المنتدى العالمي المعني بالأمن الغذائي والتغذية

I come from a farming family in a fertile area of southern France. My great grandfather was a wealthy farmer. At that time, life revolved around the local market. When I was a child (in the sixties), the family farm still had a tractor, cows, poultry, rabbits, orchards and vineyards (for home consumption). My uncle, who remained a farmer until he retired, was “encouraged” to shift to irrigated maize monoculture, and became dependent on the prices on the international market. His children moved out of agriculture to get unskilled jobs in the neighbourhood. You still eat well at home, but an increasing share of processed foods from the local hypermarket and my cousin is obese. No money to fix the house which badly needs repairs, and no creek to swim in any longer. Is this what we want to promote?

But as farmers’ children leave the land, young university graduates who have a hard time finding employment are now looking towards farming with a view to make a living and change lifestyles. NGOs are helping them access land, credit and training (see  http://www.terredeliens.org/la-fondation

http://www.landco.nl/uploads/Case%20Study_Terre%20de%20Liens.pdf).

Consumers interest in shorter food chains which provide local foods and the boom of organic foods are generating opportunities for alternative food systems, which look much more like traditional farming, integrate vegetal and animal production and are aimed at local markets. My nephews (who have pharmaceutical degrees for which there is no jobs and are not interested in working in the local Intermarché) have become skilled agriculture labourers and go from contract to contract. They can stay in the village they grew in, maintain the lifestyle they want and meet women who share similar values. Agriculture is multifunctional and not all about income.

When I read CSA, I thought YESS! Community Supported Agriculture http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community-supported_agriculture is an interesting approach (several contributions mentioned the importance of rural-urban linkages). ... until I checked the website and realized that CSA is also Climate Smart Agriculture :-).  Institutional purchasing of local production  (for school canteens, hospitals, etc…) has proven extremely effective in re-activating local food production

Eco-tourism is indeed an interesting option (as well as more generally Payment for Environmental Services). Farmers should be valorized as guardians of biodiversity and culture.

What about landless people in rural areas who play an important role in family farming (and are often ex-farmers themselves)? The importance of food processing has been mentioned by several contributors: it can add value to farm production, create jobs and income, provide convenience food and allow consumption of nutrient-rich foods offseason.

What role can schools and universities play in promoting agricultural careers to youth? Start looking at, supporting and learning from what seems to work locally. And move beyond the value chain approach towards a food systems approach, which will require a multidisciplinary perspective, looking at economic, social and environmental dimensions. Agriculture started as a means to better feed people and enhancing food security. We need to overcome the present disconnect between production and consumption.

School and university curricula and material should also be reviewed not to discourage children and students from rural lifestyles and  farming, and should valorize local cultures.

What approaches are most successful in promoting the equality of female farmers?Several contributions have addressed this issue. The problem of time-allocation in households who face rapid lifestyle changes is key. Women play a key role in both the productive and reproductive (i.e. domestic) sphere, and it will be essential to ensure that they have the time to shift to a more appropriate combination of tasks. Labour-saving technologies (including availability of convenience foods) are essential but social organization and time allocation within the household and within the community will be equally important, and may create off-farm employment (e.g. organization of child-care centres, community kitchens…).

What measures can development organizations and governments take to make rural areas more appealing for future farmers? A key dimension is that of social services: parents want decent health care and schools for their children, but it also important to look at leisure activities. 

The question which is rarely asked is what food production would enable farming families to have a sustainable livelihoods and consumers to eat better? Sustainable diets are needed for health, sustainable management of the environment and local biodiversity and social equity.  Farming families are best placed to build upon local knowledge and culture and supply local markets year round with the variety of seasonal foods needed for a healthy and active life.