Input received on question “3.1 Identify the three main challenges which small farms, in your region, have faced in the recent past.” 1/ View from Pakistan: From: Muhammad Tasleem <[log in to unmask]> in Pakistan I am Muhammad Tasleem from Pakistan's Sindh province. I am student of Economics and doing a project on "Sustainable Livelihood" with a local NGO in Dadu district of Sindh Province. Regarding this question, i have practically observed (these) things very closely (and concluded) people are "habitual of their deeds”: (things) they have learned from their parents, and still they believe they are doing right. I conducted an activity on “How to become Rich”, and (during that activity, based on the) response from the community, I concluded following points (which reflect the main challenges for small farmers): - People only depend on one (single) source of income. They never think about “what if" this source ends - what are alternatives for them? - The complexity of a "combined system of families”, where one combined family may consist from 10 to 20 members, (where) one member will earn and all rest of (of the combined family) will depend on it (which makes them vulnerable) - They only think for “today”, (and don’t plan) for tomorrow. (There is a lack of future planning) - Illiteracy - No Proper facilitation from government and the private sector When we supported some of the families (through this project) and when they started (avoid) the above (identified problems), they slowly started to earn more, and effectively, (as) each of the family members (started to have) their input, and gradually their lifestyle was changing. 2/ From Cameroon We also received a short answer from E.S. Njieassam <[log in to unmask]> in Cameroon specifying these 3 key challenges: Fluctuation in market Governance mechanism Human and social capital (we asked Mr. Njieassam to elaborate/illustrate a bit further - and hopefully we’ll be able to provide you with an update from him in the next email on this topic) ######################################################################## To unsubscribe from the SMALL-FARMS-L list, click the following link: https://listserv.fao.org/scripts/wa-fao.exe?SUBED1=SMALL-FARMS-L&A=1