Reduce Rural Poverty

Strategic work of FAO to CONTENTS

PAGES 4-5 REDUCING RURAL POVERTY FOR INCLUSIVE, EQUITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE GROWTH

PAGES 6-17 A BROAD APPROACH TO REDUCE RURAL POVERTY

PAGES 18-27 ACHIEVING RESULTS AND SHOWING IMPACT

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE STRATEGIC WORK OF FAO TO REDUCE RURAL POVERTY www.fao.org/about/what-we-do/so3/en/ www.fao.org/family-farming www.fao.org/rural-employment www.fao.org/social-protection www.fao.org/rural-institutions

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TUNISIA

Tunisian fishermen repairing nets on the dock. 2 ©FAO/Giulio Napolitano KEY MESSAGES ➨➨FAO helps countries achieve their productivity and income ➨➨FAO helps countries build on SDG 1 (No poverty) and SDG 2 in the context of mitigation and synergies among social protection, (Zero hunger) by improving the adaptation to climate change. food security and nutrition, and livelihoods of poor and extreme small-scale agriculture with a view poor rural people, including ➨➨FAO works to empower the to strengthening the resilience smallholders and family farmers. rural poor and strengthen rural of rural livelihoods and reducing institutions, including family poverty. ➨➨FAO supports governments farmers’ organizations, producer in the design of pro-poor policies, organizations and cooperatives, ➨➨FAO supports countries in the strategies and programmes to enable them to influence the collection and analysis of rural that promote inclusive and formulation of rural development poverty and development trends, sustainable agriculture, policies that affect their as well as knowledge generation income diversification, decent livelihoods. on approaches with a proven employment, access to social poverty reduction impact, and protection and people’s ➨➨FAO assists countries in contributes to monitoring the empowerment in rural areas. the design of policies and Sustainable Development Goals programmes that promote related to rural poverty. ➨➨FAO helps countries improve decent employment creation and access to technologies, services entrepreneurship among the rural and markets, as well as access to poor, especially family farmers, and sustainable management of women and youth, including by natural resources for poor rural addressing the root causes of people, including smallholders distress migration. “BY SUPPORTING and family farmers, to increase FAMILY FARMING WE CAN TRANSFORM A SECTOR THAT HAS BEEN NEGATIVELY ASSOCIATED TO THE PROBLEM OF HUNGER INTO BEING PART OF THE SOLUTION."

José Graziano da Silva, FAO Director-General

3 STRATEGIC WORK OF FAO TO REDUCE RURAL POVERTY REDUCING RURAL POVERTY FOR INCLUSIVE, EQUITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE GROWTH

Poverty is one of the regions, ethnic groups and In many low and middle- biggest obstacles to between men and women. income countries, poverty and its consequences – malnutrition human development and Most of the world’s poorest and hunger – are aggravated by economic growth. people (some 75 percent) live global challenges such as fast in rural areas and depend on population growth and climate Although progress has been agriculture for their livelihoods change, which exacerbate the made in reducing the number and food security. Yet, they are vulnerability of poor people and of the poor in the past decades, often constrained by limited hinder rural development. about 767 million people access to resources, services, continue to live in extreme technologies, markets and With the adoption of the new poverty and inequalities are still economic opportunities, which 2030 Agenda for Sustainable pervasive, between economic lower agricultural productivity Development, countries have classes, rural and urban areas, and income in rural areas. renewed their commitment to fight against poverty, hunger and malnutrition, recognising that inclusive, equitable and QUICK FACTS sustainable growth is key for achieving sustainable development Worldwide, there are around Most of the rural poor are and moving people out of poverty. > 2.1 billion poor people, and > smallholders and family 767 million still live in extreme farmers. Worldwide, the As part of its mandate, poverty. Of these, nearly 475 million small farms of up FAO through its Strategic 75 percent live in rural areas and to 2 hectares account for more Programme 3 is supporting depend on agriculture for their than 80 percent of all farms but countries to achieve the goals subsistence (World Bank, 2016). cover only about 12 percent of poverty reduction by making of the world’s farmland (FAO ongoing processes of structural Ninety five percent of the rural SOFA, 2014). transformation and rural > poor live in East Asia, South transformation more pro-poor Asia and sub-Saharan Africa and inclusive, to make sure that (World Bank, 2016). no one is left behind.

