International Consultation on Family Farming M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), Chennai, INDIA

6 August, 2014

Mahmoud El SolhDirector General

International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas

Environmental, Social and Economic Sustainability of Family Farms in the Dry Areas

Outline

Dry areas and family farming: the challenges ahead;

Environmental, social and economic sustainability of family farming are very much interrelated;

What science can do & what ICARDA is doing to support family farming?

Examples of research achievements to enhance environmental, social and economic sustainability of family farms in the dry areas;

Looking ahead and conclusions.

Dry Areas and Family Farming:The Challenges Ahead

Dry areas cover 41% of the earth’s surface, and are home to over 2.5 billion people – and the majority of the world’s poor.

About 16% of the population lives in chronic poverty, particularly in marginal rainfed areas.

The Dry Areas

The People of the Drylands

• 800 million poor and vulnerable people depend on agricultural systems for food security and livelihoods

• Economically and politically marginalized• Population growth in drylands highest in the world• Population distribution skewed to the young• High rates of unemployment• High rates of urbanization• Dependency on off-farm or non-farm income• Women provide a significant portion of the work needed

on family farms• 75-80% of food comes from small farmers out of which

family farming constitute a large proportion

Much of the Agriculture in the Dry Lands Depends on Smallholder Family Farms

This involves the hard work of the rural men, women and children working in all areas of agriculture: croppers, pastoralists, forest dwellers, fishers and herders

They derive a significant portion of their income from farming, involve members of the family in managing the farm and rely predominantly on family labor (IFAD 2014)

This is why it is essential to ensure the environmental, social and economic

sustainability of family farming&

The timeliness of the International Year of Family Farming

& The timeliness of International Consultation on

Family Farming Organized by M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation

(MSSRF)

Abiotic Constraints Facing Family Farming in Dry Areas

Physical and economic water scarcity

Rapid natural resource degradation and desertification/land degradation

Groundwater depletion

Drought & heat

Salinity

Climate change

-80

-70

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

1982 1985 1988 1991 1994 1997 2000 2003 2006

m

Decrease of the Souss aquifer level in Morocco

Rising temperatures: higher temperatures will reduce crop productivity

Increased frequency of droughts Excess rainfall/flooding Milder winter Increase in the areas affected by

salinity Changes in crop cycles (shorter

growing season) Newly emerging pests and diseases Salt water intrusion in coastal areas

Challenges associated with climate change facing family farming

Biotic Constraints

Salinity Insect PestsFungi Diseases

Weeds/Parasitic Weeds

Inputs and Socio-Economic Constraints

Insufficient technology available and extension services Seed availability/quality Availability of fertilizer Timely control and availability of pesticides for weed

and pest control; Mechanization affordability/access to suitable small

machinery Availability of credit to farmers Price fluctuation Access to markets: local, regional & international

11

Further Challenges to the Drylands: Inadequate Policies and Insufficient Institutions

Inadequate agricultural policies for sustainable agricultural development

Insufficient investment in agricultural research and development

Environmental, Social and Economic Sustainability of Family Farming

are Very Much Interrelated

Environmental Sustainability of Family Farming

– Environmental sustainability of family farming can be obtained by helping family farms to conserve and ensure the sustainable use of natural resources on their farms, namely water, land and biodiversity.

– Thus, research must focus on enhancing water availability, water productivity and water use efficiency; building soil productivity fertility and combating land degradation; and conserving biodiversity through sustainable use.

Social Sustainability of Family Farming

Social sustainability of family farming can be achieved through:– Generating more employment opportunities for family

farming members;– Empower women and strife for social equity;– Attract youth to agriculture by making agriculture an

attractive profession: intellectually challenging and economically rewarding;

– Improving infrastructure in rural areas and providing institutional services;

– Improving livelihoods by improving quality of life, not just more income.

Economic Sustainability of Family Farming

Economic sustainability of family farming can be achieved by generating more income through:– Having higher productivity;– Creating more job opportunities;– Producing high value crops;– Producing added value products; – Reducing production costs;– Improving post-harvest handling;– Linking farmers to markets; – Providing opportunities for micro-credit to small enterprises.

