How can we feed the world? It’s a key question for the 21st century, one that vexes scientists, policy makers and, of course, farmers. In a paper in the February 12th issue of the journal Science, researchers warn that unless the focus is on helping small farmers in developing countries, the efforts to feed all the world’s people will most likely fail.
These small-scale farmers may raise just a few crops and graze a handful of animals. They’ve been mostly ignored by agricultural assistance agencies—but according to the researchers, these farmers feed most of the world’s poorest billion people. They face challenges from an increasing population; land that’s overfarmed and worn out; and climate change, bringing with it worsening drought or increased rainfall.
The authors say farmers must learn to use marginal lands that could be prime location for crops such as millet, sorghum and cowpea. Also needed is more investment in livestock research, such as breeding for hardier animals. And wealthier nations that have a significant financial agricultural investment in the developing world should match that with a scientific one. Because helping these small-scale sustainable farmers is the way to feed the world’s poorest people.
—Cynthia Graber
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