4 PATHWAYS OUT OF POVERTY

Evidence shows that in low-income countries in particular, investing in agriculture - especially in small-scale agriculture - has a greater impact on reducing poverty than investing in other sectors, as it offers the most direct route for rural people to benefit from land and labour, their main assets.

KYRGYZSTAN Yet, investing in agriculture is This set of policies and interventions not enough to reduce poverty should foster inclusive structural Women farmers harvesting corn in Kyrgyzstan. because the rural poor are often transformation and growth, ©FAO/Sergey Kozmin engaged in multiple economic enabling the poor to actively activities. While pro-poor participate in and significantly growth starts in agriculture, benefit from economic activity. reducing rural poverty requires increasing productivity of small- scale agriculture, creating jobs, fostering economic diversification REDUCING RURAL and investing in people. POVERTY Through the process of rural REQUIRES A transformation, households have three pathways out of poverty: MULTI-SECTORAL they can either specialize in agriculture, combine agricultural APPROACH THAT activities with other forms of ADDRESSES THE higher return non-agricultural activities (self-employment, SOCIAL, service provision, wage labour and transfers, including ECONOMIC, migration), or they can leave POLITICAL agriculture completely for non- agricultural activities. CHALLENGES THAT

MONGOLIA Reducing rural poverty requires POOR RURAL a multi-sectoral approach that Mongolian foresters PEOPLE FACE. cutting up wood before addresses the social, economic, loading it onto vehicles. political challenges that poor rural ©FAO/Sean Gallagher people face.

5 STRATEGIC WORK OF FAO TO REDUCE RURAL POVERTY A BROAD APPROACH TO REDUCE RURAL POVERTY

Recognizing the access to natural resources by fostering entrepreneurship diverse spectrum of and other assets; improve and providing occupational their capacity to manage skills; poor rural households, risks and increase their FAO proposes a productivity; and link small- ■■ Build and scale-up social broad approach scale agriculture to markets protection systems; and food systems; with differentiated ■■ Build rural infrastructure, strategies to help ■■ Create decent off-farm especially in energy, transport, the rural poor move employment for the poor water and sanitation; in agriculture and the rural from low labour non-farm economy, including ■■ Build human capital, in status and low levels particular access to basic of productivity social services such as health FAO WORKS WITH and education, as well as (e.g. subsistence occupational skills and agriculture, casual GOVERNMENTS organization capacity; paid labour) to a high AND OTHER ■■ Strengthen rural institutions labour status and DEVELOPMENT and local government to foster high productivity their participation in policy PARTNERS TO dialogue and decision-making; and (good employment ACHIEVE RESULTS conditions). ■■ Empower the rural poor to ON A WIDER increase political participation, That is, households and as a way for them to benefit from individuals reaching a decent SCALE. the development process. standard of living through their livelihood. The scope of what is needed goes well beyond the mandate and This approach should aim to: capacity of the Organization, which is why FAO works ■■ Address structural constraints with governments and other faced by poor agricultural development partners to achieve households by increasing their results on a wider scale.

6 PAKISTAN

Women preparing lunch for their family. ©FAO/Farooq Naeem

PROMOTING MULTI-SECTORAL PRO-POOR DEVELOPMENT POLICIES

Country legal With this in mind, FAO change in support of the rural frameworks encourages inter-ministerial poor, such as the Gender in collaboration, supports multi- Agricultural Policies Analysis are the backbone stakeholders platforms for Tool (GAPo) and the Decent Rural to improve inclusive policy dialogue and Employment toolbox. the livelihoods of provides countries with evidence- based policy support for the design In addition, FAO supports national the rural poor. of multi-sectoral and pro-poor and global statistical processes for rural development strategies and the collection and analysis of rural Reducing rural poverty requires programmes related to agriculture, poverty and rural development improving the enabling rural transformation, decent rural trends, including the World environment though multi- employment and social protection. Agriculture Watch (WAW), with a sectoral policies, strategies and view to improving evidence-based programmes that address the FAO also works to strengthen policy dialogue and formulation. economic, environmental and governments’ capacities to design As part of these efforts, FAO will social vulnerabilities that poor inclusive and people-centred also contribute to monitoring the rural households face in their policies, and provides tools and Sustainable Development Goals daily lives. methodologies to foster policy related to rural poverty reduction.

