Who will feed the world?

A new Oxfam research report titled “Who will feed the world?” focuses on the sustainable food production challenge linked to a growing world population.

Four-pronged approach

A four-pronged approach is argued for in this report: a mix of large- and small-scale, and Low External Input and High External Input production methods. The main conclusion is that whatever mix of the four-pronged approach is adopted, major commitment and investment by governments, development agencies, and private-sector actors, to reverse the trend of the last 20 years, will be essential to achieving sustained agricultural growth and to making a major dent in the levels of poverty and hunger.

Key recommendations

1. Develop a country-led long-term vision where technologies and institutional innovations are tailored to the local context and involve broad consultations among the large number of players involved.
2. In developing countries, supporting small-scale farmers would provide the greatest impact in terms of income creation and food security, in particular when associated with LEI agriculture methods. Adopting sustainable farming methods would also be crucial to improving productivity while conserving the natural resource base and responding to climate-change challenges
3. There is a need for renewed commitments by governments and international donors to ensure that food availability and accessibility keep pace with population growth, while enhancing resilience and achieving sustainability. 
4. National and international donor agriculture policies must: support subsistence farmers to cope with risks and vulnerability; empower smallholder farmers, especially women, with capacity, finance, and a regulatory framework that encourages organisation and enhances productivity; regulate agro-industrial operations to enhance social benefits and good environmental stewardship; and promote synergies between small-holder and agro-industrial operations, building on complementarities and linkages wherever possible.