How agriculture can help in today’s global refugee crisis

Farm small, think big: 

World Food Day carries the simple message that food is a basic human right. Yet, in the face of several current high-profile refugee crises – along with millions more on the move across the world – it is a right that remains out of reach for far too many.

It is worth remembering that World Food Day commemorates the creation of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, which was founded in the aftermath of the Second World War, on October 16, 1945. It was a time when the world was crippled by hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition. And that war still stands as a chilling reminder of what happens when the right to food is ignored and then suppressed.

At the end of 2016, we saw the highest accumulated number of forcibly displaced people since the Second World War, reaching an unprecedented level of 65.6 million people. As in 1945, the world is now on the move again. And the drivers remain conflict, political instability and poverty. Again, the results are hunger, loss of livelihoods and threats to human lives.

Syrian refugee and local community outreach officer from the NGO Lemon Tree Trustvisiting a home garden in Domiz Refugee Camp, Iraq.

Lemon Tree Trust.

‘Low-space agriculture’ carries promise for the forcibly displaced 

Forced displacement has multiple correlations with food insecurity. Often people are forced away from their lands, and food production declines as harvests and farmlands are lost. In host communities and host countries, the sheer numbers of arriving internally displaced people (IDPs) and refugees can place huge strains on local resources, jobs and markets.

However, many of today’s 65.6 million forcibly displaced people will find themselves in either refugee camps or urban areas in host countries such as Turkey, Pakistan, Lebanon, Iran, Uganda or Ethiopia. And it is in these settings that ‘low-space’ and ‘no-space’ agriculture is uniquely placed to serve as a durable and innovative solution to reduce the huge strains on local resources, jobs and markets. ‘Low-space agriculture’ is a concept known from urban areas where space is very restricted, and farming is very small scale, such as in the form of home gardens. More of the current thinking on this subject was captured in a recent book chapter entitled the Role of Urban Agriculture in Disasters and Emergencies.

Urban agriculture concepts can be applied to refugee camps at different stages of structural consolidation and settlement, from tents to low-income / high-density urban suburbs. These solutions can contribute to food and nutritional security, income generation and social cohesion. Low-space food production, processing and distribution all offer opportunities for livelihood creation that can actively involve host communities, IDPs and refugees. It can also help people in areas under siege or subjugation, for example in Syria, where IDPs used container gardens, home gardens and roof top gardens to survive recent brutal sieges.

Farming for more than food

The role of these types of urban agriculture in linking relief, rehabilitation and development – especially for refugees and IDPs – was described in the January 2009 issue of the Urban Agriculture Magazine. The article concluded that farming is not only a survival strategy for displaced people to obtain food on a temporary basis; it is also a valuable livelihood strategy for those that settle permanently, and for those who eventually return to their home cities or countries.

In 2010, Professor Phillip Harris from Coventry University coined the term ‘stabilisation agriculture’. The concept focuses on enhancing the ecological and social resilience of agricultural communities to withstand and respond to natural and human-induced disaster conditions. This shows a strong link between agriculture and resilience, one that must be further strengthened to develop durable solutions for the current humanitarian crises.

For example, in 2016, in Yathrib, Iraq, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) funded the construction of a new irrigation sub-canal with a primary aim of conflict resolution and a secondary aim of land reclamation. The project has helped resolve a conflict across a traditional sectarian divide and has now allowed communities that were once forcibly displaced to return home.

In addition to conflict resolution, agriculture can also have a key function in disaster risk reduction programs. Whether landscape-level, agroforestry-based interventions that mitigate the impacts from erosion and flash floods, or agroecology initiatives that build ecological resilience in farming systems vulnerable to weather variability, agriculture can yield benefits beyond food, including resilience to hazards and even disasters. Promoting agriculture as a driver of resilience is especially important now that climate change-related extreme weather events are compounding the situation for forcibly displaced people, and in some cases even triggering the conflict and political instability in the first place.

Showcasing safe sanitation and resource reuse

Population density and the resulting high levels of urban and human waste is another commonality between urban settings and refugee camps. While initially always considered a challenge – to the health and well-being of people – these waste streams represent an opportunity to implement innovative drainage infrastructure and sanitation technologies, such as rainwater harvesting, sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) and resource recovery and reuse (RRR).

Drainage – or a lack of it – is a huge problem in many camps. Conventional systems are often only added as an afterthought many years down the line. However, the principles of SuDS are equally applicable to camps so that surface water is utilized where it lands or flows replicating the drainage patterns of natural systems. This can eliminate stagnant waters and reduce risks of disease, while remaining more cost effective than conventional drainage.