7 STRATEGIC WORKWORK OF OF FAO FAO TO TO REDUCE REDUCE RURAL RURAL POVERTY POVERTY

SUPPORTING FAMILY FARMERS

The majority of the rural local economies and accelerating access to resources, services, pro- poor are smallholders progress towards a world free of poor technologies and markets. poverty and hunger. and family farmers, who FAO also supports countries depend on agriculture FAO works with governments to tailor investment plans for and natural resources for and key ministries to shape pro- agriculture and rural development poor poverty reduction policies, that increase the yields and income their livelihoods. strategies and programmes of poor family farmers while helping that target smallholders and them adopt sustainable agricultural Supporting smallholders and family farmers, promoting their practices, reduce production costs family farmers is key to boosting empowerment and increasing their and adapt to climate change.

TURKEY

Small farmer families feeding a flock of turkeys. ©FAO/Ami Vitale

8 FAMILY FARMERS ARE KEY TO REDUCING RURAL POVERTY

FAMILY FARMING IS VITAL TO LOCAL ECONOMIES

More than 90% of farms Family farms occupy Family farms produce about Due to the variety of food are run by an individual around 70-80% 80% they produce, family farmers or a family and rely of farm land of the world’s food also strongly contribute to primarily on family labour food security

WHY IS FAMILY FARMING IMPORTANT?

Family farming Especially when combined Largest share of represents an opportunity to with speciﬁc policies investment in agriculture boost local economies aimed at social protection comes from farmers and the well-being of communities

FAMILY FARMING IS KEY TO SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION

Agriculture is responsible Agriculture Agriculture for 70% of global freshwater conserves produces valuable withdrawals worldwide biodiversity ecosystem services

Source: ©FAO 2014. 9 STRATEGIC WORK OF FAO TO REDUCE RURAL POVERTY

EMPOWERING PEOPLE AND STRENGTHENING RURAL ORGANIZATIONS Getting poor rural people organized increases the chances of long-lasting poverty reduction.

Through collective action, organized small-scale producers cooperatives, producer organizations and communities as a South- and networks, poor rural people can South Cooperation strategy to improve their bargaining power, reduce rural poverty. By sharing access to markets and productivity, knowledge on sustainable increase their participation in agricultural practices, farmer- decision-making processes and to-farmer exchanges put rural influence the formulation of national people back in the driver’s seat, policies affecting their livelihoods. strengthening their organizational capacities, improving management FAO helps countries empower the of natural resources, and rural poor and strengthen rural increasing rural people’s capacity organizations to improve their to adapt to climate change. productivity and participation in national and local decision-making These experiences also generate processes. opportunities for policy change in support of the rural poor, FAO also promotes farmer- as government representatives to-farmer exchanges among participate in the exchanges.

QUICK FACTS

Worldwide, cooperatives have access to resources, set up small > more than 1 billion members, enterprises and work their way out a large proportion of which are in of poverty (FAO, 2016). the agriculture sector. Thirty percent of the 300 largest cooperatives Producer organizations are found in the agriculture sector > contribute to increase food (FAO, 2016). production through economies of scale (FAO, 2016). By coming together in formal > organizations, smallholders and family farmers can gain joint

COSTA RICA

A farmer collects chilli in a vivarium. 10 ©FAO/Ezequiel Becerra A BROAD APPROACH TO REDUCE RURAL POVERTY

IMPROVING ACCESS TO PRODUCTIVE RESOURCES, SERVICES, TECHNOLOGIES AND MARKETS Poor rural people often rely exclusively on their labour for their income because they lack access to and control over natural resources, such as agricultural land.

