Eradicating extreme poverty. What is the role of agriculture?
The question that precedes the question in the headline of this topic is: ‘what is the relation with agriculture?’ And that relation is as close as can be. Because extreme poverty goes together with hunger. With a shortage of food and a shortage of means to buy food. And all food comes from agriculture.
You ask: What is the role of agriculture? The answer seems simple: improve agriculture on the place where the hungry people are. That must be possible because the vast majority of the hungry people are farmers!
So let’s go to your questions:
1. Under what conditions can agriculture succeed in lifting people out of extreme poverty?
As I said: 80 percent live in the countryside. If they don’t have access, the land is not far away. Providing them access to a small piece of land should not be a big problem. What those people need is empowerment, so they can stand up for themselves. And information about good agricultural practices. They need independent information about modern farming technologies, but also about the benefits of traditional crops and systems.
2. What is the role of ensuring more sustainable natural resource management in supporting the eradication of extreme poverty?
Agriculture and environment are directly related to each other. Agriculture directly influences climate and environment, as the climate influences farming. Sustainable agriculture is very important, not only for the benefit of the environment and the climate but also on a socio-economic level.
A modern highly efficient agricultural system seems very attractive because of the huge increase in production that can be obtained in a short amount of time. This system, however, needs a lot of inputs like fertilizers and chemicals for crop production. This inflicts with the environment which brings additional costs in the long term that are not calculated in the revenues.
On the other hand, those inputs cost a lot of money. Subsistence farmers, especially those who are already poor, do not have the means for those inputs. Loans are a short-term solution, which, however, brings them in a dependent situation. Farming becomes a business full of economic risks, which also can be bought off with insurances, which make the business even more costly and risky.
The best way of improving farming is taking the farmer serious and provide him with specific advice and information about increasing yields in the most appropriate way.
3. Can those without the opportunities to pursue agricultural production and to access resources such as fish, forests and livestock find pathways out of extreme poverty through these sectors?
The poor without any possibility to be engaged in farming might find employment in related branches, like processing food, packaging, mechanical maintenance etcetera. When the economy in rural area’s increase, everyone will benefit. Even businesses that are not directly related to agriculture, like supermarkets, hairdressers or administration offices.
4. What set of policies are necessary to address issues connecting food security and extreme poverty eradication in rural areas?
Empowerment of smallholder family farmers through providing them access to independent information. Those farmers often are not educated, which doesn’t mean they can’t be wise. They know exactly what is important for them and what can be changed to improve their specific situation. Listen to them. Provide them with knowledge they can use.
5. Can you share any examples of experiences that succeeded in reducing (or eradicating) extreme poverty through an agricultural pathway?
Many. I met many smallholder farmers in rural area’s and many demonstration farms who provide services for farmers that take them out of poverty.
Please read my essay smarterfarmers.org. With the empowerment of smallholder family farmers through providing them access to independent information we can end hunger, reach all 17 Sustainable Development Goals and Africa can become the world’s breadbasket.
It’s not difficult. It just needs a lot of courage. Courage mainly from governments and governmental institutions to take the right decisions. And to not be afraid of providing the poor with knowledge and influence that empowers them.
先生 Marc van der Sterren
Eradicating extreme poverty. What is the role of agriculture?
The question that precedes the question in the headline of this topic is: ‘what is the relation with agriculture?’ And that relation is as close as can be. Because extreme poverty goes together with hunger. With a shortage of food and a shortage of means to buy food. And all food comes from agriculture.
Sounds very simple, but what is very important to realize is that about 80 percent of the world’s hungry people depend on some sort of farming.
You ask: What is the role of agriculture? The answer seems simple: improve agriculture on the place where the hungry people are. That must be possible because the vast majority of the hungry people are farmers!
So let’s go to your questions:
1. Under what conditions can agriculture succeed in lifting people out of extreme poverty?
As I said: 80 percent live in the countryside. If they don’t have access, the land is not far away. Providing them access to a small piece of land should not be a big problem. What those people need is empowerment, so they can stand up for themselves. And information about good agricultural practices. They need independent information about modern farming technologies, but also about the benefits of traditional crops and systems.
2. What is the role of ensuring more sustainable natural resource management in supporting the eradication of extreme poverty?
Agriculture and environment are directly related to each other. Agriculture directly influences climate and environment, as the climate influences farming. Sustainable agriculture is very important, not only for the benefit of the environment and the climate but also on a socio-economic level.
A modern highly efficient agricultural system seems very attractive because of the huge increase in production that can be obtained in a short amount of time. This system, however, needs a lot of inputs like fertilizers and chemicals for crop production. This inflicts with the environment which brings additional costs in the long term that are not calculated in the revenues.
On the other hand, those inputs cost a lot of money. Subsistence farmers, especially those who are already poor, do not have the means for those inputs. Loans are a short-term solution, which, however, brings them in a dependent situation. Farming becomes a business full of economic risks, which also can be bought off with insurances, which make the business even more costly and risky.
The best way of improving farming is taking the farmer serious and provide him with specific advice and information about increasing yields in the most appropriate way.
3. Can those without the opportunities to pursue agricultural production and to access resources such as fish, forests and livestock find pathways out of extreme poverty through these sectors?
The poor without any possibility to be engaged in farming might find employment in related branches, like processing food, packaging, mechanical maintenance etcetera. When the economy in rural area’s increase, everyone will benefit. Even businesses that are not directly related to agriculture, like supermarkets, hairdressers or administration offices.
4. What set of policies are necessary to address issues connecting food security and extreme poverty eradication in rural areas?
Empowerment of smallholder family farmers through providing them access to independent information. Those farmers often are not educated, which doesn’t mean they can’t be wise. They know exactly what is important for them and what can be changed to improve their specific situation. Listen to them. Provide them with knowledge they can use.
5. Can you share any examples of experiences that succeeded in reducing (or eradicating) extreme poverty through an agricultural pathway?
Many. I met many smallholder farmers in rural area’s and many demonstration farms who provide services for farmers that take them out of poverty.
Please read my essay smarterfarmers.org. With the empowerment of smallholder family farmers through providing them access to independent information we can end hunger, reach all 17 Sustainable Development Goals and Africa can become the world’s breadbasket.
It’s not difficult. It just needs a lot of courage. Courage mainly from governments and governmental institutions to take the right decisions. And to not be afraid of providing the poor with knowledge and influence that empowers them.