Agriculture and food

Promoting agriculture to meet the poverty and hunger Millennium Development Goals

Agriculture

Agriculture is central to the economies of many poor countries and the lives of many poor people. Agriculture creates jobs and income, and helps the rest of the economy to grow by boosting demand for local goods and services. For every $1 of farm income in Zambia, a further $1.50 of income is generated in other businesses. But to expand agriculture, governments need to guarantee land ownership, make sure that regulation, standards and subsidies are appropriate, and ensure that land is used sustainably so it continues to be productive. They also need to invest in infrastructure (for irrigation and to get goods to market) and innovation (including adaptation to climate change); and promote access to rural financial services.

The challenge

Making the transition to a more diverse and faster growing economy is the key to sustained poverty reduction for the world’s poorest countries. But it is increasing agricultural productivity that has allowed poor countries to make the initial step on to the ladder leading to prosperity. This is particularly the case for labour-intensive, small-scale agriculture with its strong links to growth in other areas. No poor country has ever successfully reduced poverty through agriculture alone, but almost none have achieved it without first increasing agricultural productivity.

Reversing recent disappointing trends in agricultural performance is critical if poor countries are to escape the trap of slow growth and poverty. This is particularly true in sub-Saharan Africa, where growth in agricultural output has barely kept pace with population. Productivity has stagnated, slowing wider economic growth and exacerbating poverty with it. In Asia, where so much of the green revolution took place, the rate of growth of agricultural productivity has begun to slow with serious consequences for further poverty reduction.

Nevertheless, while a second green revolution on the scale of Asia’s may not be possible today, evidence suggests that farmers in Africa and other priority areas can overcome these challenges and achieve significant improvements in productivity. A major change in agriculture’s performance in the world’s poorest countries is possible and must be achieved if millions of people are to escape poverty.

What DFID is doing

DFID’s support of the government’s seed and fertiliser programme in Malawi has been instrumental in opening the way for the development of the private agricultural sector, through the inclusion of commercial agro-dealers in the distribution process. This has contributed to a harvest surplus of two to three million tonnes of maize annually.
Reform of international agricultural research system. DFID channels £20 million a year to the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), making us the third largest contributor. We are using our position to leverage reform of the system to make it more efficient.
Increasing incomes. In Bangladesh, 50,000 households have benefited from increased household incomes though DFID’s livelihoods programme, which includes support for agriculture. 1.5 million people in Zimbabwe have benefited from dramatic increases in food productivity as a result of the introduction of simple low-cost drought-resistant conservation farming techniques.
Access to land. In Rwanda, DFID has supported the government’s national land policy, which is working for a fundamental transformation of the rural economy from predominantly subsistence agriculture to small commercial farms serving local and regional populations.
The pilot Seeds for Development Programme is helping African seed suppliers provide high quality seed to small-holder farmers, leading to increased productivity, improved food security, and reduced rural poverty.

Agriculture and food

Agriculture

The challenge

What DFID is doing

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