Resource recovery and reuse includes the safe utilization of liquid and solid organic wastes, such as converting solid organic waste into compost that can then be applied for soil amelioration. Another example can be found in Za’atari Refugee Camp in the semi-arid areas of north Jordan, where treated wastewater from the camp is used to irrigate fodder crops for livestock. Such systems can also be designed to enhance the environmental conditions of what are often bleak camps in harsh settings by supporting the growth of gardens, trees and foliage.

Humanitarian funding streams can then be used to implement SuDS and RRR projects, turning camps into showcases of innovative technologies. This can increase the potential for uptake of durable solutions by local authorities that previously might have had limited or zero exposure to SuDS and RRR.

Crises give rise to new models for delivering food security, resilience and security

The financial, institutional and technical challenges resulting from delivering humanitarian assistance to forcibly displaced people around the world are substantial. The limitations of the current model are affecting the efficiency and effectiveness of humanitarian aid. The current Rohingya refugee crisis unfolding in Myanmar and Bangladesh bears testament to these challenges by illustrating that durable and rapid responses require funds, resources, political leadership and time. 

In reality, the humanitarian sector today needs to do more, but with less, which is almost impossible. What is needed is a paradigm shift towards innovation and a new mind-set in how to assist the forcibly displaced.

Uganda, which has hosted refugees since 1958, for nearly six decades, is one place where some of the most durable models can be found. After decades of implementing low-density refugee camps that provided refugees with land, tools and seeds, the Government of Uganda has moved to a full integration strategy that co-locates refugees with resource-poor host communities. This way, when humanitarian actors construct schools, clinics, and implement livelihood and food safety-net programs, benefits are shared among both refugees and host communities.

A call for investments in the future

Given such models, humanitarian assistance should also be seen as an opportunity to develop and implement long-term, self-sustaining solutions – not designed as responses to a one-off crisis, but as support for ongoing development efforts, whether by national or international actors.

In responding to the current crises, farming will be an important part of the answer, because it can provide many of these crucial innovations, from vertical gardens to nutrient recycling. Investments into ‘low-space agriculture’ will be key to providing food security, resilience and safety to not only the millions of people currently on the move, but to future generations across the globe.

Source:http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WLEThrive/~3/6HcHYYdQqn4/farm-small-think-big-how-agriculture-can-help-today’s-global-refugee-crisis

Giving Birth to Seed Enterprises

There is no greater blessing than giving birth. When a new life comes into existence, as people we rejoice. In some cultures, especially in Africa, the whole community is so happy they make a feast to celebrate the new life. By the same token it’s such a joy to see the birth of seed enterprises in the African continent, especially to smallholder farmers.

In his opening remarks, Robert Guei, Secretary of the Committee on Agriculture and Senior Technical Office, FAO, gave us some historical background and the current situation in the seed industry in Africa. He explained that seeds constitute the farmers’ precious resource and a very particular agricultural product. Seeds form the basis for food and nutrition security in Africa and indeed, all over the world. Unfortunately, in Africa, performance of seeds so far has been unsatisfactory. This is due to the fact that after independence, most African countries’ seed sector development was handled by parastatal enterprises.

In the absence of the private sector, government invested heavily in producing seed of their food security crops. The structural adjustment policies of the 1980 forced governments to abandon seed production and distribution. This was done without considering difficulties for the private sector to assume responsibility for producing the less profitable seeds of food security crops. Despite the fact that many countries have encouraged privatization in one way or another and withdrawn from commercial seed production, overall, private businesses did not fill the gap left by governments. 90% of crops grown in Africa are grown from farm-saved seeds.

Currently big companies concentrate more on big farmers with larger demands for seeds, especially hybrid maize and vegetable seed. They often ignore seed production with thin profit margins and where proprietary laws are missing or not enforced. They trade in high value crops seeds.
In the absence of big enterprises in producing and marketing all African seed crops, a viable solution would be smallholder seed enterprises. They provide a unique opportunity for non-hybrid, local and regional crops which big enterprises are not interested in.

Mr Guei further explained that there are a number of success factors for smallholders which amongst others include equipment and infrastructure. Policy support such as one that encourages research, seed certification and linking seed production to paddy production. Knowledge is also another critical factor, as most successful seed companies are those whose owners have the know-how to manage business and train their staff.

Devra I Jarvis, Principal Scientist at Bioversity International (IPGR) presented on promoting intra-specific crop diversity in local seed systems to improve productivity and resilience on the farm. She pointed out a number of portfolio options approaches. Among others is the classic approach which involves varieties promoted in isolation. This is done by making various varieties available to be cultivated together at different levels and in different scenarios. She continued to shed light on three other approaches: a portfolio of varieties for specific traits, of traits for a specific variety and a portfolio of suppliers for specific variety. These portfolios are complimentary to meet needs and feature redundancy to manage risk. In closing, Ms. Jarvis argued that the successful models of seed supply can rely on a combination of formal sources like public and private research institutes and seed organizations, while informal mechanisms of seed multiplication and distribution are community-based initiatives.

