During the last half-century there have been changes in the way we understand ‘development’ - what it promises, the obstacles to accomplish it and the ways to achieve it. Most important is the role that public and private sectors should play to accelerate it.
For some time, the main contribution made by agriculture to the economic and social development has not received due recognition, but in the 60’s, Dr. Norman Borlaug committed himself to ending hunger. He started a revolution: a ‘Green Revolution’ to find a way to increase the crop yields on any given piece of land through technological innovation. Increases in production was achieved by creating high-yielding varieties of cereal grains, expansion of irrigation infrastructure, modernization of management techniques, supply of hybridized seeds, and synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.
The process of agricultural modernization has led to significant progress in overall agricultural production. However it has had very asymmetric effects in rural societies, particularly when we observe the levels of income and productivity of small traditional farmers compared to those dedicated to industrial agriculture. With modern farm machinery and less labour needed, farm sizes have increased as higher productivity can be achieved. Many small and medium sized farms are less lucrative and have been forced to seek out other ways of achieving a return from their land. In the words of Olivier De Schutter, (United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food), “ If increases in food production rise in tandem with further marginalization of small-scale farmers in developing countries, the battle against hunger and malnutrition will be lost.”
Today global agriculture has multiple roles, among which it is often difficult to balance. As well as ensuring food security of the world population and a means of livelihood for millions of people, it must also provide ecosystem services to the environment, serve as a carbon sink and meet future demands of biofuels and bioplastics. Clearly, the nature of agriculture and food production has moved from a traditional model, based on household production for local and national markets, to an 'agri-food system’ with a global reach.
Agriculture is not just an ordinary economic activity but a particular one which needs to increasingly invest more in biodiversity. Biodiversity contributes to maintaining the productive capacity of the soil, preventing erosion, salinisation and sedimentation. It also plays an important role in maintaining the cycles and balance of ecosystems and the control of pests and diseases. We shouldn’t keep turning our heads away and recognise that the water we drink and the air we breathe is the product of natural cycles that are performed by biodiversity.