Recommendations for "Small Scale Agriculture (106 results)"
Design and support urban and peri-urban agriculture to support the growing demand for nutritious foods in urban areas.
Give primacy to African research institutions and support bottom-up approaches.
2020
Greater emphasis needs to be placed on improving smallholders’ productivity through stronger links to input and output markets; better access to rural infrastructure and agricultural services; and access to capital and capacity building, especially among young people in agriculture.
2013
Improve risk mitigation and adaptation strategies. Farmers, and in particular smallholders, urgently need better access to risk-management tools and strategies to increase their resilience to myriad shocks, including price and weather.
2013
Reduce risks associated with price volatility through supportive macroeconomic policies. National governments should encourage transparent, fair, and open global trade by eliminating formal and informal export restrictions and refraining from imposing new ones. Although export bans may help secure domestic food supplies, they tend to exacerbate global price hikes, thus hurting the poorest net buyers of food.
2013
Promote policies that promote climate change mitigation and adaptation in agriculture, which are especially useful for helping smallholders manage risks while improving productivity. Investments in mitigation include helping farmers improve their energy efficiency and manage their land in ways that increase carbon storage. Investments in adaptation could focus on helping farmers adjust their planting dates as well as on developing and ensuring public provision of high-yielding crop varieties and technologies that are adapted to changing precipitation patterns and temperatures.
2013
Institutional innovations and cooperation—such as public-private partnerships, producer organizations, and group certification—are needed to help smallholders gain access to information, technologies, and training to satisfy food safety regulations, especially in transforming and transformed economies.
2013
Increase smallholder-specific research and evidence on how to integrate the agricultural, nutrition, and health sectors in ways that have the most benefits for small-holders and on how to scale up successful innovations and initiatives.
2013
Promote pro-smallholder value chains through institutional innovations for vertical and horizontal coordination among smallholders, including group lending, rural marketing cooperatives and producer associations. These mechanisms will provide smallholder farmers with reduced transaction costs, improved access to market information, and increased bargaining power. However, such coordination mechanisms require strong institutional capacity and the active promotion of smallholder participation—not just membership—within these organizations to gain the maximum benefit for smallholders.
2013
Increase smallholder access to information and communication technologies (ICTs), which offers a wealth of opportunities to acquire real-time market information—on, for example, prices, demand, quality standards, and weather. Access to such technologies needs to be accompanied by efforts from the public and private sectors to improve both the information content of ICTs and the ability of potential users to employ these technologies.
2013
Public and private investments in agriculture-based and transforming economies should focus on reducing food loss along entire supply chains, from the development of crop varieties with better postharvest traits to better storage equipment and facilities that have low initial and recurring costs.
2013
Ensure smallholder-friendly financing and investment. Increasing capital flows toward rural areas requires innovation in the channels and instruments through which financial services are offered to smallholders, including young people. When it comes to smallholders, however, more research is needed to explore the viability and benefits of these innovative services before they can be scaled up.
2013
Increase efforts to examine and promote ICTs, such as mobile phones and Internet kiosks, that can boost access to affordable payment, savings, and credit services for small-holders. Such financial products can be bundled with other development services, such as capacity-building and extension services.
2013
Shift the focus of financing efforts toward more medium- and long-term financing mechanisms to support commercially oriented capital investments by smallholders, such as machinery and storage facilities, which are critical for increasing productivity and modernizing smallholder agriculture
2013
Establish a vibrant rural financial system that includes a diverse mix of financial institutions and networks that work together to support innovation and rural access among smallholders.
2013
Strategically position the public spending portfolio to offer a short-term cushion for coping with livelihood shocks as well as long-term productivity-enhancing or exit opportunities for smallholders to escape poverty and food insecurity.
2013
National research systems need to prioritize the development of location-specific and smallholder-friendly technological innovations across the whole agricultural value chain.
2013
Sound evidence-based research, information systems and regulations at the national and global levels are needed to enhance the transparency of transactions and to understand the opportunities and threats for smallholders.
2013
Create policy incentives for smallholders to invest in mitigation and adaptation because many of the inputs and technologies required for low-carbon agricultural practices have high costs of production, purchase, and use.
