From the field to our plates, rural people are transforming food systems

How our food is grown, processed, sold and eaten impacts our bodies, societies and environments. Paradoxically, while small-scale farmers are at the heart of this, many don’t get the benefits of quality nutrition or reliable livelihoods.

It’s time for a change. And around the world, small-scale farmers, fishers and rural producers are already leading the transformation, working to improve our food systems so they benefit our health, the planet and the poorest rural people.

They’re transforming how food is grown

Intensive agriculture has saved millions from starvation, but often harmed natural environments. Overuse of pesticides disrupts delicately balanced ecosystems, killing helpful creatures, like bees. But there are ways to keep pests at bay while conserving ecosystems by using techniques, such as integrated pest management and agroforestry.

Farmers in Ethiopia are turning to biochemical control, using pesticides made from local plants and animals. These are not only less harmful to the soil and environment, but also increase yields.

In the Bolivian Amazon, farmers are reviving degraded land using natural techniques to cultivate Brazil nuts. While in the Peruvian Amazon, indigenous women of the Awajún community are conserving forests and growing 42 varieties of cassava and a wide range of teas and medicinal plants.

They’re transforming how food is processed

We often think of processed food as harmful. But in many cases, this is just not true.  

Processing foods, like smoking oysters or making fruit pastes, helps fresh produce last longer without spoiling. This reduces food loss and ensures that it reaches the people who need it most.  

In the remote community of Brejo Dois Irmãos in north-eastern Brazil, women are using labour-saving equipment to turn the nutritious burití fruit into a paste, so they can export it to the rest of the world. Unlike other cash crops, burití doesn’t harm local ecosystems—and it has increased local incomes by up to 40 per cent.

In Viet Nam, rural people are processing and preserving unique and traditional foods, helping to protect its diversity and increasing their incomes.

They’re transforming how food is sold

Rural producers are seeking out new markets and fresh ways of marketing what they grow. It’s increasing their incomes and bringing their wares to more consumers.

In Türkiye, as young people move from urban to rural areas, they’re using their internet savvy to seek out new markets. In Sarıveliler, young farmers are connecting to buyers in the nearby tourist town of Alanya to supply some of the country’s tastiest strawberries to eager buyers.

Food lovers in China know that some of the most succulent bacon comes from the mountains of Zhenba county. Now, with IFAD’s support, pig farmers here can mark their products with a digital ID card to link the bacon back to its source. This stamp of quality means consumers know they’re getting the very best, while farmers get a higher price for their valued produce.

They’re transforming what we eat

Women in The Gambia grow a variety of crops in their community gardens. © IFAD/Barbara Gravelli

 

For a long time, we thought of food in terms of the energy it provides: are we producing enough food for everyone to get the calories they need? But calories alone aren’t enough: we need a diverse diet with enough vitamins, minerals and protein to not just survive, but to flourish.

That’s where IFAD is making all the difference. Our nutrition-sensitive agriculture approach puts nutrition at the heart of our work, to help rural people access diverse, nutritious and safe foods at a price they can afford all year round.

In The Gambia, women come together to tend community gardens so their families no longer depend on rice alone, but feast on tomatoes, onions, peppers, cabbages and sweet potatoes.

And in Lao PDR, women trained at Farmer Nutrition Schools educate their peers on diverse, healthy diets and give cooking demonstrations.

Small-scale farmers are crucial to transforming our food systems. And through generous contributions to its 13th replenishment, IFAD is working to help them achieve this transformation.

Publication date: 21 June 2023