Dr, Stefano Padulosi, Senior Scientist at Bioversity International, presented on seed production and enterprises for neglected  and underutilized species, a case study of minor millet in Madhya Pradesh, India. These minor millets are generally suitable for dry and marginal lands. They are grown mostly on challenging slopping rocky soil where other crops cannot thrive. Low water requirements and early maturation help them escape drought. For this reason they are recognized as key assets to support farmers’ adaptation to climate change which is bringing ever greater drought pressure to eastern Madhya Pradesh. Production remains important among isolated farmers in sloping areas. According to Mr. Padulosi, despite their many values, their production has declined more than 50% in Madhya Pradesh in the last 20 years.

The low productivity, weak market channels and difficulty in processing bottlenecks is responsible for the decline. Low yields hamper economic value to minor millet. Even though they have higher nutrient content than rice and wheat, their low yields mean they actually deliver a lower nutritional yield per cultivated area. Key issues in local seed system for millets are common to other underutilized species.

 These include limited access to improved seeds from the public sector, limited private sector intervention on seed production, disorganized value chains for both seed and grains, heavy erosion of traditional knowledge regarding seed management, germ-plasm conservation, seed quality, storage and viability.

An initiative led by Bioversity International and Social Advancement (ASA) and supported by International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the European commission and CGIAR Research on Climate Change Agriculture and Food Security is underway in Mandla and Dindori districts of Madhya Pradesh. It is meant to increase the availability and use of high quality millet seed by producing and commercializing through farmer producer companies. It is linking agrobiodiversity value chains, climate adaptation and nutrition to empower the poor to manage risk. This has led to identification of the highest yielding and preferred kodo millet (Paspalum scrobiculatum) and little millets (Kutki, Panicum samatrense), which farmer producer companies are producing commercially.
The initiative has led to incomes from seed business and food security outcomes for the shareholder and wider community. The farmer producer companies procure seeds from local producers at their doorstep and pay within 3 -4 days, whereas other buyers have longer waits and delays in payment.

We also heard from Mr Paul Wagstaff, a Senior Agricultural advisor for Gorta -Self Help Africa. He explained that farmers need physical access to quality seed of sufficient quantity at the right time. The varieties must be well-suited to the local production environment and meet household and market preference. He pointed out that the majority of seeds used by African farmers are procured from local markets. Purchases from agro dealers are limited to hybrid maize and vegetable seed and the local market is supplying 30-80% of common beans, pigeon, mung beans, groundnuts, soya beans and Bambara nut seeds. The seeds purchased from local markets are produced by other local farmers indicating local capacity to produce seeds. The challenge is that only one quarter of Sub-Saharan African smallholders have their seed quality checked, meaning that three quarters of seed may produce poor yields. This represent an opportunity for farmers to specialize in quality seed production, particularly those that large companies have little interest in.

The birth of seed companies in Africa, particularly by smallholders, is an important one. It is an example of the value chain approach that accrues to the agricultural sector. Through it more diverse crops can be grown, especially the locally produced ones which are often neglected by big seed companies. This results in better nutritional values, and more income and jobs for the sector. It will also stimulate research and innovation within the agricultural sector. If handled right, small seed enterprises can be a real bundle of joy for Africa.

This blogpost covers the CFS44 side event “Strengthening Small-holder seed Enterprises for Food, Nutrition and Income Security”
Blogpost by Kenanao Moabi, #CFS44 Social Reporter – kenanaomoabi(at)gmail.com
Photo Credit: Neil Palmer (CIAT)

This post is part of the live coverage during the 44th Session of the Committee on World Food Security, a social media project supported by GFAR. This post is written by one of our social reporters, and represents the author’s views only.

