World's poorest farmers overlooked by UK government
Tuesday, 27 November 2007
The agricultural policy of the UK government's Department for International Development's (DFID) is ignoring the needs of the poorest farmers and prioritising economic growth over tackling hunger and improving agricultural methods and food production, according to a report published by Concern Worldwide.
The report “Unheard Voices” puts forward the case for supporting marginal farmers. It asserts that the failure of DFID’s agricultural policy to specifically address the needs of the poorest farmers in developing countries is particularly concerning. Especially as more than 75% of the world’s hungry and malnourished live in rural areas and depend directly or indirectly on farming for their survival.
“Whilst marginal farmers should be at the centre of DFID’s efforts to defeat poverty and reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s) they are instead being ignored in favour of farmers who produce surplus for markets and are therefore considered able to contribute to the growth of the economy” says Ruchi Tripathi, Head of Policy for Concern Worldwide and co-author of the report.
The report reveals that the shift by donors, such as DFID, towards economic growth and away from policies that favour poor farmers has led to a decline in agricultural aid and a weaker demand for assistance from developing country governments. This decline, and the way in which aid to agriculture has been allocated, excludes poor farmers. It leaves them unable to access the support needed to help them increase their food output and tackle hunger and spiralling poverty in the rural areas.
New farming practices
The report provides clear examples of the way in which poor farmers, including those with whom Concern Worldwide works, have increased their output, secured better supplies of food and improved their livelihoods. This was enabled by the right kind of assistance, such as simple low-cost technologies, training in new farming practices and the provision of tools and seeds.
“This is why donors such as DFID should take into account their specific needs when reviewing their agricultural policy instead of pursuing a ‘one size-fits all’ approach which further marginalises the poorest farmers,” says Ruchi Tripathi.
Mahlathi Moyo, Concern Partner and Chairperson of the Mongu District Farmers’ Association in Zambia adds: “Poor farmers are facing many challenges that affect their ability to grow enough to feed their families, but these challenges can be overcome. Good agricultural policies that are appropriate to specific geographical areas must be put in place, and the people responsible for developing those policies must listen to the voices of the poorest farmers to ensure that their circumstances are taken in to account.”
The report forms part of Concern’s campaign “Unheard Voices”, which calls on DFID to ensure that when reviewing its agricultural policy in 2008 that the role of poor farmers in defeating rural poverty is acknowledged and that their needs are prioritised instead of focusing only on farmers that already produce for markets.
- Read full report in .pdf format
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