2013
Safety regulations and monitoring systems need to be developed and implemented to ensure that agricultural intensification does not harm people’s health, but regulations must be implemented in a way that does not alienate smallholders.
2013
Extension services should help smallholders build their postharvest crop management skills and maximize the benefits of postharvest technologies.
2013
Pursue productivity-enhancing risks such as adopting new technologies and switching to high-value crops.
2013
Prioritize investments and find the appropriate mix of flexible climate change mitigation and adaptation policies and tools with the highest productivity-enhancing impact among different types of farmers, crops, and regions.
2013
A sound legal and regulatory environment is needed to maximize the private sector’s contribution to smallholder productivity and to protect the property rights of smallholders and their surrounding natural resources. In conjunction, more research is needed to define appropriate instruments and strategies for integrating public-private partnerships and FDI into local economies.
2013
Insurance schemes need to overcome the capital and credit constraints that limit smallholder demand for insurance, something that the current push for weather-based index insurance has been criticized for lacking.
2013
Address the factors that drive up the cost of nutritious foods by supporting food producers – especially small-scale producers – to get nutritious foods to markets at low cost, making sure people have access to these food markets, and making food supply chains work for vulnerable people – from small-scale producers to the billions of consumers whose income is insufficient to afford healthy diets.
2020
Increase direct support to smallholders to enhance their productivity, reduce pre-harvest and post-harvest losses, and ensure access to food markets, also through e-commerce channels.
2020
Enhance the fairness, transparency, efficiency, and functioning of markets, in particular taking into account the interests of smallholders, improving related infrastructure, and increasing the resilience of agriculture and food systems.
2014
Improve income and reduce poverty through participation in agriculture and food systems and/or through improving the ability to produce food for oneself and others.
2014
Support the implementation of policies and actions aimed at empowering and improving human resource capacity for stakeholders, particularly for smallholders, including those that are family farmers – women and men – and their organizations, and promoting their access to resources and inputs, as appropriate.
2014
Increase resilience of agriculture and food systems, the supporting habitats, and related livelihoods, particularly of smallholders, to the effects of climate change through adaptation measures.
2014
Recognize the contributions of farmers, especially smallholders in all regions of the world, particularly those in centres of origin and diversity, in conserving, improving, and making available genetic resources, including seeds; and, subject to national law and in accordance with applicable international treaties, respecting their rights, to save, use, exchange, and sell these resources, and recognizing the interests of breeders.
2014
Addressing the needs and constraints of smallholders – women and men – in a gender sensitive manner in policies, laws and regulations, and strategies to address capacity development through improved access to inputs, advisory and financial services including insurance, education, extension, training, infrastructure and access to markets.
2014
Promote access to inputs and technologies that improve the safety, quality, sustainability, and diversity of smallholder production, as appropriate.
2014
Facilitate smallholders’ access to public services and the benefits from public policies and programs, by creating smallholder registries, as appropriate, at the national or regional level.
2014
Encourage market access and participation by smallholders by simplifying administrative procedures and striving to prevent unfair practices.
2014
Promote innovative technologies and practices, including smallholders’ own innovations, through raising awareness, technical assistance, farmer to farmer skills sharing, as well as the transfer of technology as mutually agreed among individuals, local, national, or international parties.
2014
States are encouraged to apply their procurement policies and outreach strategies in line with the Principles [CFS Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems], and support smallholders, including those that are family farmers and small businesses, in accessing and participating in tenders. In this context, States may, where appropriate, consider sourcing locally in accordance with multilateral or bi-lateral international agreements as applicable to the parties to those agreements.
2014
Financial institutions are encouraged to develop innovative financial mechanisms and insurance tools in support of investment in agriculture, especially appropriate solutions for smallholders, including those that are family farmers, that consider a long-term development perspective.
2014
Smallholders and their organisations should apply the Principles [CFS Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems], with particular attention to promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women and youth, by (1) Increasing productivity and income, adding more value in their operations and using natural resources sustainably and efficiently, where applicable; (2) Strengthening their resilience;(3) Managing risks, relevant to their context and circumstances, to maximize positive, and avoid negative impacts on food security and nutrition; (4) Participating in policy, programme, and monitoring processes at all levels; (5) Complying with national laws and regulations and acting with due diligence to avoid infringing on human rights.
