THEMATIC AREAS
Inclusivity of vulnerable populations in agrifood systems transformation
Inclusivity of vulnerable populations in agrifood systems transformation
Collaborating closely with FAO’s Cross Cutting Theme on Inclusivity and the Inclusive Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division (ESP) and coordinating the Technical Network on Poverty Analysis (THINK-PA), SMART advances FAO’s methodologies and analyses related to rural and urban poverty and inclusivity issues within agrifood systems, with a focus on agricultural value chains (AVCs).
Agrifood systems transformations can bring both socioeconomic opportunities and challenges to agrifood systems actors, particularly in terms of employment and food consumption perspectives. Exclusion and inequality in agrifood systems transformation can unfold due to the several structural constraints that vulnerable populations face in their access to resources, human capital and information, and which are often linked to weak institutions perpetuating discrimination and disempowerment.
Agrifood systems transformations can attract investment and provide employment opportunities, enabling household diversification into on-farm and off-farm activities, and increased incomes. Identifying the opportunities and constraints, as well as the ways in which these opportunities can be upscaled, contributes to the understanding of how the agrifood systems are performing, including whether they are both inclusive and sustainable in the long term.
Monitoring the performance of agrifood systems transformations helps stakeholders determine their impact on vulnerable populations, including potential gender or wealth inequalities. It provides valuable insights for mitigating unfavorable consequences and strengthening evidence in three key areas:
- Assessing inclusivity and fairness within agrifood systems.
- Evaluating innovative approaches to involve vulnerable populations in agrifood systems growth, enhance their productivity, access markets, and increase employment opportunities.
- Enhancing governance mechanisms that facilitate inclusive transformation processes.
This work focuses on rural and urban vulnerable populations across the agrifood systems, such as the poor (who are often food insecure), small-scale value chain actors (small-scale producers, family farms, small businesses and traders), migrants and refugees, women and youth, indigenous people, or other socially discriminated groups based on race, ethnicity and/or socioeconomic class. To maintain inclusivity, there's a critical need for policy-oriented, real-time impact evaluations spanning different agrifood system stages, from production to commercialization.
The emphasis lies in closing knowledge gaps hindering successful implementation. Furthermore, SMART is committed to providing observational studies, analytical tools, measurement methods, and impact assessments to diverse stakeholders, including FAO technical units, government institutions, farmers' organizations and field-level projects. The aim is to support evidence-based strategies for inclusive rural and agrifood systems transformations.
This work contributes to increasing evidence on inclusivity, poverty, inequalities and food security across various agrifood value chains. This evidence informs the development of upgrading strategies, action plans and investment options, and guides the implementation of field projects promoting agricultural productivity, processing, agribusinesses and commercialization, ensuring positive impacts on all involved stakeholders.
ACTIVITIES
POVERTY ANALYSIS AND HOUSEHOLD INCOME
POVERTY ANALYSIS AND HOUSEHOLD INCOME
Under FAO's Technical Network on Poverty Analysis (THINK-PA), SMART plays a crucial role in spreading the use of analytical tools and methodologies to better assess poverty and inequalities in the agrifood system. This effort involves advocating for a wide range of tools including microeconomics analysis, spatial econometrics analysis, and qualitative research. Furthermore, support is provided in the development of profiles of vulnerable populations and of criteria for targeting projects, policies and investments.
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LAND INEQUALITY AND ACCESS TO PRODUCTIVE ASSETS
LAND INEQUALITY AND ACCESS TO PRODUCTIVE ASSETS
SMART support extends to various units in crafting analyses related to land inequality and asset access, including assets used in agricultural production. In partnership with FAO Inclusive Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division (ESP) and Land and Water Division (NSL), particularly the Global Agro-Ecological Zones (GAEZ) team, methodologies have been formulated to evaluate land inequality while considering factors like land quality and ensuring comparability across different countries. Furthermore, these efforts include assistance in aligning microdata and disseminating datasets to support the progress of research in these fields.
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FARM TYPOLOGIES AND ANALYTICAL SUPPORT TO THE UNITED NATIONS DECADE OF FAMILY FARMING (UNDFF)
FARM TYPOLOGIES AND ANALYTICAL SUPPORT TO THE UNITED NATIONS DECADE OF FAMILY FARMING (UNDFF)
SMART provides analytical support for strengthening policies and interventions aiming to scale up the participation and role of small-scale producers and family farmers, and their organizations, particularly under National Plans and in the context of the United Nations Decade of Family Farming (UNDFF). In support to the UNDFF, quantitative tools have been developed to monitor the progress and adaptive capacity of family farmers. Assistance is also provided in characterizing farm typologies and operationalizing the definition of family farming at the country level.
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SURVEY DESIGN AND BEST PRACTICE ON DATA COLLECTION
SURVEY DESIGN AND BEST PRACTICE ON DATA COLLECTION
Data collection tools are developed, and non-conventional data sources are utilized to gather timely and precise information from diverse actors within the agricultural value chain, including farmers, traders and other service providers. Innovative methods have been developed to obtain the necessary information for constructing sampling frames that enable us to reach the most vulnerable individuals and evaluate inclusivity concerns within agricultural value chains. This approach allows for the assessment of income-generating opportunities, identification of bottlenecks, and recognition of investment gaps among actors within agrifood systems value chains, with particular attention to vulnerable populations.
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IMPACT EVALUATIONS OF AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL INTERVENTIONS
IMPACT EVALUATIONS OF AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL INTERVENTIONS
SMART assists FAO and non-FAO projects in the design, monitoring and evaluation of policies and interventions aiming to boost the productivity and commercialization, employment opportunities, and food security of agrifood systems value chain actors and vulnerable populations.
The focus extends to various areas, including technology development and adoption, mechanization, commercialization, especially on commodity-specific value chains, and the clustering and aggregation of agricultural activities by value chain actors.
Diverse tools are employed, including experimental and quasi-experimental impact evaluations, as well as geospatial impact evaluations. Whenever possible, comprehensive support is provided in conducting analyses and evaluations to assess the impact of behavioural science-based interventions.
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NEW METHODS TO ASSESS INCLUSIVENESS IN AGRIFOOD VALUE CHAINS
NEW METHODS TO ASSESS INCLUSIVENESS IN AGRIFOOD VALUE CHAINS
A new priority of SMART includes the development of new methods and research strategies to assess inclusiveness in value chain and agribusiness development. It focus on issues related to employment conditions and the application of living income concept across agricultural value chains, dissemination of consumer preference information, mechanisms that enable promotion of healthy diets of the poorest populations, as well as analysis of the impact of environmental degradation, climate change and protracted crises on value chain resilience and sustainability.