Dear all,
Here is the most recent input we received on Topic #4 - "How small farms address future challenges”
Q4.1/4: Question: “4.1 - Within your region, what are the three main challenges that small farms face in the future? Why? Are these different from past challenges? If so, why?”
1. From: Prof Paul Iji <[log in to unmask]> and Edwin Chang’a <[log in to unmask]> (Australia)
We are completing a major project, investigating the twin problems of feed quality and supply to the small- and medium-scale (SME) poultry farmers in Tanzania. We perceive these problems as prevalent in other parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Our investigations (survey) confirmed the severity of these problems, as perceived by farmers. We conducted further investigations into the quality of feed that is available to the broiler chicken farmers in three regions of Tanzania. Feed quality was extremely poor, with protein content in the starter diets being sometimes as low as 16 %. Apart from low concentrations, there is also amino acid imbalances in the diets, and the energy and mineral contents are also inadequate. We believe that the quality of the feed is low due to poor ingredient supply but most importantly, lack of feed formulation knowledge. The result is inability of producers to get birds heavier than 2 kg even at 42 days of age. Raising birds for longer periods of time is a drain on infrastructure, including housing, power and water supplies. We believe that these problems have persisted for a long period of time and will persist into the future. Our immediate challenge has been aimed at developing diets that can be recommended to producers in these sectors and possibly larger scale producers in sub-Saharan Africa.
A secondary challenge that the SME producers face is inability to compete with large-scale producers, particularly new international entrants into the industry. While large scale production will promote overall food security, SME producers are deprived of a means of livelihood, which affects their food security.
2. From: Dr.Mahesh Chander <[log in to unmask]> (India)
Small (1-2ha) and marginal farmers (<1ha) account for more than 80% of total farm households in India. But their share in operated area is around 44%.
The major challenges in future for small holders in India are:
1. Fragmentation of landholdings making mechanization difficult- they have to pool up to be efficient, so cooperation whether vertical or horizontal including cooperatives, could be the key in making small scale farming efficient.
2. Linking with remunerative markets- individually they cannot broker good margins for their produce, collective marketing of produce could be beneficial. The Farmer Producer Organizations could be a big help in linking farmers with value chains and in buying inputs and arranging extension services. Direct producer- consumer linkage is also a trend, wherein, individual producers are supplying primary food products to consumers eliminating the intermediaries, but this system has its own limitations when replicated in large scale.
3. Lack of education and skills at the level of farmers coupled with processing infrastructure in rural areas also limits the reach of small scale farmers to value added agricultural products market, thus, depriving them of profits earned by processed food segment. Fruits and vegetables for the want of processing and storage facilities yield either low profits (due to glut) or rot. The tomatoes, potatoes, peas, mangoes etc are some examples where farmers are often forced to market their products at very low or no returns.
Many of you might be interested to look into a consolidated document on "Small Farmers in India: Challenges and Opportunities" to know the trends in agricultural growth, cultivation patterns, participation of small holding agriculture, productivity performance of small holders, linking small holders with markets including value chains, role of small holders in enhancing food security and employment generation, differential policies and institutional support for small holders and, challenges and future options for small holding agriculture including information needs.
Here is this paper < http://www.igidr.ac.in/pdf/publication/WP-2012-014.pdf > which answers most of these questions. It also provides lessons from the experience of India on small holding agriculture for other countries. On similar lines, there could be a kind of country reports on Small Farmers in different countries.
3. From: Teresa Pinto Correia <[log in to unmask]> (Portugal)
I have a question to Castello Zodo, Benin. (Moderator: Castello provided input in Q4.1/3)
The list presented (in Castello's input) is rather interesting. Specially the strategic and tactical issues. They seem like a good summary of conditions often referred to as required for small farms to succeed.
But if a small farm does not have the skills (Moderator: or ability/opportunity) to colaborate, how does he/she get these skills? if you do not have access to knowledge or do not know how to use it, how can these skill be improved?
There are drivers which need to be there otherwise the solutions do not work, and "the acquisition of drivers" is my main question.
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Q4.2/4: Question: “4.2 - To cope with these future challenges, do small farms require new innovations and adaptation techniques? And if so, which?”
1/ From: Prof Paul Iji <[log in to unmask]> and Edwin Chang’a <[log in to unmask]> (Australia)
(Moderator: I will also insert this into the discussion on Topic #6)
To address the main problems identified in Q4.1, we believe that the most important intervention would be in the area of government policy enactment. There is a need for the setting of feed quality standards. The SME producers rely on feed suppliers, to feed their stock. It would be useful for them to receive feed that meets the nutrient requirements of the poultry and is consistent in quality. It is possible for SME producers to make their own feeds, as some of them already do, but commercial feed formulation is an art and science, which is difficult for non-nutritionists to understand. There is a need to re-develop feed formulation in a way that can be understood by SME farmers. Feed ingredients can be measured with traditional standards rather than metric. This is easy to apply on major ingredients but practically, minor nutrient requirements are often met once the requirements for most of the major nutrients are met.
To address the competition posed by major players and lack of access to the market, SME producers should be encouraged to form cooperatives, in order to develop a critical mass. This will make them more viable and competitive. Such cooperative structures will also improve knowledge acquisition, including the development of a value chain, which is currently lacking.
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