Pove

rtyEnvironm

ent al &

Natural Resource

DegradationEnvironm

ent al &

Natural Resource

Degradation

Pove

rtyEnvironm

ental &

Natural Resource

DegradationEnvironm

ental &

Natural Resource

Degradation

Environmental, Social and Economic Sustainability of Family Farming are inter-related: The Vicious Circle in Dry Areas

What Science Can Do & What ICARDA is Doing to Support Family Farming?

What Science and Technology Can Doto Help Family Farming?

Genetic improvement for higher yields, resistance to diseases and pests; higher nutrient content; drought tolerance and crops adapted to shorter growing seasons;

Enhancing sustainable use and management of natural resources: water, land and biodiversity;

Improving market access (inputs and outputs) and moving into value chains and added value products for increaseing income and improving livelihoods;

Strengthening policies and community/institutional frameworks.

What is ICARDA Doing to Support Family Farming in the Drylands?

ICARDA is focusing on science and technology to enhance livelihoods of resource-poor farmers and family farming in dry areas.

It is leading the CGIAR Research program on Dryland Agricultural Production Systems (CRP 1.1) to unleash the productive potential of small farmers and family farms in the drylands:

In low potential and marginal drylands: helping family farms to develop strategies and tools to minimize their risk and reduce their vulnerability

Higher-potential drylands regions: supporting farming families to sustainably intensify their agricultural production systems

Map of Action Site of Dryland SystemsCGIAR Research Program (CRP)

Dryland Systems CRP

Bringing practical solutions to family farms in the dry areas for improved livelihoods and food security through large scale action research

Involving partners & stakeholders across the research for development continuum;

Promoting relevant technologies, knowledge and policies;

Following an integrated systems approach to ensure synergy;

Focusing on women and youth empowerment; Targeting five regions.

Examples of Research Achievements to Enhance Environmental, Social and Economic

Sustainability of Family Farms in the Dry Areas

Examples of Research Achievements to Enhance Environmental, Social and Economic Sustainability of Family Farms in the Dry Areas

Crop Improvement for yield potential & for abiotic and biotic stresses;

Improving water availability and management & grey water use;

Intensification & diversification of cropping systems;

High value crops, protected agriculture and added value products ;

Integrated livestock/rangelands/crops production systems & added value dairy product in marginal dry areas.

Crop Improvement for Higher Yield Potential & Abiotic and Biotic Stresses

Improved varieties released to farming community

High yield potential Agronomic traits: e.g. earliness, canopy architecture Tolerance to abiotic stresses:

• Drought• Heat• Cold• Salinity

Resistance/tolerance to biotic stresses• Diseases• Insect pests• Parasitic weeds

Yield t/ha

% recurrent parent

Cham 6*2/SW2 1.6 147

Cham 6*2/SW2 1.5 138

Cham-6 1.10 100

Attila-7 1.3 Parent Variety

Wheat Crossed with Wild Relatives: Synthetic Wheat, tolerance to excessive drought

Yield of “synthetic derivatives” compared to parents under drought stress. (Tel Hadya 2008 -- 211 mm)

Yields (kg/ha) of promising durum wheat genotypes under rainfed (RF) and supplemental irrigation (SI)

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

Rf (321 mm) Rf+SI (321+70 mm) Fvrbl+SI (524+70 mm)

Mean (kg/ha)

Max(kg/ha)

RF = Rainfed; SI = Supplemental Irrigation

11 t/ha

6/t/ha

3.7t/ha

RF (321 mm) RF+SI (321+70 mm) RF+SI (524+70 mm)

Yield potential of newly developed durum genotypes

at ICARDA durum breeding program

0 2000 4000 6000 8000

10000 12000 14000 16000

Miki1 Ouaserl Ouasloukos Ouaserl Aghrass2 Amedakul1 Haurani (Landrace) Korifla (Impr)

Kg/ha

Yield potential of recently improved durum wheat

Drought tolerant chickpea variety survived 2007 drought in Turkey

Kabuli chickpea, ‘Gokce’, developed by Turkish national scientists and ICARDA scientists, has withstood severe drought in Turkeyand produced when most other crops failed in 2007.