2014
Policies, research and investments should focus on protecting the interests of small and marginal farmers especially in developing countries.
2021
Emphasize the importance of local, regional and international FVCs in adding domestic value, noting that the larger share of farmers’ income is typically derived from their domestic markets in most countries.
2019
Improve the integration of family farmers, smallholders, women and young people living in rural areas into related value chains and transparent and efficient markets.
2018
The rapid and constant growth of ICTs and their applications in agriculture contribute to agricultural productivity and profitability, food security and nutrition and to promote sustainable agriculture. It is important to explore their potential opportunities and impacts, particularly on women and small and family holders, addressing scientific and technological issues, as well as institutional, commercial and trade-related aspects.
2018
Improve access to inclusive financial services, loans or credits, in particular for family farmers, smallholders and women, to boost sustainable agricultural production, including offering innovative financial products, promoting agricultural insurance scheme and risk management tools, and develop inclusive financial system for farmers.
2016
Support efforts which aim to sustainably increase smallholder farmers’ productivity, enhance the enabling environment for collective action and organization and integration to markets, promote their access to innovations, appropriate inputs, finance, technology and services on gender-equal basis, and strengthen their resilience towards external shocks.
2016
Promote technical skill upgrading, especially for smallholder farmers and rural workers, through training programmes focused on innovative farming practices and technologies that promote sustainable production, business skills, as well as basic education and best practices to cope with downstream market concentration.
2016
Explore innovative options for adjusting agricultural development paths, technology systems, policy environment and resource allocations, so as to generate new opportunities for sustainable and inclusive growth, stimulate the productivity of land, capital and labor, and enhance the quality efficiency and inclusiveness of food value chain.
2016
Increase women’s participation in the workforce and reduce youth unemployment by supporting food system employment and entrepreneurial opportunities in particular for smallholders and especially for women and youth through training and skills development.
2015
Special efforts are needed to promote training programmes and skills development and improved access to productive resources for smallholders, women and youth. Explore mechanisms, including south-south and triangular cooperation, to share successful experiences in skills anticipation and matching, apprenticeship and work-linked training pathways and improved access to productive assets.
2015
Support sustainable productivity growth, especially for smallholder farmers, including through sharing knowledge of successful policies, technologies and practices and encouraging their adaptation and adoption.
2015
Ensure stronger alignment of the Meeting of Agricultural Chief Scientists with the objective of achieving productivity growth and sustainable food systems.
2015
Strengthen past initiatives to support agricultural productivity growth where appropriate. Support their extension as appropriate to include the whole food system, for example in the areas of processing, storage and distribution, and to consider the special needs of vulnerable farmers, which may include smallholders and family farmers, in the broader context of inclusive and sustainable rural development
2015
Provide public training and support for small-scale and family farmers, especially in agroecological and sustainable production and marketing, and especially in rainfed and harsh environments.
2020
Develop and support more robust climate finance mechanisms that really work and target small-scale food producers (e.g. farmers, livestock keepers, fishers, food processors).
2020
Ensure more equitable access to land and productive agricultural resources for small-scale producers who remain vital providers of food and food security in much of the less industrialized world.
2020
Include support for individual and community responses, such as home and community gardens.
2020
Invest in national smallholder investment strategies. Governments should design and implement medium- and long-term strategies, with the accompanying set of policies and budgets, to increase the capacity of the smallholder sector to fulfill its multi-functional roles in national development. These roles include contributing to growth, maintaining employment, reducing poverty, enhancing the sustainable management of natural resources and achieving food security. These National Smallholder Investment Strategies should be solidly grounded in participatory processes involving first and foremost the smallholder organizations and all concerned stakeholders.
2013
Governments should recognize in law the individual and collective rights of smallholders, including their right to organize democratically, to have voice in policy debates and to defend their interests, with gender- and age-balanced representation. Securing such rights is important not only intrinsically for them but also in contributing to building the political will necessary to implement the proposed National Smallholder Investment Strategies.
2013
Achieve the right to food for smallholder farmers. Attention needs to be given not only to increasing purchasing power, but also to accessing productive assets and increasing the productivity of land and labour in smallholder farming through appropriate training, technology and support services to achieve food and nutrition security with a rights-based approach.
