Given the critical role smallholder farmers play in the economy, governments and policymakers across the world have been advised to retune national policies to help the farmers achieve their potential.
A Commodities and Development Report released by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development in Geneva, Switzerland, stressed that it was important that the business potential of smallholder farmers be harnessed for sustainable development.
The report establised that the world’s smallholder farmers produced more than 80 per cent of the world’s food in value terms, yet managed just 12 per cent of all agricultural land.
And considering that global poverty affects smallholders disproportionately, achieving poverty reduction goals, the report says, will require taking a fresh look at how policies are designed and coordinated so as to cater to their needs.
“They deserve more attention from policymakers to unleash their full business potential,” the report stated.
Though there are marked differences by country and region in the average size of small farms, it is estimated that more than 90 per cent of the 570 million farms worldwide are managed by an individual or a family, and that mostly they rely on family labour.
Estimates further show that about 2.5 billion people depend on agricultural production systems for their livelihoods.
According to the report, smallholder farmers also play a key role in environmental sustainability objectives, including climate change mitigation, by protecting biodiversity in agriculture.
“It is now time for the international community to recognise the vital role smallholders play the world over in ensuring continued access to nutritious natural food and the achievement of global food security,” the report quoted UNCTAD Secretary-General, Mukhisa Kituyi, as saying.
Kituyi added: “I call on all development partners who have pledged to increase resources directed to the fight against climate change to devote special attention to smallholder farmers who are key players in sustainable agricultural practices.”
The report highlighted a number of enduring challenges facing smallholders. They include limited access to agricultural inputs such as fertilizers, seeds, land, labour and credit markets, unfulfilled capacity to commercialize their produce due to deficient or non-existing infrastructure such as paved roads and lack of access to market information, which leads to power imbalances tilted against smallholders in markets.
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