‘Gokce’ chickpea variety is used on about 80% of the chickpea production areas (over 550,000 ha). With a yield advantage of 300 kg/ha over other varieties, and world prices over USD 1000/t, this represented an additional USD 165 million for Turkish family farms in 2007 alone.

Food Legumes Family Farming In Ethiopiaimproved livelihoods of the resource-poor

Research Impact: Food Legumes in Ethiopia

Alemaya lentil variety widely adopted in Ethiopia for high decortication quality

Increase in production 2000/01 - 2009/10:• Lentils: 3 times• Faba Bean: 40%• Chickpea: 60%

Increased production and decortication processing in lentil provides employment in rural areas

Field visits involving policy makers

Family Farming An Example in Pulse Cultivation in India

Family members are involved in lentil harvest

Grasspea harvest by family members

Control of Insect Pests Resistance/Tolerance to Hessian Fly in Wheat

Hessian Fly Resistant Variety in Morocco

Hessian fly causes economic damage in North Africa and North Kazakhstan

Resistant lines

Released varieties resistant to black stem and yellow rust in

Ethiopia

Resistances to new races of yellow rust in West Asia

Resistance to Rust Diseases in Wheat

Examples on Environmental Sustainability of Family Farming:Improving Water Availability and Productivity & &

Sustainable Use and Management of Water Resources

Enhancing Water Productivity, Managementand Water Productivity

More efficient irrigation systems: enhancing water productivity through both modernization of irrigation systems and improving the efficiency of surface irrigation

Modifying cropping patterns towards high value crops

Supplemental irrigation

Water harvesting: macro- and micro-water catchments & contour planting

Deficit irrigation

Watershed management

• Water harvesting sites established;• Technology of sub-surface irrigation used in Afghanistan for the

first time.

ACHIEVEMENTS (2009-2011)Afghanistan:

Water management in dryland farming

18 family farms (women and men) along with project team visited Jordan to exchange practical knowledge on waste/greywater use in irrigation

Exchange experience about waste/greywater re-use (Gaza and West Bank)

Field-days and awareness sessions for the safe use of treated grey/wastewater in irrigation

15 field days were conducted I West Bank and Gaza attended by

165 farmers

Brochures on safety and productive use guidelines were distributed

Sustainable Intensification & Diversification of Production Systems

& Added-Value Products

The three pillars for integrated approach for sustainable agricultural development

Socio-economic & policy, and institutional support

Sustainable Natural resource management and inputs

Crop & livestock genetic improvement

Integration at field and farmers levels

Sustainable Intensification of Broad Wheat Production –Improves varieties, Water management and inputs Raised-Bed Planting

FP: furrows irrigation FlP: flat bed irrigation RBP: raised bed irrigation

Raised-Bed Planting

Yield (t/ha) Water consumption(000m3/ha)

WUE(kg/m3)0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9Raised bedFlat surface

Egypt: Sharkia ProvinceAdvantage of raised bed planting

Average of 2011 and 2012

30 % increase in grain yield25 % saving in irrigation water72 % increase in WUE

Small-scale mechanized raised-beds systems for water savings

Key Benefits Saves water by 20% Reduces seed rate by 50% Decreases production cost by 25% Reduces planting time by 88% Increases crops yields by 15-25%

Diversification of Production Systems Using High-Value Crops

Promotion of improved technologies for producing value-added products for higher income for family farms and rural communities in the intensified/diversified integrated crop/rangeland/livestock production systems

Indigenous dryland fruit trees are good examples: olives, figs, dates, palm, pomegranate, pistachio, almonds, etc.

Diversification of Production Systems with Medicinal Plants: processing, value addition and more income

High Value Crops & Protected Agriculture

Soilless Culture

Increased yield per unit

of water, space and

energy

Protected Agriculture

Diversifies production and diets; generates employment And more income, improves water use efficiency

Protected Agriculture for Family Farming

AfghanistanAfghanistan

YemenYemen

Jordan

Labor-intensive fruit and vegetables for food & nutritional security and more income

• A low-risk bridge from subsistence to better livelihoods

High-Value Crops More Income For Family Farming

Afghanistan Minister of Agriculture inspecting mint production in a greenhouse

Added Value Products in Durum Wheat:WNADIN IFAD Project

Pasta: Traditional Processing

1. Semolina is mixed with water and salt 2. Mixture is kneaded to a pasta dough3. Pasta dough is rolled on large wood tables to make dough. 4. Dough flattened in thin form and cut in long threads. 5. Pasta threads are hung on line for sun drying. 6. After drying, the pasta threads are stored in jars

‘Burghul’: Traditional processing

1. Boiled,2. Cooled, 3. Dried,4. Moistened,5. Peeled (sometimes the peeling process is omitted),6. Dried again,7. Cleaned by winnowing,8. Milled, and9. Graded to different sizes.