2013
Governments must guarantee tenure security for smallholder farmers over land and natural resources, by implementing the Voluntary guidelines on responsible governance of tenure of land, fisheries, and forests. They must also take relevant measures to improve cooperation and governance in the management of common property resources, including open-range pastoral resources, biodiversity, water, forestry and fisheries. Women’s rights to land and natural resources use must be developed and strengthened. Governments should improve access to land by various means including land reform processes, making use of the lessons learned from other countries’ experiences.
2013
To support their investment efforts, smallholder farmers need adequate access to public goods on both the production and consumption sides of the household, with benefits reinforcing each other. On the production side, public investments are needed, for example, in water management facilities and soil conservation. On the consumption side, public investments are needed in health services, education, water and sanitation, and social protection. Gender-specific support services are needed to recognize the differential roles of household members in production, consumption and the reproduction of the family unit over time.
2013
Governments should give priority to linking smallholder farmers to domestic, national and regional markets, as well as to new markets that create direct links between producers and consumers, and to schemes that rely on smallholders for the procurement of food for school and institutional feeding programmes. Developing these market linkages also requires investment in small- and medium-size food processors, and small-scale traders at the retail and wholesale levels. Market failures and price volatility are major disincentives for smallholder investment. Government intervention is important to reduce transaction costs on markets and to stabilize prices and smallholders’ incomes. Regarding contracting opportunities in value chains, governments should strive to establish the necessary regulatory instruments to bridge the significant gap in economic and political power that exists between smallholders and their organizations on the one side, and the other contracting organizations on the other side.
2013
Improve smallholder access to financial services adapted to their needs. This includes facilitating monetary transactions (such as mobile- phone based money transfers), safe savings deposits (with incentives to save), low-priced credit (such as through joint-liability group lending), and insurance (such as index-based weather insurance). Novel solutions are needed that reduce financial risks, lower transaction costs and facilitate long-term investments, for instance in technological innovations and soil fertility improvements in sub-Saharan Africa. Liquidity constraints must be relaxed not only on working capital expenditures (fertilizers, seeds), but also on medium- and long-term investments, supported by fair subsidy mechanisms.
2013
Upgrade and finance national research and extension systems targeted specifically to the needs of smallholders, with supporting financial mechanisms. The main objective would be to increase productivity and resilience through diversification of the production system with a high concern for the self-provision of diverse foods with a high nutritional value. Combining increased productivity and resilience will require a high level of investment in research to develop productive land-use systems with minimal ecological risk such that biodiversity may be used productively and conserved. Agricultural research and extension should support the in-situ and ex-situ conservation of agricultural biodiversity in the context of climate change. Agro-ecological approaches and production ecological principles may be instrumental. Smallholder farmers need appropriate seeds as well as machinery for field operation, food processing and other value-adding transformations. International collaboration and the sharing of experiences in technology development for smallholder farmers in different regions of the world should be promoted with a strong engagement, if not leadership, of smallholder organizations.
2013
Diversify sources of incomes. Smallholder households often need access to complementary sources of income in the rural non-farm economy. Successful rural non-farm employment in turn consolidates the farm economy, providing it with liquidity and risk-reduction that support on-farm investments. For this, investment must be made in support of the rural non-farm economy and the decentralization of economic activity towards rural areas. Investment must correspondingly be made in the qualifications of young people so that they can find employment either in modernized agriculture or in other related activities and labour markets. Territorial development can offer an effective platform to coordinate public and private investments in agriculture and in the regional non-farm economy.
2013
Enhance governance for agriculture and rural development. Extensive market failures for agriculture and smallholders, and the need to coordinate public and private investments and programmes in a territorial perspective, require appropriate governance. Governance for agriculture and territorial development requires going beyond the traditional ministries of agriculture. Different solutions must to be tailored to national political and institutional contexts. Early lessons from implementation of the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) and the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP) offer an opportunity to reflect on best practices across countries and regions for investments in support of smallholder farmers.
