Small-scale crop producers are some of the most hard-working agripreneurs, toiling and cultivating their lands on a daily basis, often against the harsh elements of nature. Interestingly, most of those that practice this type of farming are women and the youth who form the bulk of the rural population demographics.
They work hard to cultivate plots of land of just two hectares or less – equivalent to two or three football pitches – in an attempt to feed their families. Even so, most can›t manage to grow enough food to do so adequately.
With enough training and support, this wouldn’t be the case. These small farms are a vast, under-used resource, dominating the agricultural landscape in many developing countries and producing 80% of the food supply.
It is not hard to spot a small-scale crop producer. Other than what is given away in the name, such farmers have characteristics that make them stand out from the rest. For instance, in small-scale farming, most of the labour is provided by family members and is manual in nature. Also, farmers use very simple tools such as hoes and pangas to cultivate, in some cases ploughs are used.
Small-scale farmers use organic manure to improve fertility, and often plant different types of crops on the farm, which commonly include grains like maize and vegetables for family food support. The harvest from the farm is mainly consumed by the farmer and his or her family, while the yields per unit area are also low in many cases.
Small-scale farmers and rural populations are however disproportionately among the poor and hungry. But they are also the best hope for increasing land productivity and crop diversity to feed a growing world. Be as it may, this type of farming does have its benefits, as shown by many farmers in northern Namibia who have been surviving on small-scale agriculture for years.
When access to inputs and conditions are equal, smaller farms tend to be more productive per hectare than much larger farms. Family farmers have a vested interest in protecting the fertility of their soil and the long-term productivity of their land. They are also more likely than larger farms to grow a wide variety of crops, contributing to agro-biodiversity.
Rural and urban societies, and economies alike, benefit from prosperous and productive small farms. This creates jobs and wealth for their communities, reduces pressure on young people to migrate, and contributes to more stable and peaceful societies.
When small-scale farmers earn more, they inject their incomes directly into the rural economy, creating growth and diversification. Almost every example of large-scale national poverty reduction was kick-started by rising incomes among small-scale farmers.
We need to make markets work for small-scale farmers. Even in advanced economies, only a tiny fraction of the retail price of food reaches the farmer. The situation is even worse in low- and middle-income countries.
Small-scale farmers need to be able to get their goods to market and earn decent incomes from selling them. This means investing in storage and transport infrastructure to reduce waste and enable market access. And, it means investing in digital technologies so that farmers can access market information – especially important during times of pandemic.
Public and private investment is needed to link rural and urban areas. This includes better roads, electricity and internet connectivity. Investments are also urgently needed to help small-scale farmers adapt to climate change.
We need to invest in research and innovation that benefit small-scale farmers; today, agricultural research tends to neglect them. This research needs to be accompanied by technical advice, training and ICTs.
Small-scale farmers and their organisations need to be linked to relevant policy and planning processes - especially those around food systems in both rural and urban areas. Among other benefits, this would create opportunities for small-scale farmers to sell their products to people in large towns and cities.
As well as creating new income-earning opportunities, their involvement would contribute to meeting food and nutrition needs in cities. Let›s put more effort into assisting small-scale crop farmers; the world depends on them for food security.
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