Towards Multifunctional Agriculture

Published on 7th July 2009

Agriculture operates within complex systems and is multifunctional in its nature. A multifunctional approach to implementing agricultural knowledge, science and technology (AKST) will enhance its impact on hunger and poverty, improving human nutrition and livelihoods in an equitable, environmentally, socially and economically sustainable manner.

 

Multifunctionality recognizes the inescapable interconnectedness of agriculture’s different roles and functions, i.e., agriculture is a multi-output activity producing not only commodities, but also non-commodity outputs such as environmental services, landscape amenities and cultural heritages.

 

Over the last 60 years, intensive production practices of high-yielding staple food crops were promoted, often on land cleared of much of its natural vegetation. To be productive for more than a few years, these crops require inputs of fertilizers, pesticides and often irrigation. In high-input agricultural systems, fertilizer and pesticide use is often excessive and environmentally damaging. In many parts of the world, small-scale farmers do not have sufficient access to state-of-the-art technologies, inputs, knowledge and innovations that enhance productivity while protecting health and the environment.

 

Thus, increased attention needs to be directed towards new and successful existing approaches to maintain and restore soil fertility and to maintain sustainable production through practices such as low input resource-conserving technologies based on in- tegrated management systems and an understanding of agroecology and soil science (e.g., agroforestry, conservation agriculture, organic agriculture and permaculture). These technologies minimize the need for high levels of inputs and are socially appropriate approaches to small-scale agriculture.

 

Where are we in terms of meeting sustainable development goals?

 

Globally, agricultural food production has been growing at about 2% per year since 1960, with higher rates of growth in developed countries. Area productivity, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America, is still much lower than in industrialized countries and in Asia. Increased food production has contributed to improved human health and nutrition. At the turn of the millennium, the world produced enough calories to feed everyone -- the dietary energy supply for the global population was estimated to be 2803 kcal per person per day, comfortably within the range of energy intake considered adequate for healthy living. Yet approximately 850 million people are unable to obtain enough food to lead healthy and productive lives.

 

Increased production has contributed to improved livelihoods of some of the 2.6 billion people-men women and children who rely on farming, livestock production, forestry or fishery. But more than half of the people living in extreme poverty depend on the agricultural sector for their livelihoods.

 

Farmers can enhance natural resources through sustainable soil management practices, promotion of agrobiodiversity and agroforestry. However, in many parts of the world, agricultural practices have resulted in the degradation of land, water and natural ecosystems.

 

Approximately 1.5 billion people are directly affected by land degradation; deforestation is proceeding at 13 million ha per year; over half of the world’s grasslands are degraded; depletion of marine resources now threatened globally; the demand for water for agriculture has led to serious depletion of surface water resources; and half of the world’s wetlands are estimated to have been lost during the last century.

 

Enabling multifunctionality

 

*Securing the social, environmental and economic functions of agriculture requires policies and investments at multiple levels:

 

Social functionality

 

*Empower marginalized stakeholders to sustain the diversity of agriculture and food systems, including their cultural dimensions.

 

*Educate and train policymakers and public agency personnel in decentralized participatory planning and decision-making, and in understanding and working effectively with rural communities.

 

*Invest in enriching training and education for farmers and other rural actors in order to facilitate their engagement in locally directed development processes.

 

*Invest in modern information and communications technologies (ICTs) to open up potentially powerful opportunities for extending the reach and scope of educational and interactive learning.

 

*Give women access, ownership and control of economic and natural resources through legal measures and appropriate credit schemes.

 

*Support the development of women’s income generating activities and reinforce women’s organizations and networks.

 

Environmental functionality

 

*Provide safe water and encourage efficient water use

 

*Decrease greenhouse gas emissions.

 

*Minimize the adverse impacts of climate change through integrating new and improved crop varieties and livestock breeds into diversified, resilient, risk averse farming systems.

 

*Maintain and enhance environmental and cultural services through support of agroecologically sound practices.

 

Economic functionality

 

*Promote market and trade policies that favour small-scale producers by leveling the playing and increasing opportunities for value addition. Reverse the export focus that has left small-scale producers, the majority of the rural poor, more vulnerable to international market factors.

 

*Increase access to financial services and products, such as savings services and crop or rain insurance. These instruments are critical to building assets and reducing the risk associated with adopting new technology, transitioning to sustainable agricultural practices, and innovating production and marketing methods

 

*Use microfinance to allow small scale producers to expand production, buy fertilizer and other inputs and technologies, and to diminish seasonal fluctuations in income.

 

Courtesy

International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD)

 


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