They are also excluded from markets and they do not benefit from tailored technologies QUICK FACTS and rural advisory services. These constraints lower their Investing in agriculture agricultural productivity and > and related rural off-farm perpetuate poverty. activities can foster inclusive economic growth. Cross-country Rural poverty can be reduced evidence shows that growth by making agriculture more in agricultural production is inclusive, sustainable and 2.8 times more effective in productive. FAO helps countries reducing poverty than growth better engage poor rural in industrial and service sectors households in agriculture, (L. Christiaensen, L. Demery, increase their yields and income, J. Kuhl, 2006). and adapt to climate change. Poor access to resources, To do so, FAO promotes > services, markets and investments in agriculture and infrastructure results in low yields supports the design of pro-poor in agriculture. Workers tend to development strategies and be more productive if they have programmes that address the improved access to finance and structural constraints faced by services (World Bank, 2016). poor households in rural areas. This includes improving rural Expanding access to markets people’s access to, control over, > can increase the demand for and sustainable management of products, expanding production natural resources as well as access and fostering economies of scale to rural advisory and extension (World Bank, 2016). services, markets, technologies and inclusive finance, particularly for women and youth.

11 STRATEGIC WORK OF FAO TO REDUCE RURAL POVERTY

ADDRESSING THE ROOT CAUSES OF DISTRESS MIGRATION

Migration is a key component of development poor people viable options for process and yet, in poor rural areas, it is increasingly moving out of poverty within or near their own communities. becoming a forced choice rather than an option for FAO works to increase the diversifying and increasing household income. resilience of displaced people and host communities in protracted In many low- and middle- opportunities, limited access crises, and to prevent conflict income countries, poverty, food to social protection, natural and reduce tensions related to insecurity, lack of employment resource depletion and the natural resources. In addition, adverse impacts of environmental FAO supports safe, regular and degradation and climate responsible migration from change are forcing rural people, rural areas, including seasonal QUICK FACTS especially women and youth, migration, and helps countries to migrate in search for better harness the developmental There are 244 million opportunities. potential of migration. > international migrants and 740 million internal migrants. The An additional billion young FAO is committed to work with number of international migrants people will enter the job market in its partners to improve country increased by 41 percent from the next decade and 600 million capacities to deal with large 2000 to 2015 (World Bank, 2014; new jobs will be needed over movements of refugees and UN DESA, 2015). the next fifteen years to keep migrants, and support the design to current employment rates of policies and programmes that About one-third of all (World Bank, 2013). Increased can address the root causes of > international migrants are in the population will give rise to distress migration. This is done 15-34 age group (UN DESA, 2011). more intense competition for including by generating evidence increasingly scarce resources on international and internal Accounting for 48 percent of all and employment opportunities. migration, its root causes, and its > international migrants, women This is likely to weaken the contribution to agriculture and are almost as likely to migrate as already fragile capacity of rural rural development; disseminating men (UN DESA, 2015). people to move out of poverty, lessons learned and best practices causing widespread social and to scale up innovative solutions; Almost 40 percent of political instability. facilitating policy dialogue to > international remittances are improve the understanding sent to rural areas, suggesting that Agriculture and rural of rural migration; and a significant share of international development can make a strengthening partnerships and migrants comes from rural areas significant contribution to advocacy strategies to address (World Bank, 2014). address the root causes of the root causes of distress distress migration by giving migration.

12 BURUNDI

Refugees fleeing civil conflict carrying what household belongings and 13 tools they can carry. ©FAO/M. Linton STRATEGIC WORK OF FAO TO REDUCE RURAL POVERTY