2013
Increase up-to-date information on the smallholder sector. In order to better inform National Smallholder Investments Strategies, international agencies and especially FAO, in cooperation with national governments, need to better document the evolution of smallholder agriculture and its contributions to various outcomes. These outcomes include measurement of non-market food production and of the diversity of diets. The World Census of Agriculture [WCA] and other data collection efforts should be harmonized to strengthen the evidence-base for investment decisions. International funding should support countries in implementing censuses and related surveys.
2013
Create opportunities for smallholder farmers to diversify, both for income and for improved on-farm food supplies. Smallholders should be offered extension support for a wider range of crops – along with market access, in cases where diversification is beneficial for income growth. Approaches should vary with a food system’s type and stage of development: interventions for a traditional food system need to differ from those for an emerging food system.
2021
Facilitate midstream SMEs in contributing to food quality and diet diversity.
2021
Increasing the access that small-scale producers have to productive assets, including knowledge and market linkages, cuts across all food system types.
2021
When repurposing public support to make a healthy diet less costly, policymakers will have to avoid potential inequality trade-offs that may emerge if farmers are not in a position to specialize in the production of nutritious foods due to resource constraints. This could be particularly the case with small-scale farmers, women and youth.
2022
Measures that incentivize the production and market supply of fruits and vegetables and related innovations enhance consumption and can increase the income of small holders.
2021
Document the lessons learned from the one third of IFAD AE-based projects investing in innovative approaches to organize supply and demand and connect small-scale agroecological producers with food markets and consumers and provide guidelines on best practices and innovative ways that IFAD projects can increase support for such approaches.
2021
In general, investments in connectivity between locations and components of agrifood systems in small and intermediate cities and towns (SICTs) have spurred substantial development of and investments by SMEs and the creation of spontaneous clusters of wholesale and logistics SMEs. Such clusters, in turn, induce farmers to increase their crop variety and to use more inputs.
2023
Access to inputs such as seeds is key for supporting production of fruits and vegetables, and this is true across the rural–urban continuum. For example, different kinds of input subsidies (direct distribution of inputs, vouchers or targeted preferential prices) have been shown to have positive impacts in improving access to diverse and more nutritious foods at the household level.
2023
Agricultural extension is also important in rural areas, and can have positive effects on dietary diversity and quality at household levels. However, currently extension programmes are often oriented towards staple crops rather than nutritious foods such as fruits and vegetables. Changing the focus of these programmes could be essential for increasing the availability of these foods.
2023
Innovative approaches that enhance the capacity of SMEs to increase the availability of nutritious and safe food, improve the food environment, and facilitate the consumption of healthy diets are key.
2023
At the plot, farm and landscape levels, agroecological innovations can help increase farmers’ incomes, improve food security and nutrition, use water and soil more efficiently, conserve biodiversity, provide ecosystem services, and enhance nutrient recycling, among other benefits.
2023
Blending agroecology with territorial approaches can help empower rural communities and bring agroecology to scale, for example by implementing territorial certification schemes and shorter value chains to improve access to markets and increase incomes of small-scale producers.
2023
Governments, intergovernmental and regional organizations should implement national, regional and international strategies to promote the inclusive participation of farmers and fishers and fish workers, including small-scale farmers, indigenous peoples and local communities, peasants and other small-scale food producers, food systems workers, including women, in community, national, regional and international markets.
2021
Governments, intergovernmental organizations, private sector and other relevant stakeholders should consider promoting home grown school meals, where food served in schools and other child care facilities is procured, where appropriate, from smallholder and/or family farmers to support local communities and provide educational opportunities for students.
2021
Governments, consumers, farmers and other food producers organizations should promote the availability of safe and nutritious and sustainably produced food that contributes to healthy diets including nutritious and sustainably produced food from smallholders and family farmers and fishers markets, social organizations and other community-building efforts that engage people around local food cultures.
2021
Ensure that farmers, including peasants, family farmers and other people working in rural areas, in particular small-scale food producers, have equal access to, and control over land and natural resources, in accordance with national legislation, that are the essential basis for any form of sustainable agricultural production, by adopting appropriate regulations at the national level, consistent with the CFS Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests (CFS-VGGT) and other relevant frameworks.
2019
Provide producers, and in particular small scale producers and women, with public policies and private investments, for diversification and integration of their production, including providing support during the process of transitioning, in a coherent manner, as appropriate, according to, and dependent on national context and capacity, to more sustainable food systems.
