HLM2 Nairobi Side Events - ShambaPlus Concept Note

HLM2 Nairobi Side Events - ShambaPlus Concept Note

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  SHAMBAPLUS Enhancing Technology inAgriculture and Industry for Food Security and National Growth. HLM2 GPEDC – Nairobi, Kenya 30th November 2016 Concept Note Kelvin Wahome | Felix Ongati | Daniel Mbugua | Dennis Banga
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  THE SITUATION ROOM:WE HAVE A PROBLEM FOLKS Food for thought {{pun intended}} “Feeding a global population of just over 9 billion in 2050 will require a 70 per cent increase in global food production. This will require that agriculture – particularly smallholder agriculture –plays a much more effective role” IFAD Smallholdings in developing countries, have long been associated with poor farm practices, low productivity, low income, intensive labour, lack of training, gender inequalities and financial risks, have made the sector particularly unattractive to a new generation of farmers. Agriculture is increasingly becoming less lucrative forcing farmers in traditional food basket areas to seek other ventures like real estate albeit the increasing population. Climate change and increased biofuel production represent major risks for long-term food security. Let’s put this into perspective with a bit more detail By 2050 the world’s population will reach 9.1 billion, 34 percent higher than today. Nearly all of this population increase will occur in developing countries. Urbanization will continue at an accelerated pace, and about 70 percent of the world’s population will be urban (compared to 49 percent today). Income levels will be many multiples of what they are now. In order to feed this larger, more urban and richer population, food production must increase by 70 percent. Annual cereal production will need to rise to about 3 billion tonnes from 2.1 billion today and annual meat production will need to rise by over 200 million tonnes to reach 470 million tonnes.
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  One of themajor problems facing agriculture is the loss of agricultural land, because as more land is lost, it will become more difficult to produce the amount of food needed to feed the growing human population. Worldwide, around three million hectares of agricultural land are lost each year because the soil degrades and becomes unusable due to erosion, which is when soil components move from one location to another by wind or water. An additional four million hectares are lost each year when agricultural land is converted and used for highways, housing, factories, and other urban needs. In the United States, around 140 million hectares of agricultural land has been lost in the last 30 years as a result of soil degradation and conversion for urban use. “Total average annual net investment in developing country agriculture required to deliver the necessary production increases would amount to USD 83 billion. The global gap in what is required vis-à-vis current investment levels can be illustrated by comparing the required annual gross investment of US $209 billion (which includes the cost of renewing depreciating investments) with the result of a separate study that estimated that developing countries on average invested USD 142 billion (USD of 2009) annually in agriculture over the past decade. The required increase is thus about 50 percent. These figures are totals for public and private investment, i.e. investments by farmers. Achieving them will require a major reallocation in developing country budgets as well as in donor programmes. It will also require policies that support farmers in developing countries and encourage them and other private participants in agriculture to increase their investment.” - FAO
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  But why isagriculture important for sustainable development? “Rapid economic growth and increased agricultural productivity over the past two decades have seen the number of undernourished people drop by almost half. Many developing countries that used to suffer from famine and hunger can now meet the nutritional needs of the most vulnerable. Central and East Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean have all made huge progress in eradicating extreme hunger. These are all huge achievements in line with the targets set out by the first Millennium Development Goals. Unfortunately, extreme hunger and malnutrition remain a huge barrier to development in many countries. 795 million people are estimated to be chronically undernourished as of 2014, often as a direct consequence of environmental degradation, drought and loss of biodiversity. Over 90 million children under the age of five are dangerously underweight. And one person in every four still goes hungry in Africa.” - UNDP Tackling hunger is not only about boosting food production; it’s also about increasing incomes and strengthening markets so that people can access food even if a crisis prevents them from growing enough themselves. More than just its direct impact on hunger and malnutrition, our food system is also linked to other development challenges being addressed in the SDGs. For instance, rural people represent the largest segment of the world’s extreme poor by far – more than 70% of the total. Growth in agriculture is at least twice as effective in reducing poverty as it would in any other sector.
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  IS THERE ASOLUTION? Small farmers are the key to feeding the world Battle to feed the world pits small farmers against big agriculture but it may be smallholder farmers holding the key to fulfilling global goals on hunger and poverty and nourishing the world. All around the world, small farms are playing a big role in feeding the world. According to the UN Food & Agricultural Organisation (FAO), 70% of food we consume globally comes from small farmers. Given the adverse challenges of loss of agricultural land and climate that food production is currently facing, it goes without saying that we cannot afford any wastefulness especially as we require increased output per unit land area to cater for the over 2 billion more mouths in need of food by 2050. The realization of this production growth potential will hinge on shifting rapidly from resource based to science and knowledge-based agriculture. ICT and Agriculture Value Chains The strategic application of ICT to the agricultural industry, the largest economic sector in most developing countries, offers the best opportunity for economic growth and poverty alleviation on the continent. There is realization that ICTs should be integrated to be effectively used in agriculture development as facilitating tools to boost its impact to the lives of farmers. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have shown evidence for easier access to markets and information resources. The role of ICTs to stimulate agriculture, enhance food
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  security and supportrural livelihoods is increasingly recognized and was officially endorsed at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) 2003-2005. The Agrarian Revolution – Second Edition Better production techniques and market-oriented strategies will help generate a sustainable source of income while contributing to the supply of agricultural produce to satisfy the world’s increasing food demands. To ensure the future viability of the agricultural sector, tackle rural poverty and generate employment opportunities, it is crucial to equip the farmers of today and tomorrow with the right tools. Efforts to increase youth participation and boost economic development in the agricultural sector are amplified when an integrated approach to ICTs and capacity development is put in place.
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  So where doesthe revolution begin? Or rather has it begun? The transformation and strengthening of agricultural activities and processes through technological interventions, such as those induced by the various value chain development initiatives funded by development agencies, have resulted in a recognition of smallholder farmers and grassroots organizations as being essential links in any agricultural value chain. This recognition of their role and added value, and the support provided through targeted programmes, offers farmers opportunities to develop their farms and professionalize their farming activities. Such initiatives have already led to a gradual increase of younger persons’ interest and involvement in farming, and has provided a structural basis for farming-as-business. This context of positive market conditions and potential profitability, in combination with being recognised and approached as important actors in the chain, has made access to reliable market-related data and information on improved production technologies more relevant and desirable than in contexts characterised by poor market access for agricultural goods.
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  Our contribution –SHAMBAPLUS Using technology to harness knowledge from data in order to advise farmers on the best crop to grow based on forecasts of weather, market prices and farm agro-climatic conditions so as to realize food security and enhance national growth. Our objective is to support farmers through the agriculture value chain as they develop their farms and professionalize their farming activities.