ACHIEVING DECENT RURAL EMPLOYMENT

Poor rural people and programmes (including skills, all of which lowers poor often hold precarious, national rural youth employment people’s ability to work and earn policies) that foster the creation an income. poorly paid and of decent rural employment, informal jobs. Many especially for women and youth, FAO supports countries to build of them, particularly and promote the application of human capital in rural areas by international labour standards to providing poor people, especially women and youth, rural areas, particularly for child women and youth, with skills and are unable to find labour prevention. capacities to access better decent employment. employment opportunities in In rural areas, high levels of agri-food systems as producers, unemployment and under entrepreneurs, or wage workers. This can trap them in a vicious employment prevent poor Furthermore, FAO supports the cycle of hunger and poverty, households to diversify their development and implementation hindering rural development and income and move out of poverty of agricultural and food- fuelling distress migration. in a sustainable manner. systems strategies that are Unemployment is often a employment-smart, prioritize Reducing rural poverty requires consequence of poor access to local employment creation, economic diversification, credit, markets and productive harness rural-urban linkages, investments in human resources along with limited and support the inclusion of capital and more decent entrepreneurial and work vulnerable workers. rural employment. Decent employment involves opportunities for work that are productive and respect core QUICK FACTS labour standards, provide a fair income (whether through self- Agricultural and other rural Women are more likely than employment or wage labour), > livelihoods are responsible for > men to hold low-wage, part- grant safe and healthy working over 38 percent of employment time, and seasonal employment conditions, allow workers to have in low- and middle-income (FAO, 2 011). a voice in the work place, and countries, making the agrifood ensure equal opportunities and sector a major source of jobs Nearly 8 out of every 10 of the treatment for women and men. (IFAD, 2016). > working poor live in rural areas (ILO, 2012). FAO aims to build lasting Globally, nearly two-thirds of policy change for creating > youth are found in a state of Almost 60 percent of all child more opportunities in rural extreme, moderate or near poverty, > labour is found in agriculture, areas and helping people reaching over 90 percent in South affecting nearly 100 million move out of poverty. To do so, Asia and sub-Saharan Africa children (ILO, 2010). FAO supports countries in the (ILO, 2015). formulation of policies, strategies

14 NIGER

A group of women from a Dimitra club. ©FAO/Andrea Sanchez Enciso

UNLEASHING WOMEN’S POTENTIAL TO REDUCE RURAL POVERTY

Women and girls play women’s economic empowerment sensitive extension and rural crucial roles in rural and decision-making in agriculture advisory services, social protection and rural development. This and inclusive finance. economies, where the includes strengthening rural fight against hunger and women’s organizational capacities poverty is most pressing. and collective action to enhance their leadership, decision-making QUICK FACTS and bargaining power within the Yet, they often face significant household, the community, and in Women make up 43 percent of gender-based constraints, policy processes. > the global agricultural labour particularly in access to productive force, ranging from 20 percent resources, services, economic FAO also assists countries to address in Latin America to 50 percent or opportunities and decision- gender-based discrimination more in some parts of Africa and making processes. Gender embedded in countries’ legal Asia (FAO SOFA, 2011). inequalities prevent women from frameworks. As part of these reaching their full potential, efforts, FAO supports the design Evidence shows that in many weakening the agricultural of gender-equitable tenure policies > countries in Africa, Asia sector and undermining and provides capacity development and Latin America, women’s rural development. to key stakeholders, including in participation in agriculture is customary contexts, to enhance increasing (FAO SOFA, 2011). FAO works to eliminate gender- women’s access to land. based barriers in access to Women have less access than productive resources, technologies, FAO helps countries enhance > men to productive resources knowledge and markets, by women’s entrepreneurial skills and (i.e.: land, skills, services) and supporting the design of gender- business planning capacities, while employment opportunities sensitive rural development policies ensuring that more women can (FAO, 2 011). and programmes that increase access and benefit from gender-

15 STRATEGIC WORK OF FAO TO REDUCE RURAL POVERTY

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

A man and woman pouring corn into a mill. 16 ©FAO/Olivier Asselin A BROAD APPROACH TO REDUCE RURAL POVERTY

