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A ground level look at farming in Africa

Those who see a future in agriculture see their farms as small businesses, able to generate income.

Canadian Foodgrains Bank executive director Jim Cornelius (Winnipeg) recently spent two months on a study leave in Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and Congo — a trip he describes as “an extended conversation about livelihoods with hundreds of people.” His reflections:

During my time in Africa I entered into many conversations about livelihoods and the ways people access food. I was able to explore rural areas largely dependent on subsistence agriculture, in cash cropping areas, among pastoralists, in places affected by conflict, in urban slums, and with middle class families. I talked with landless people, relatively prosperous farmers, unemployed city dwellers, and business women.

What did I hear? • Many are struggling with declining yields and relatively low productivity. Soils were depleted and the agriculture practices being used by many farmers were not able to significantly restore and increase the productivity of the land. There is a clear need to support improvements in agricultural practices, and to do so in ways that are both environmentally and economically sustainable. Farmers were looking for viable solutions. • Healthy livelihoods depend on the health of the wider environment. I was struck and encouraged by how aware many people were about the negative human impact on their natural environment, the effect this was having on their livelihoods, and the need for collective action. However, the challenges of getting agreement, and then resourcing and enforcing these collective actions are enormous. This requires both community and government action. • Most smallholder farmers view subsistence farming — just growing enough to survive, but not enough to sell for extra income — as a dead end. Unsurprisingly, they wanted more for their children. Those who saw a future in agriculture saw their farms as small businesses, able to generate income. There was energy around these farm households. If we want to help farmers in the developing world, we need to incorporate a farm enterprise approach that includes cash crops in the mix. • Livestock plays an important household role. For most people, livestock are their bank account; it’s where they keep their savings. We need to develop a much better understanding of the role livestock plays in rural livelihoods, and what constitutes good livestock programming. • The division of family farms is making it increasingly difficult to earn a livelihood off the land alone. I spoke with many young people who did not have access to land, or who had inherited so little land as to be virtually landless. Stories of internal family conflict over land, and widows, orphans and others being deprived of land, are frequent. Conflict between ethnic groups is often rooted in land grievances. Groups that want to help poor people in the developing world need to be mindful of the need for legal and political processes to address land issues, together with conflict resolution strategies. • The creation of off-farm employment is essential; food security strategies need to pay considerable attention to off-farm employment and entrepreneurial activity, especially among women — not only were many women I met creating livelihoods for themselves, they were creating employment for others. Projects that encourage this entrepreneurial activity need to be highlighted and supported.

On a personal note, I was reminded of the importance of good health. Two weeks into my visit, I got sick and spent two nights in a little mission hospital. It gave me a renewed appreciation for the role of mission hospitals and reminded me of the vital role health plays when it comes to hunger. If people are sick, they cannot support themselves. If they are farmers, they cannot plant, tend or harvest crops, which leads to food insecurity. Diseases like malaria and HIV/ AIDS rob people of the ability to feed themselves and earn a decent livelihood. — CFGB release