة، وكيفية التغلب على هذه العوائق؟ على سبيل المثال، من حيث السياسات، والموارد المالية، والإمكانات التقنية، وما إلى ذلك.
  • أهم العوائق تتمثل في التنسيق بين جميع أصحاب المصلحة لصالح تنمية الزراعات الأسرية، ويمكن التغلب على هذا العائق من خلال عمل لجنة محلية لكل منطقة / محافظة لتنسيق المشاريع التنمية للزراعات الأسرية وتتسيق الدوار بين أصحاب المصلحة، وتكون همزة الوصل بين أصحاب المصلحة والقطاع الحكومي والهيئات المانحة.

Effect of Covid-19 pandemic on the Near East and North Africa Region

The Near East and North Africa region faces major challenges, including eradication of poverty and hunger, as well as responding to the impacts of climate change and preserving natural resources to avoid further deterioration of conditions.

Has the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic led to the aggravation of challenges faced by smallholder family farming? If “yes”, how was that?

• The measures taken by governments to bring the spread of the Covid-19 virus under control have had a major impact on smallholder family farming. Restrictions placed on mobility between the countryside, cities and governorates hampered the discharge of agricultural products at the right time and value. Family farming often depends on direct marketing in the neighboring and new cities. Therefore, family income was severely affected by the restrictions on mobility between rural areas and the cities, as well as the fear of urban residents to deal with rural people and others in general. As a result, products piled up and were not sold at appropriate prices.
• Increased fear of urban buyers has also led to their reluctance to buy quality dairy products as well as agricultural produce from farmers. An example illustrating this point is what is happening in new cities such as Obour City, which is a suitable place for the marketing of crops and family products from neighboring villages and marakez, such as Belbase.

What are the key areas of intervention that could build up capacity of smallholder family farming for adaptation and resilience, and ensuring sustainable livelihoods?

key areas of intervention that could help build up capacity of smallholder family farming for adaptation and resilience, and ensuring sustainable livelihoods include the following:

• Building a local marketing network between smallholders (product owners) and buyers in neighboring cities to ensure the flow and selling of products in a timely and at fair prices. At present, smallholders rely on personal relationships to market their products in these cities. Therefore, this can be regulated through a local application that gathers all (the Smallholder Family Farmers Exchange).
• Capacity building, training and awareness for smallholders in the area of good agricultural practices, marketing and communication.
• Direct support through small grants to organize transportation of products to markets and cities.
• Endeavoring to introduce curricula on family farming and its development into agricultural technical education in villages.

Can you give examples of success stories in the region?

• There are some smallholders in Sharqia (Belbase) working through a direct contact network with buyers (direct contact thru cell phones).

3) Pursuit of inclusive and equitable development 

Improving the productivity and sustainability of smallholder family farmers alone will not be sufficient to bring about the achievements of the UN Decade of Family Farming or the Sustainable Development Goals in the Near Middle East and North Africa region. Engaging adolescents, youth, women and individuals in vulnerable situations such as migrants, will be crucial to achieving inclusive and equitable growth in the long term.

Based on your experience, what are the effective strategies, tools or mechanisms that ensure adequate access to services, resources and social protection for marginalized or vulnerable groups, including humanitarian contexts?

• Family farming must be based on the work system of community associations specialized in developing family farming.
• Supporting the cooperative system between the family farming community.
• The extension system for family farming should be developed, and it is preferable to outsource it to specialized community associations.
• Supporting innovative export-oriented family enterprises.

Despite the informal nature of the agricultural sector, any support to smallholder family farming can and should be in line with the promotion of the decent work agenda. Family farmers engage in hard and sometimes dangerous work to reduce costs and offset the decline in farm productivity, to the point that they also involve children in the work. From your experience, please outline three priority actions to create decent employment opportunities for rural smallholders, youth, and women, as well as to eliminate child labor in family farming?

• Supporting the establishment of rural one-class schools to teach children curricula compatible with family farming so that work, education and entertainment are one common goal.
• Development of rural women in the social fields, skills, communication and marketing through establishment of schools for creative rural women.
• Reviving productive families' work through community associations.

4) Enabling Environment for the implementation of UN Decade for Family Farming

Creating an enabling environment for the implementation of the regional action plan for the United Nations Decade of Family Farming means that adequate resources are available. It also means that governance and institutional arrangements are effective and comprehensive.

How are the roles of governments, development agencies, farmers' organizations, civil society organizations and the private sector defined in implementing the UN Decade for Family Farming framework?

• Governments. A supervisory and referee-like role among all stakeholders,
• Development agencies. Channeling support to innovative enterprises in family farming, that is, direct support to farmers and not direct support to government institutes and agencies. The role of government institutes and agencies should be only supervision.
• Civil society organizations. The main factor in revitalizing family farming through training, extension, development and marketing.
• The private sector. The main factor in exporting and marketing high quality products.