BUILDING INCLUSIVE, NUTRITION-SENSITIVE, RISK INFORMED AND SHOCK-RESPONSIVE SOCIAL PROTECTION SYSTEMS

Rural people have a strong potential to reduce and shock-responsive social poverty when they are given the means to do so. protection systems, and advocates for expanding the coverage to poor Reducing poverty requires enabling the rural poor, and extreme poor rural people, especially the extreme poor, to participate in the with a view to reducing poverty. rural economy and in the broader processes of rural FAO also promotes coherence and structural transformation. between social protection and agriculture by generating evidence Social protection can play a Social protection puts poor and on the productive impact of fundamental role in helping extreme poor rural people back in social protection in rural areas households manage risks and the driver’s seat by making them and supporting the design of shocks. It also facilitates economic economically viable. FAO provides broader rural development transition, providing a minimum countries with evidence-based strategies that combine social income for the poorest and helping policy support to design inclusive protection programmes and the poor transition into jobs and nutrition-sensitive, risk informed agricultural interventions. income-generation opportunities by relaxing insurance and credit constraints (e.g. through cash and asset transfers or QUICK FACTS targeted subsidies). About 73 percent of the modern inputs, livestock, etc.) at Moreover, the sustainable > world's population has the household level, leading to transition to the labor market no access to adequate social increased farm production (FAO would require that social protection. Of these, the majority SOFA, 2015). protection is also extended from are smallholders (ILO, 2014). a risk management and social In Ethiopia, for every dollar assistance to a stabilization and Less than 20 percent of > transferred through social transformation role. It is therefore > agricultural workers have protection programmes up critical to ensure that rural access to basic social protection to 2.52 dollars in income is farmers and farm workers have (I LO, 2 011). generated for the local economy. access to a minimum package This significantly boosts growth of social protection, including Social protection improves and development in rural areas social insurance and other > the use and ownership of (FAO, 2014). contributory elements. productive investments (such as

17 STRATEGIC WORK OF FAO TO REDUCE RURAL POVERTY ACHIEVING RESULTS AND SHOWING IMPACT

Regional Initiative “Empowering smallholders and strengthening family farms in Europe and Central Asia”

Georgia Kyrgyzstan Turkey Tunisia Azerbaijan Nepal Regional Initiative “Sustainable small-scale agriculture for Jordan inclusive development in the Niger Guatemala Near East and North Africa” Viet Nam Ethiopia Liberia Nigeria

Costa Rica Rwanda Ghana Kenya

Regional Initiative “Family farming and inclusive food systems for sustainable Zambia rural development in Latin America and the Caribbean” Lesotho In close collaboration with its partners, FAO works to reduce and finally eradicate rural poverty in countries and regions around the world, as illustrated in the following examples.

Regional Initiative “Empowering smallholders and strengthening family farms in Europe and Central Asia”

Costa Rica Rwanda Ghana Kenya

Regional Initiative “Family farming and inclusive food systems for sustainable Zambia rural development in Latin America and the Caribbean” Lesotho STRATEGIC WORK OF FAO TO REDUCE RURAL POVERTY

REGIONAL INITIATIVES

The FAO action is predominantly on the ground and responds to country needs through three Regional Initiatives that aim to reduce rural poverty and achieve food security.

The focus is to assist small-holders and family farmers to improve their livelihoods, access decent job opportunities and benefit from social protection schemes. These thematic initiatives implemented in Latin America and the Caribbean, Near East and North Africa, and Europe and Central Asia are set up to foster inclusive and sustainable rural development, address the needs of smallholders and family farmers and respond to country and regional priorities.

FAMILY FARMING AND INCLUSIVE THE FOCUS IS FOOD SYSTEMS FOR SUSTAINABLE TO ASSIST POOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN LATIN SMALL-HOLDERS AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN AND FAMILY FAO supports countries through this initiative to create inclusive food systems to fight malnutrition, FARMERS TO through public procurement programmes, school feeding programmes and improved public supply IMPROVE THEIR systems and value chains. It also focuses on helping LIVELIHOODS, countries increase the availability of fresh and healthy foods, improving diversity in diets to fight obesity ACCESS and decrease dependency on imports, strengthening DECENT JOB resilience to economic and natural shocks. OPPORTUNITIES Through this Initiative, FAO also aims to strengthen producers’ organizations and improve government AND BENEFIT capacity to design policies and programmes to strengthen family farming, create inclusive food FROM SOCIAL systems and promote rural development. This PROTECTION includes supporting the development of inclusive social protection policies and systems and their SCHEMES . alignment with agricultural and rural development policies and employment programmes.

