Tackling rural poverty, together

The future of smallholder agriculture

Extract out of  Hot topics: Platform consensus on rural development issues of global significance:

In the ever-more globalised world of industrialised agriculture, the future of smallholder agriculture is in question. However, smallholders remain the backbone of food security and economies in many rural households and communities across the globe. Platform members note that as the “mainstream economic sector” drives growth, an important concern is managing risk in smallholder agriculture (e.g. through addressing vulnerability, improving incomes and food security, and through using both public and private instruments).

A twin issue of concern is social protection (including dependency, options for the landless poor, and a focus on subsistence farmers and wage labourers). This is particularly important in marginal or “lagging” areas (including neglected pastoral areas), and in localised production systems. Policy and investment options are needed that address the needs, priorities, and constraints of both marginal areas and marginal populations (e.g. the most vulnerable households, including the rising number of grandparent- and orphan-headed households).

According to Platform members, the financing of “family” farms is an issue that has long been a challenge for development specialists, particularly those focusing on vulnerable households. A crucial area that also affects sustainable development is that of land tenure security (including titling, gender-related concerns, the economic effects of land-titling programmes, and land tenure within market-oriented development). Members suggested that there exists the need to identify best practices that can be applied to smallholder agriculture. A cross-regional perspective is essential when addressing this thematic area.

Summary of Platform Policy Brief on The future of smallholder agriculture

The Platform Policy Brief is currently being drafted by IFPRI and ODI.

Further Reading

• IFPRI 2020 Discussion Paper 42: The Future of Small Farms for Poverty Reduction and Growth, May 2007, Authors: Peter Hazell, Colin Poulton, Steve Wiggins and Andrew Dorward
•  ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly resolution on poverty reduction for small farmers in ACP countries - in particular in the fruit, vegetable and flowers sector, June 2007

Member Policies

•  EU Land Policy Guidelines: Guidelines for support to land policy design and land policy reform in developing countries, November 2004
•  DFID policy: Land - Better access and secure rights for poor people, 2007

Comments and links

• Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)
• European Commission DG Development Land Policy