The role of genetically modified (GM) crops for food security is the subject of public controversy. GM crops could contribute to food production increases and higher food availability. There may also be impacts on food quality and nutrient composition. Finally, growing GM crops may influence farmers’ income and thus their economic access to food. Smallholder farmers make up a large proportion of the undernourished people worldwide. Our study focuses on this latter aspect and provides the first ex post analysis of food security impacts of GM crops at the micro level.
Dans le contexte de changements environnementaux et socio-économiques, l’agriculture en Afrique sub-saharienne devra assurer la sécurité alimentaire des populations, tout en limitant son empreinte écologique. Les contraintes biophysiques et sociales des systèmes de production agricole sont complexes. Les pratiques agricoles innovantes seront basées sur une intensification des processus écologiques qui déterminent le fonctionnement du système sol–plante, des parcelles cultivées ou des agroécosystèmes.
Agricultural biotechnology and, specifically, the development of genetically modified (GM) crops have been controversial for several reasons, including concerns that the technology poses potential negative environmental or health effects, that the technology would lead to the (further) corporatization of agriculture, and that it is simply unethical to manipulate life in the laboratory. GM crops have been part of the agricultural landscape for more than 15 years and have now been adopted on more than 170 million hectares (ha) in both developed countries (48%) and developing countries (52%).
The food production and processing value chain is under pressure from all sides—increasing demand driven by a growing and more affluent population; dwindling resources caused by urbanization, land erosion, pollution and competing agriculture such as biofuels; and increasing constraints on production methods driven by consumers and regulators demanding higher quality, reduced chemical use, and most of all environmentally beneficial practices ‘from farm to fork’.
L' étude de la Banque Mondiale a identifié des mesures d’atténuation pouvant apporter des solutions à court et à long termes aux problèmes du secteur agricole du Niger. Il s’agit, notamment de :
l’utilisation de variétés à haut rendement résistantes à la sécheresse,
l’application de techniques de CES/DRS et de gestion des ressources naturelles,
l’extension des surfaces sous irrigation,
la lutte préventive contre les criquets pèlerins,
Le Niger compte parmi les pays les plus vulnérables au monde en raison du contexte lié à son climat, ses institutions, ses sources de revenus, son économie et son environnement. La pauvreté y est omniprésente et le pays se classe au bas de l’échelle sur la quasi-totalité des indicateurs de développement humain. L’agriculture est le secteur le plus important de l’économie du Niger. Elle représente plus de 40 pour cent du le produit intérieur brut national et constitue la principale source de revenus pour plus de 80 pour cent de la population.
Dans le besoin urgent de lutter contre le changement climatique, une priorité essentielle est de renforcer la capacité de ces groupes et communautés les plus vulnérables, et déjà fortement affectés, à améliorer leur capacité à adapter leurs systèmes de subsistance.
Agriculture and food supply face a repositioning in the context of challenges associated with the Millennium Development Goals. From a development perspective it is of central importance to identify the role that the sector should perform in the fight against poverty and in a world that is increasingly urbanized.
The report specifically analyses the NIS in Peru and Colombia in the coffee and dairy sectors due to their economic importance for both countries and the large percentage of small producers in these sectors. In order to analyse the NIS, we have utilised an innovations systems approach to form the analytical framework. This framework focuses on four main areas – understanding the actors in the NIS, their roles and attitudes, the patterns of interaction of these actors, and the enabling environment with a focus on small producer inclusion.
Some of the most promising and at the same time some of the most challenging areas of future food production are found in the savannas of South America. Integrating cropping, livestock, and forestry in these regions can increase the eco-efficiency of agricultural production. This chapter presents a case study of an integrated crop, livestock, and forestry system in Brazil. The study area is in Goiás State in the Cerrado region, a vast savanna covering almost one quarter of Brazil's land area.