1. Susan Mwangi, Arid Lands Information Network, Kenya says: “More funding should go toward creating infrastructure to enable small-scale farmers access markets. This could be in developing ICT solutions that can link up farmers with buyers/markets.”
2. Keshab Thapa, Local Initiatives for Biodiversity Research and Development (LI-BIRD), Nepal says: “Especially the small, resource poor and marginal farmers are affected much from climate change and its impacts. In this context, more agriculture funding should be directed to enhance community resilience through the improved production and marketing system with due focus on involving small, resource poor and marginal farmers. The focus must be on promoting production and marketing of livestock (small farm animals and poultry), organic production of cereals and vegetables, promotion of neglected and underutilized species and vegetable seeds”.
3. Francis Lwamugira, UNHCR , Tanzania says: “Being a participant in agriculture as a small-scale holder, one of the constraints faced by our class (small-scale farmers) is the access to affordable farm implements and appropriate inputs. Currently the small farmers (e.g. in Tanzania they are about 85 percent of the total population) are using hand hoes ( very exhausting, time consuming and leads to low productivity). Modern technologies are unaffordable to this class. So, I would like the agricultural funding be directed to establishing the industries for farm implements – e.g. medium size tractors, power tillers, etc. (to be produced within the country instead of importing them – this will lower distribution costs and lead to affordable prices); impose subsidies on farm implements and farm inputs; and educating small farmers on appropriate agricultural practices.These should go side by side with improvements of infrastructure (roads and markets).”
photo credit: Bernard Pollack
4. Robert Goodland, formerly of the World Bank, USA says:
“Here are my recommendations: (a) Funding for those who lose their livestock due to disruptive climate events to develop new livelihoods. (b) Funding for ongoing comprehensive tracking of greenhouse gases attributable to livestock products and alternatives — as per the widely-cited Worldwatch article by Jeff Anhang and me.
5. Yao M. Afantchao, University of the District of Columbia, USA says:
“Based upon my experience through my involvement in agricultural endeavors in Africa and the USA, I would suggest that resources be made available to help farmers with basic infrastructure. Investment in proven solutions, such as sustainable approaches to the use of land and water, and affordable and appropriate agricultural and food technology. It is imperative that feeder roads be constructed for food crops to reach markets. When these crucial areas are satisfied then all other related needs can be resolved easier.”
6. Queresh Noordin says:
“I would use the money to strengthen community based extension systems including revolving funds for agricultural investments and marketing (community based marketing systems linked to private sector).”
What is your answer? Email me at Dnierenberg@Worldwatch.org or tweet your response to @WorldWatchAg
To read other responses, see:
Part 31: Theresa Endres (Mali), Gezahegn Ayele, & Kephas Indangasi.
Part 33: Yohannnes Mariam, Tshediso Phahlane (South Africa), & Nancy Karanja (Kenya).
Part 34: Victor Gatonye Kuria (Kenya), Ahamad Kyaruzi (Tanzania), & Frank Place (Kenya).
Part 35: Michael Misiko (Benin), Emmanuel M. Haambote (Zambia), Anton Ferreira
Danielle Nierenberg, an expert on livestock and sustainability, currently serves as Project Director of State of World 2011 for the Worldwatch Institute, a Washington, DC-based environmental think tank. Her knowledge of factory farming and its global spread and sustainable agriculture has been cited widely in the New York Times Magazine, the International Herald Tribune, the Washington Post, and
other publications.
Danielle worked for two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic. She is currently traveling across Africa looking at innovations that are working to alleviate hunger and poverty and blogging everyday at Worldwatch Institute’s Nourishing the Planet. She has a regular column with the Mail & Guardian, the Kansas City Star, and the Huffington Post and her writing was been featured in newspapers across Africa including the Cape Town Argus, the Zambia Daily Mail, Coast Week (Kenya), and other African publications. She holds an M.S. in agriculture, food, and environment from Tufts University and a B.A. in environmental policy from Monmouth College.