“Frike”: A Family Endeavor Stable food in WANA: made from early harvested green grains

of durum wheat Important source of income for rural families in marginal

areas Highly nutritious: high protein, fiber, vitamins (thiamin and

riboflavin) and minerals (Ca, Fe, Zn), low carbohydrate, rich in prebiotic properties, low glycemic index.

High value addition in established markets. High labor requirements: grains are harvested, parched,

roasted and dried---village industry. Involves the entire family.

Integrated Livestock/Rangelands/Crops Production Systems & Added Value Dairy Products

in Marginal Dry Areas

Development of Integrated Crop/Rangelands/Livestock Production Systems

Barley production Cactus & fodder shrubs

By-products - feed blocksOn-farm feed production

Flock management

Natural pastures & rangeland management

SuccessfulTechnologies

Community Approach & Community Action Plans

for sustainable use of natural resources

CommunityCommunity

Technologies

ScenariiScenarii

ModelingModeling

Presentation to decision makersPresentation to decision makers

Private sector Other communities

Public institutions

CommunityCommunity

Policy & Property rights

Agro-Ecological Characterization

Community Action Plan & Scenarios

Modeling

NGOs

Validation with community representatives

Presentation to decision makers

Private sector Other communities

Public institutions

Successful Technologies in Farmers Fields

Feed blocks using crop residues and agro-industrial by-products

Improved rams

Early weaning

Improved barley cultivars

Rotations of barley with forage legumes

Adding Value: Family Livestock Production

Value addition: Improved milking and processing

Steps in research: Assess local knowledge and identify

problems with researchable solution Identify available technologies or

develop suitable technology Integrate the proposed solution with

the local knowledge

Example: Yoghurt processing in SyriaProblem: High acidity and weak texture

Solution: Yogurt with high viscosity that does not

collapse during transport Market price was 5 Syrian Lira more per

kg than the yogurt produced by farmers

Enhancing Family Livelihoods: Goat Management & Feeding in Afghanistan & Pakistan

200+ women received goats through IFAD Project;

Dairy hygiene and processing improved skills and incomes of at least 600 women;

3x benefits with supplemental feeding of goats;

2x benefit by improved feeding during fattening;

3x increase in kid survival due to vaccinations;

Improved growth through crossbreeding of goats.

Value-Addition: Processing and Export of Cashmere, Wool and Mohair

71

Increasing the income of sheep and goat producers from fiber production through improving fiber quality and market access

Enhancing processing and organizational skills Developing fair trade export markets for locally produced yarn, clothing

and fiber handicrafts

Market analysis & Linking Family Farming to Market: Goat production in Afghanistan

Findings: Informal & unorganised goat markets

with poor infrastructure and market intelligence system.

Goat producers can expect higher benefits when they plan sales considering live weight, market day, marketing place and sex.

Good market potential exists for cheese, qurut, yoghurt and cashmere.

Presentation of value added products for marketing is poor - need improvement in packing and grading.

Conclusions and Looking Ahead Supported by enabling policies and strong political commitment and through

targeted public and private investment in both research and development, family farms can be environmentally, socially and economically sustainable to enhance national economic national growth, food security and improve livelihoods of the resource-poor in rural areas.

Ensuring the environmental, social and economic sustainability of Family Farming can also be the key to rural transformation. It is useful to recall the example of Viet Nam, where strong pro-smallholder development activities (many of which were focused on family farms) transformed the rural landscape from a poor underdeveloped and food insecure country to a country that is now exporting food and classified as lower middle-income.

• According to IFAD (2014): “the potential economic and social returns to investing in family farms are enormous.” So let us all work towards this goal.

Thank you