2019
Promote the human rights of all and recognize the importance of the values and interests of peasants, indigenous peoples, local communities, family farmers, and other people working in rural areas, and the importance of strengthening their ability to avoid exposure and poisoning from hazardous agrochemicals.
2019
Strengthen responsible investment and innovation in micro, small and medium sized enterprises that support sustainable agriculture and food systems and retain value locally.
2019
Increase the resilience of food systems in facing crises, by promoting diverse market arrangements that have greater flexibility in the face of disruptions, promote an open, transparent, non-discriminatory, predictable, rules-based trade including in the sectors of agriculture and sustainable food systems, and protect farmers and consumers against food price volatility. This involves recognizing the special challenges faced by small scale producers in addressing existing relevant challenges in food supply chains at all levels.
2019
Support market and social innovations that strengthen linkages between urban communities and food producers, in particular small-scale producers and family farmers that provide sustainably produced healthy, safe and nutritious food to all consumers while providing living wages and decent livelihoods to producers. This could include Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), participatory guarantee systems (in compliance with public policy and safety standards), and relevant product differentiation systems.
2019
Support innovative public procurement of food from small-scale producers and local small and medium enterprises and micro-enterprises in public policies regarding, among others, school feeding programmes, other safety nets, food assistance and public preparedness mechanisms, prioritizing low-income and food insecure people. Preference should be given to sustainably produced food that contributes to healthy diets while supporting local and rural development objectives.
2019
Strengthen innovation platforms and promote digital technologies and applications that enhance sustainable agriculture and food systems to facilitate wider networking, taking into account traditional and ancestral knowledge, consistent with context-specific needs of small scale producers and family farmers.
2019
Promote the empowerment of women, particularly small-scale food producers and family farmers, and their organizations, by supporting collective action, negotiation and leadership skills, to increase access to and equity in the control over land and natural resources, according to national legislation.
2019
Develop and integrate policies supporting small-scale aquaculture into global, regional and national development agendas.
2023
Change crop pattern and improve crop diversification.
2023
Develop traditional, and under-utilized crops that provided higher nutritional value and higher adaptation capacity to climate change.
2023
Change energy sources for irrigation systems to clean and renewable sources; irrigation should be prioritized when adopting cleaner sources of energy (e.g. solar panel for small scale irrigation projects for smallholders).
2023
Protect food through use of improved technologies and enhanced storage facilities with limited GHG footprint, especially by deploying innovative cold storage solutions and low-scale storage solutions for smallholders.
2023
Shift energy use by food producers, in particular small-scale producers, towards renewable energy.
2023
Making innovative financing instruments more accessible to population groups facing constraints in accessing financial services, such as women, Indigenous Peoples, smallholder farmers and small and medium agrifood enterprises, will be key for financing to work for food security and nutrition.
2024
National governments, together with local government actors, should work to ensure that trade regulations and policy are oriented towards increasing access and affordability of healthy diets, with a particular focus on poor families, protecting urban and peri-urban populations from the increasing availability and targeted marketing of foods high in sugar, salt and fat and protecting the interests of small‑scale and informal operators.
2024
Assess the role of the informal sector in cross‑border trade and integrating provisions in policy to support and protect this trade from harassment and extortion.
2024
Support wholesale markets to strengthen connections with small‑scale producers, leveraging them to increase access to affordable, diverse and healthy diets.
2024
Establish financial mechanisms, such as microcredit or subsidies, to assist small‑scale producers and food‑system actors in acquiring inputs and technology.
2024
Smallholder farmers need to be better organized to link to modern value chains through producer organizations that have the technical, commercial and financial resources necessary to position their members as credible business partners to agribusinesses.
2017
Recognize the diversity of smallholder farmers and target different kinds of assistance to those who are not going to prosper as commercial farmers. Alternative types of assistance are needed if resources are not to be wasted, or farm households are misled into unsustainable livelihood strategies.
2017
SMEs also need support as many have trouble accessing credit, and lack business management skills. These constraints can be overcome through setting up investment funds and training programs to support networks of SMEs. Special emphasis should be given to training and encouraging entrepreneurship among women and young people.
2017