What are the obstacles that any of the aforementioned institutions may face when implementing the United Nations Decade of Family Farming in the region? How to overcome these obstacles, for example, in terms of policies, financial resources, technical capabilities, etc.?

• Key obstacles include coordination between all stakeholders in favor of developing family farming.  This obstacle can be overcome through the work of a local committee for each region / governorate to coordinate development projects for family farming and organize the roles among stakeholders, and act as the liaison between stakeholders, the government sector and the donor agencies.

United Nations Decade of Family Farming Regional Actions Plan for NENA Region

Prepared by: Mohamed Sallam

FAO, Yemen

Date: August 14, 2020

It is very obvious that the NENA countries are very vulnerable to climate change impacts as, they are naturally affected by harsh climate conditions, extremely high temperatures, limited groundwater and rainfall. Some countries are also witnessing instability due to long lasting conflicts resulting in severe food security situation. Supporting sustainable family farming is therefore becoming important to save lives and livelihoods as well as saving water and promote sustainable food systems.

In Yemen, the agriculture sector is the main source of income for about 73 percent of the population either directly or indirectly through the services and industries that are connected to the agricultural economy. About 87% of women are practicing agriculture activities (around 80% engaged in livestock activities). Productivity is stagnating and water availability is declining.  Most farms are extremely small and household farm incomes are typically very low.  Unlike most of the world, economic dependence on agriculture has been growing because of reduced opportunities in the industrial and services sectors.

Moreover, Yemen is once again stepping into a rampant and dire food insecurity situation after more than 5 years of the escalated conflict, which has damaged public and private infrastructures, destabilized the market system and prices, negatively affected employment opportunities, income sources and devastated livelihoods exposing millions of people in rural and urban areas to destitution.  Yemenis are facing multiple crises, including armed conflict, displacement, risk of famine and disease outbreaks that have created the worst man-made humanitarian crisis of our time.

Impact of COVID-19 outbreak in NENA region

Since emergence of COVID-19 crisis in Yemen, casual labour opportunities continued to decrease, and household income levels are now falling to lower levels since related restrictions came into force. Although imported and locally produced food commodities are available in all markets – and all points of entry (sea and land ports) remains open – food is increasingly becoming inaccessible for vulnerable households, as prices soar.

The main areas of interventions that could efficiently build SSFF resilience and ensure sustainable livelihood during COVID-19 crisis, is to work through the following pillars.

• • Strengthen existing food security and agriculture monitoring, assessment and coordination mechanisms for evidence-based programming in the context of COVID-19.
  • Support livelihood diversification and home-based food production to increase local food availability and income opportunities.
  • Stabilize access to food for the most vulnerable households who are affected, or at high risk, of COVID-19 by boosting incomes and purchasing power.
  • Support continued functioning of local food markets and value chains by scaling up communication and awareness on COVID-19 prevention measures.

We should also realize that COVID-19 posed an unprecedented challenge to the agricultural and food sector and that COVID-19 has modified our way of doing things posing new approached and modalities of dealing with mitigation measures (thinking out of the box). One of this is the extension services. It is therefore important that new policies and approaches, especially in the development of capacity building and use of extension advisory services, with enhanced ICT as a learning platform, are to be in place to support farmers while using safety measures: smaller training groups, peer to peer information exchange, social distancing, sanitation, increased use of radio and social media. It is to be noted, however, that these approaches are not cheap, and will require more financial, material and human resources.

Sustainable transition towards more sustainable agri-food systems

In a country of protracted crisis, supporting family farming is becoming an important strategy to reduce dependency on food assistance.   In this regard, agriculture must be an integral part of the humanitarian response to prevent dire food security situation from worsening. Investing in agricultural livelihood interventions will help food-insecure households to produce and generate much-needed and life-saving food and income and reduce their dependency on food assistance and food imports. Without scaling up agricultural livelihood support, farmers, pastoralists and fishers will continue to depend on prolonged food assistance.

Currently, farming households in Yemen lack access to inputs because of greatly reduced purchasing power and the disruption of markets in many areas. With household or small-scale family activities such as ‘poultry packages’, or ‘home gardening’ for example, conflict-affected families can produce nutritious food close to their homes and earn much-needed income with the sale of part of their products.

Enhancing the food security and livelihood conditions of vulnerable populations through integrated nutrition sensitive interventions was a good example or good practice in FAO Yemen program. For example one project, implemented in 2019\2020, targeted 1,200 households in eight districts, in Hodeida and Taiz governorates provides a good example of supporting sustainable family farming. The project distributed 7,320 kg of assorted vegetables seeds (four crop varieties of okra, onion, hot pepper and beans), 1,200 water tanks with a capacity of 5,000 liters and 1,200 drip irrigation networks covering 282 ha of land. Moreover, training sessions on topics that considered the linkage between food security and nutrition, land preparation, crop production, management and marketing and drip irrigation system management, were provided to beneficiary households. Awareness sessions, were conducted prior to the training programme, ensuring better understanding of project activities and objectives by beneficiaries. Training of Trainers (ToTs) sessions were provided to field crops and irrigation specialists from implementing partners in both governorates. FAO coordinated with implementing partners in order to ensure the training program’s quality for the beneficiaries through reviewing and approving its contents and following up on the implantation of the program in the field.

