Deron Stefan, a researcher from the Oxford University, has advised that it is true that smallholders are often poor, but Aid organizations should not begin poverty reduction strategies with them.
In his article in World Development about the “role for smallholders in the future of agriculture in Africa,” Deron stated that if one starts to think about growth trajectories, they are likely to see that many smallholders would have to move out of farming.
Wanting to keep them in farming is like trapping them, he disclosed. This is only becoming more urgent in the context of climate change, Deron lamented, as many smallholders are highly vulnerable, adding that the solution isn’t to provide them with better seeds. The idea that all development starts with agriculture, particularly with smallholders, is flawed and must be considered, says Deron.
“Low productivity smallholder farming is a dead end. It is almost impossible to make enough for a decent living. We need to get away from the fixation on smallholders and focus on a development model that improves livelihood opportunities.”
Deron Stefan
Deron further advised that smallholder farmers should not be pushed out of agriculture but rather to structurally transform economies; governments and donor agencies should focus on high productivity activities so that smallholders’ children will have better prospects in other sectors.
“This is already happening in many areas. Youth are leaving the countryside, and that’s not a bad thing. People don’t want to be poor forever. There are good examples in Asia, where cities in coastal areas have become growth centers. The transformation may imply that farms will grow more extensively, with more machinery and higher productivity, to yield sufficient returns.”
Deron Stefan
Future of Africa’s agriculture should be demand-driven
Deron revealed that smallholder farmers have little or no opportunities to improve their situation and added that most of these smallholders could be found in Africa.
“In Thailand, small-scale vegetable farmers near cities make a decent living. In Ghana, there are small-scale cocoa farms that provide attractive livelihood options. But when I talk about smallholders, I refer primarily to the vast number of marginalized and highly vulnerable farmers who have little or no opportunities to improve their situation, many of whom are in Africa.”
Deron Stefan
Adding to why attention should not be fixated on smallholder farmers, Deron noted that the demand side of agriculture must be of topmost priority as demand will drive growth and better livelihoods. This is very different from the usual model, he stressed, adding that many agricultural strategies start with the supply side.
“They start with improved seeds and agricultural techniques. And then one hopes for the best that someone will buy the produce at a reasonable price. But that’s the wrong starting point. Any businessman will tell you that you should never start a business from the supply side. You need someone to buy your stuff.”
Deron Stefan
Europe gives us ideas, Deron revealed. Sheep farmers in Wales get paid for maintaining the landscape.
“We pay them for the services they provide. Eventually, people living in urban areas will have to pay people in rural areas to make a decent living by maintaining environmental services. It may be possible to achieve multifunctional landscapes, but we must think about their economics. And that also means that just like in Wales, it will only involve a small fraction of the farming families that used to make a living there.”
Deron Stefan
There are options, but don’t fixate just on smallholders. Look at the bigger picture, he advised.
