Input received on question “4.2 To cope with these future challenges, do small farms require new innovations and adaptation techniques?  And if so, which?"

Input received from Paul Rigterink <[log in to unmask]>

I am Dr. Paul Rigterink -  retired Business Process ReEngineer - USA (Current interest - providing alternative agriculture concepts to the Department of Cordoba (Colombia) so that small farmers can improve their standard of living dramatically in areas often controlled by the FARC, ELN, and BACRIM crime organizations)

for Question 4.2:
USAID has been funding American and foreign universities to develop new technologies that will help increase the income of small farmers in conflict and post conflict areas. An example of USAID efforts is the Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS) bags technology.  PICS are hermetic storage vessels which allow farmers to hermetically store their crops while at the same time avoiding the use of any chemicals.

Purdue also supplies microloans to the farmers that use the PICS bags so that they can sell their maize when prices are high.  In addition, Purdue provides a system which connects super-dealers to vendors. Purdue University believes that this very inexpensive maize storage technology will increase the income of small farmers by more than 30% per year. 



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