Agropreneurship: growing social change

Agropreneurship: growing social change

The term ‘agropreneurship’ reminds us that even the smallest-scale farmers are business-people. Sometimes, in the context of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) it’s easy to forget  that, because we hear a lot about the differences between the private sector and civil society.
A wise colleague of mine often says: “well, if you’re not for profit – you’re for loss”. And that’s true; farmers and land workers have to make a living! Entrepreneurship in agriculture is great at making this happen. As Marco Marzano de Marinis, World Farmers Organisation Secretary General said, “Entrepreneurship can create employment and build farmers’ capacity”. But could we take the concept of agropreneurship further – and innovate how we do business in agriculture not just in the economic, but the social sense, too?
Roberto Moncalvo, President of Coldiretti certainly thinks so, as he demonstrated at the side-event focusing on Agropreneurship for Food Security and Nutrition. To me, he got straight to the heart of the matter: what is agriculture for? If we do not define what we want it to do for us, we cannot decide on a system that will work.
“We don’t need to increase, but improve production”, Mr.  Moncalvo said. Personally, I find this a welcome contrast with the status quo in a context where a call for increasing productivity dominates.
What does his call for improvements mean in practice, though? Ultimately, it all comes down to what we see as the end goal of food production. While for some growing crops and rearing livestock is a means to producing commodities, others see its cultural, social and environmental value.
For Mr. Moncalvo, these are the values we should be thinking of when setting up and developing agricultural enterprises. Around the world, many people agree with him, as they view financial income as only one – though important – benefit their businesses can deliver.
Indeed, agriculture and other land-based activities have huge potential and not merely as the means to gain profit. Around the world, an increasing number of agricultural enterprises are being guided not only by a quest for profit, but also a desire to benefit wider society and the environment. Commodity production seems to be losing ground as the be all and end all of agriculture.
Diversification is becoming a buzzword for these alternative farming communities. From care farming in the United Kingdom or agricoltura sociale (literally, social agriculture) in Italy, farmers are starting to recognise that they provide much more to society than ‘just’ food. What is more, diversifying business activities can also ensure income for farmers in difficult times.
However, there is more to agropreneurship than diversification. Mr. Moncalvo flips another dominant narrative: “Technology should not dominate, but be put to the service of values-based agriculture”. Whether that’s infrastructure or smartphones, these are tools to achieve our goals in agriculture; they are not the end goal.
The Coldiretti President’s argument for ethics in agriculture extends to consumers as well. Labeling, for example, is one great way of empowering consumers to make an informed choice about their food purchases. “It should not be a vehicle of nationalism – rather a way of valuing cultural and biological diversity,” he added.
With so much talk of attracting youth to agricultural work at the CFS, perhaps we should stop and consider the benefits of social agropreneurship. Young people’s discontent with the current system is growing. A model of agriculture grounded in social and environmental justice, with people’s rights at its heart could do the trick.

Blogpost by Isabella Coin, #CFS43 Social Reporter – isa.coin@gmail.com
Photo courtesy: Annie Spratt on Unsplash
This post is part of the live coverage during the 43rd Session of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS). This post is written by one of our social reporters, and represents the author’s views only.

Who Is An Agropreneur?

THE NEXT AGROPRENEUR

Who Is An Agropreneur?

Agropreneur is defined as an entrepreneur who uses agriculture to build a business.

The Growing Business of Agriculture

Agriculture is constantly evolving. It consists of any type of farming. You have to have agriculture to have groceries and clothing. Most people don't realize just how important agriculture is to their everyday life. Every time you go in the grocery store to buy meat or any kind of fruit or vegetables, you are buying an agriculture product.

One aspect of agriculture is farming. It begins at the point the farmer puts the seed in the ground to the time of harvest. When the farmer plants the seeds it takes quite a few people to help him plant. You have to have someone run a tractor with a strip-till, which is where you till the ground up for another guy to come in behind with the planter putting the seed in the ground. Once the seeds are in the ground the farmer has to care for the crops by spraying the necessary fertilizer and chemicals to help the seed grow and keep the bugs that will eat it off. Once the plants are full grown and made all the products it will make, the farmer gets ready for harvest. Harvest is the farmers busiest time of the year and usually lasts all year depending on what all crops he has planted. Wheat is harvested in the fall, along with cotton and peanuts and soybeans are harvested in the spring. It's a never-ending process for a farmer or anyone in the agriculture business. Another aspect of agriculture are your salesmen. You have equipment salesmen, seed salesmen, chemical salesmen, and your product buyers.

Agriculture also involves cattle ranchers. Most of those are located in the Midwest to the south of the United States. All the beef you buy in the grocery store comes from a cattle ranch. You have many different breeds of cattle that ranges from Angus which is the most popular breed of cattle, to the expensive, high-end Red Devon and Dexter breeds. Most of the beef that you get in the grocery store comes from Angus cows. In the business of cattle ranching, you must have the owner, cowboys to help feed and herd the cows, buyers that take the cows to have them butchered and the truck drivers who haul the cows to the sell and wherever they are having them butchered.

As you can see agriculture is constantly revolving in the many different aspects of the business. It is especially strong in the Midwest and the South of the United States. It's a difficult business to get into but it's extremely rewarding in the way of knowing that what you've done has given the people all over the world food on their tables and clothes on their back is a great business to be in. You shouldn't go into agriculture to get rich, it should be because you love it.