20 EMPOWERING SMALLHOLDERS AND STRENGTHENING FAMILY FARMS IN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA

This Regional Initiative aims to enhance productivity SUSTAINABLE SMALL-SCALE AGRICULTURE and income levels through sustainable intensification FOR INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT IN THE NEAR of production, adequate access to rural services and EAST AND NORTH AFRICA better integration to agrifood value chains in Europe and Central Asia. Countries from the Near East and North Africa region through this FAO Initiative promote Through the Initiative, FAO supports small producers sustainable intensification practices, aimed at and family farmers to adopt sustainable production strengthening the capacity of small-scale farmers to technologies, access innovative rural services (such make sound knowledge-based decisions, including as advisory services and micro-loans) and develop through the development of farmer field schools. inclusive and efficient agribusinesses. The Initiative The Initiative also seeks to enhance smallholders' also promotes the dissemination of agricultural managerial, negotiation and marketing skills and best practices related to sustainable management of increase decent employment opportunities, in agricultural land and water resources. particular for youth and women. The Initiative also focuses on granting inclusive Through the Initiative, FAO promotes and and gender-equitable access to land by supporting strengthens inclusive producer organizations, the creation of national governance frameworks for cooperatives and networks to improve small- the sustainable management of resources and the scale and family farmers’ access to markets and implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines on the strengthen their voice in policy-making. Responsible Governance of Tenure.

21 STRATEGIC WORK OF FAO TO REDUCE RURAL POVERTY

FROM THE FIELD

INCLUSIVE FINANCE FOR improve their access to credit their investment plans with PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS to buy agricultural inputs and their own means and four more increase their capacity to invest organizations are in the process of IN NIGER in agriculture. negotiating a loan.

To maximize the fund’s potential, So far, the project has helped FAO has ramped up a capacity around 20 000 smallholder development programme to farmers enter into a negotiating increase producers’ access to dialogue with the banks, agricultural credit. Eight producer increasing their bargaining power federations (representing 70 and access to credit. This has 000 smallholder farmers) have stimulated a mutual learning been supported in developing process, improving the capacity of FAO has been working with the investment plans. Three of them stakeholders to design and deliver government of Niger since 2015, to have accessed credit from banks to loans to smallholder families establish a credit guarantee fund fund them. Another five producer and in the end improve their to help producer organizations organizations have implemented livelihoods.

SUPPORTING COUNTRIES Through the RWEE programme By 2015, the programme has TO EMPOWER FAO has supported rural women helped around 20 000 women and in Rwanda to increase their their households from Ethiopia, RURAL WOMEN income and escape the vicious Guatemala, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, cycle of poverty through trainings Nepal, Niger and Rwanda on agriculture techniques, increase their income, improve nutrition, hygiene, saving their food security, enhance and credit, income generating women’s leadership and their activities, family planning and participation in decision-making kitchen gardening as well as processes at the national and inputs, such as fortified beans, community level. sweet potatoes and livestock. Together with IFAD, UN Through the programme, FAO Women and WFP, FAO is Thanks to the loans and the has also worked to increase the implementing the Joint material support received from capacity of policy makers to programme on accelerating the project, beneficiaries are now mainstream gender into land, progress towards the able to invest and diversify their food, agriculture, nutrition and economic empowerment of income generating activities. rural employment policies, with a rural women (RWEE) to help This has contributed to diversify view to creating a more gender- women fulfil their economic agricultural production, improving sensitive policy environment for potential in agriculture and living conditions, food security the economic empowerment of rural development. and nutrition in the country. rural women.

22 A BROAD APPROACH TO REDUCE RURAL POVERTY

VIET NAM

STRENGTHENING PRODUCERS’ wood sawing techniques as poor rural people enhance their ORGANIZATIONS TO REDUCE well as successful forest-based business skills, build their own business models. enterprises, increase access to RURAL POVERTY IN VIET NAM markets, services, knowledge and Thanks to the market analysis and technologies and improve access development training received, to, control over and sustainable seven members of the producer management of natural resources. organization pooled their money to raise an initial capital of The programme also aims US$23 000 to invest in a small- to empower the rural poor scale sawmill, which has increased and strengthen producers’ the income of group members by organizations, to enable them to 10 percent within seven months. participate in national decision- In Viet Nam, FAO and the The acacia growers’ organization making processes that affect National Farmers Union has now applied to become a their livelihoods, with a view to supported an informal group cooperative and benefit from reducing rural poverty. of 15 acacia growers, including government incentives. six female headed-households, to formalize its registration as a Overall, the Forest and Farm producer organization, through Facility works with more than the Forest and Farm Facility 500 producers’ organizations, programme. The group, which representing approximately managed a total of 57 hectares of 40 million people (10 percent of forest, has also received training smallholders and family farmers in enterprise development, worldwide). The programme helps

