Building Rural Resilience – OpEd |
Rural economies are fragile and represent a large percentage of developing country economies. Smallholder farmers are producing most low-value commodity crops, often associated with high levels of risk, limited access to inputs and finance, and high price volatility. This pressure is increasing as buyers in the global commodity markets are requiring greater levels of transparency and sustainability. We contend that addressing rural futures in a developing context will require an integrated approach, an approach that links smallholder agriculture, sustainable and inclusive supply chains, and alternative financial delivery models, which we term a ‘Rural Resilience Strategy.’ Through an integrated approach of working through these three elements in concert, we can build more sustainable, inclusive and stable rural economies and therefore create a stable foundation for sustainable development outcomes.
The world faces a huge challenge in the years ahead in terms of food and nutrition security. It is estimated that by 2050, the global population will reach 9 billion people. The great majority of food that will be needed to feed the world will be produced by smallholder farmers. These farmers are often working with old seeds, low yields and limited access to information and knowledge. In addition, the effects of climate change, such as weather patterns that are becoming increasingly unpredictable, more pests and diseases and more soil degradation, are exacerbating their already difficult situation. Smallholder farmers work on land that is often fragmented and insecure, and therefore, they do not have access to financial services and markets. This is due to the poor quality of extension services provided to smallholder farmers. As a result, the farmers lack the skills and knowledge needed to innovate and apply new farming practices that could increase their productivity and income. In a time when many rural youths are migrating to urban areas in search of employment,........