Agricultural Production
Despite the last century’s gains in agricultural productivity,
as we begin the twenty-first century, “business as usual”
will not feed the more than 800 million people who go to bed
hungry each night, nor will it improve the future prospects
of the 185 million preschoolers who are seriously malnourished.
To meet current and future demands for food, increasing agricultural
productivity, especially of staple foods, is crucial. When
farmers are able to grow more than they eat, they can sell
the excess. Money earned can be spent on foods they do not
grow as well as other good and services. Increased agricultural
production therefore has a wide impact, which, in addition
to reducing hunger and increasing food security, reduces poverty
and brings higher standards of living in rural and urban areas.
To have this impact, agriculture has to be more than farms
and farming, or raising crops, livestock, or fish.
First and foremost, increasing production requires better
use and access to technology. In many cases, this means making
sure that “on the shelf” technologies are available
and are put to use. Also, with USAID support, scientists are
developing higher yielding and more drought and pest resistant
crops, making water and fertilizer user more efficient, promoting
soil conservation, and increasing soil fertility to increase
crop production. To make sure people have access to the information,
USAID continues to champion the important role extension services
play in educating rural communities.
But growing more food is just the beginning. USAID is also
helping rural farmers diversify their farms to produce higher
value products. USAID also assists the development of infrastructure.
Farmers need the means to connect to markets to get seeds
and fertilizers at reasonable prices. After the harvest, they
need to get their products to market and reduce post-harvest
losses. To allow small and rural farmers to reap the full
benefits of increased production on their farms, USAID also
recognizes the need to invest in rural services, stability
of governments, and peace.
Poor access to health and education services in rural areas
indirectly but ultimately reduces agricultural productivity.
Global epidemics such as tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS devastate
farmers and their families. By having to care for the people
who are sick, less time is left to tend fields, which limits
people’s ability to produce the very food they need
to survive. By maintaining or increasing crop yields and by
producing more nutritious and balanced diets, people can more
effectively deal with the negative impacts of these diseases
on their family’s lives.
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