As a result of implemented activities, beneficiary households’ knowledge on nutrition, food security and crops production has considerably improved. Moreover, beneficiaries were able to make their own home gardens and cultivate highly nutritious vegetables while saving water by applying the drip irrigation network. Furthermore, vegetable yields increased due to distribution activities as well as capacity building interventions. Finally, the production per household increased, allowing them to enhance their nutrition.

Another good example of supporting family farming in Yemen while improving food security and nutrition for conflict-affected population is improving small-scale dairy value chain interventions as well as empowering women in the Yemeni dairy sector.

It is important to indicate that Yemen’s milk production only meets one-third of domestic demand, resulting in a heavy reliance on imported powdered and long-life milk. Indeed, more than 95 percent of processed dairy items are imported from abroad, making them expensive.

FAO Yemen has therefore made keeping livestock healthy and improving productivity one of its key priorities as part of the emergency response to support affected agriculture and livelihoods – in addition to food aid – that will help prevent the country slipping further towards famine.

FAO has made improving the dairy value chain one of the key components of the joint Enhanced Rural Resilience in Yemen (ERRY) programme funded by the European Union. The programme is designed to enhance the self-reliance of rural people and communities, and assist them to better cope with crises, risks and shocks. More than 1500 dairy producers in four governorates (Hudaydah, Hajjah, Lahj and Abyan) are assisted with various interventions including new and modern dairy equipment as well as training in proper food hygiene and processing.

Improving small-scale dairy value chain followed a holistic and integrated approach combining various activities such as improvement and distribution of animal feed production, animal vaccination and de-worming campaigns, distribution of improved dairy equipment, capacity building, and supporting the establishment of small-scale dairy processing units. This is the first time such a scheme has been trialed in Yemen and it is already showing promising results. Milk production was increased by between 0.5 liters and 1.5 liters per day and the animals’ weight has also been increased. Women have also been empowered by having\managing their own small-scale dairy processing units.

The project has empowered the women within two key livestock activities, traditionally under responsibility of rural women: 1) Improvement of dairy production, processing and marketing and 2) improvement of small-scale backyard sheep / goat fattening. Regarding dairy activities, women were granted with small dairy equipment, coupled with training on improving milk quality standard and improved techniques of processing traditional dairy products. All beneficiaries are women-headed households making traditional home-processed dairy products for sale in villages, in markets or for home consumption and distribution to their neighbors.

The distribution of milk equipment to women jointly with their capacity building has made a significant impact through the introduction of changes in the habits of the villages for the production and marketing of milk. The traditional rural culture is not to sell milk but only for home cunsumption and distributing the surplus to the neighbors. With intervention of the project the women are producing / collecting milk and processing Zabadi, Hakin, Cheese, Butter, Ghee for sale and  marketing in villages and market places, which in turn has empowered women in getting good income that helps to improve productive households

The project has organized 25 women groups; each group composes of 15 – 20 women and a total of 375 – 500 women approximately. Among them the project has identified 5 Dairy Women Groups highly motivated grouping 100 women who started marketing their improved traditional dairy products in villages and in rural and urban markets. The income generation of households has improved where the monthly profits of some groups reached about one million YER.

It is worth mentioning that focusing on value chain development could also be considered a key to the improvement of sustainable and sound family farming practices. To do so, there is a need for a holistic approach taking into consideration understanding the root causes of the problems attached to the development of value chain practices and how value chain activities and stakeholders are interlinked to each other and to their economic, social and natural contexts. Emphasis to partnerships and close coordination so the dynamics of the system can inform the end markets.

Finally, it is also important to consider some measures to improve climate smart agriculture as an integral part of improved family farmers. These important measures could include:

• Building sound agriculture information system to support evidence based interventions
• Development of climate smart varieties (drought, heat, salinity, short maturity)
• Better and good agricultural practices (conservation agriculture: zero till, planting date)
• Diversification of crops and crop varieties (vegetables, cereals and forage crops)
• Introduction of climate smart crop varieties
• Enhancing traditional seed systems including community seed banks and use of local varieties
• It is important to understand the strategies of farmers (shifting crops, planting dates, etc.)
• Adaptation of participatory approached that empower farmers with the integration of gender perspective together with inclusiveness and equality based work modalities.
• Strengthening capacity building as well as institutional capacities and effectiveness of farmers’ organizations.
• Linking farmers to the market