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| Olivier De Schutter |
GENEVA – Small-scale farmers can double food production within 10
years in critical regions by using ecological methods, a new UN report* shows.
Based on an extensive review of the recent scientific literature, the study
calls for a fundamental shift towards agroecology as a way to boost food
production and improve the situation of the poorest.
“To feed 9 billion people in 2050, we urgently need to adopt the
most efficient farming techniques available,” says Olivier De Schutter, UN
Special Rapporteur on the right to food and author of the report. “Today’s
scientific evidence demonstrates that agroecological methods outperform the use
of chemical fertilizers in boosting food production where the hungry live --
especially in unfavorable environments.”
Agroecology applies ecological science to the design of
agricultural systems that can help put an end to food crises and address
climate-change and poverty challenges. It enhances soils productivity and
protects the crops against pests by relying on the natural environment such as
beneficial trees, plants, animals and insects.
“To date, agroecological projects have shown an average crop yield
increase of 80% in 57 developing countries, with an average increase of 116%
for all African projects,” De Schutter says. “Recent projects conducted in 20
African countries demonstrated a doubling of crop yields over a period of 3-10
years.”
“Conventional farming relies on expensive inputs, fuels climate
change and is not resilient to climatic shocks. It simply is not the best
choice anymore today,” De Schutter stresses. “A large segment of the scientific
community now acknowledges the positive impacts of agroecology on food
production, poverty alleviation and climate change mitigation -- and this this
is what is needed in a world of limited resources. Malawi, a country that
launched a massive chemical fertilizer subsidy program a few years ago, is now
implementing agroecology, benefiting more than 1.3 million of the poorest people,
with maize yields increasing from 1 ton/ha to 2-3 tons/ha.”
The report also points out that projects in Indonesia, Vietnam and
Bangladesh recorded up to 92 % reduction in insecticide use for rice, leading
to important savings for poor farmers. “Knowledge came to replace pesticides
and fertilizers. This was a winning bet, and comparable results abound in other
African, Asian and Latin American countries,” the independent expert notes.
“The approach is also gaining ground in developed countries such as
United States, Germany or France,” he said. “However, despite its impressive
potential in realizing the right to food for all, agroecology is still
insufficiently backed by ambitious public policies and consequently hardly goes
beyond the experimental stage.”
The report identifies a dozen of measures that States should
implement to scale up agroecological practices.
“Agroecology is a knowledge-intensive approach. It requires public
policies supporting agricultural research and participative extension services,”
De Schutter says. “States and donors have a key role to play here. Private
companies will not invest time and money in practices that cannot be rewarded
by patents and which don’t open markets for chemical products or improved
seeds.”
The Special Rapporteur on the right to food also urges States to
support small-scale farmer’s organizations, which demonstrated a great ability
to disseminate the best agroecological practices among their members. “Strengthening
social organization proves to be as impactful as distributing fertilizers.
Small-scale farmers and scientists can create innovative practices when they
partner”, De Schutter explains.
“We won’t solve hunger and stop climate change with industrial
farming on large plantations. The solution lies in supporting small-scale
farmers’ knowledge and experimentation, and in raising incomes of smallholders
so as to contribute to rural development.”
“If key stakeholders support the measures identified in the
report, we can see a doubling of food production within 5 to 10 years in some
regions where the hungry live,” De Schutter says. “Whether or not we will
succeed this transition will depend on our ability to learn faster from recent
innovations. We need to go fast if we want to avoid repeated food and climate
disasters in the 21st century.”
(*) The report “Agro-ecology and the right to food” was presented
today before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. This document is available
in English, French, Spanish, Chinese and Russian at: www.srfood.org and http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/food/annual.htm
For the PDF summary above and entire report click here.
Olivier De Schutter was appointed the Special Rapporteur on the
right to food in May 2008 by the United Nations Human Rights Council. He is
independent from any government or organization.
Contact: Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Palais
des Nations CH-1211 Geneva 10 Switzerland
www.ohchr.org
Email:
press-info@ohchr.org Tel: +41 22 917 9310 Tel: +41 22 917 9383
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