23 STRATEGIC WORK OF FAO TO REDUCE RURAL POVERTY

EXPLORING THE POTENTIAL impact that cash transfer contributing to improving living OF SOCIAL PROTECTION TO programmes can have on reducing conditions and reducing poverty ERADICATE POVERTY poverty in the region. in rural areas. The development of rigorous Today, policymakers are impact assessments, carried increasingly viewing social out in close coordination with protection as an effective measure government counterparts, helped to fight hunger, reduce poverty strengthen the perception of and foster rural development. By social protection as an investment highlighting the productive impact rather than a cost. Evidence of social protection measures shows that cash transfers can such as cash transfers, the FAO Partnering with the United help poor and extreme poor rural work has fostered policy dialogue Nations Children’s Fund people increase the amount of around social protection in many (UNICEF), national research land dedicated to production and countries of the region. In some institutions and national invest more in agricultural inputs. cases, such as in Zambia and governments of seven countries In many sub-Saharan countries, Lesotho, this has brought to major in sub-Saharan Africa, the FAO such as Lesotho and Zambia, policy changes, leading to the work on social protection has this has resulted in increased expansion of social protection demonstrated the productive productivity and food security, coverage in rural areas.

POLICY SUPPORT TO As part of this Initiative, FAO is country’s Strategy for Agricultural STRENGTHEN FARMING facilitating collaboration between Development that has seen the Agriculture Cooperative agricultural production, product COOPERATIVES IN GEORGIA Development Agency and the quality and yields increase for European Neighbourhood Georgian farmers’ cooperatives. Programme for Agriculture and Rural Development (ENPARD), To formalize the role of funded by the EU. Started in 2013, cooperatives in the country, FAO the programme aims to promote has assisted Georgia in creating business-oriented farmers' a national farm registry and has cooperatives as a model for supported the design of tailored smallholders and family farmers financial schemes for registered to improve their production and cooperatives. At the policy level, As part of the Regional Initiative access to markets. FAO has helped the Government on Empowering Smallholders and improve taxation regimes for Strengthening Family Farms in FAO has also supported farmer's farmers’ cooperatives by proposing Europe and Central Asia, FAO is cooperatives in Georgia to amendments to the Law on working closely with the Ministry adopt sustainable agricultural Cooperatives and Tax Code. of Agriculture and the Agriculture production systems and to Cooperative Development Agency enhance their access to knowledge of Georgia to help farmers’ and innovative technologies cooperatives become competitive, that can improve the quality adopt sustainable agricultural and quantity of their yields. practices and increase productivity. These activities are part of the

24 ACHIEVING RESULTS AND SHOWING IMPACT

GENDER-SENSITIVE RURAL while recognizing the specific is to help the recipients capture ADVISORY SERVICES FOR needs of rural women. the gender-sensitivity of rural advisory services and identify WOMEN FARMERS Because women play a key role in which areas need improvement. agriculture, increasing equitable The project also focuses on access to rural advisory services can trainings aimed at providing help them benefit from economic agricultural development bodies opportunities in the agricultural sector and rural women with a better as much as men do. Gender-sensitive understanding of, and tools to rural advisory services strengthen analyze how gender relations women’s knowledge, skills, and influence socio-economic innovative capacity. This fosters conditions in rural areas. entrepreneurship, increases women’s FAO is supporting the Turkish participation in the rural economy Up to now, a hundred gender- Ministry of Food, Agriculture and improves their productivity and sensitive advisors, representatives and Livestock and the Ministry income generating capacity. from different agricultural of Agriculture in Azerbaijan development bodies and rural to increase women’s access to FAO is providing the Turkish women have been trained in rural advisory services in both and Azeri extension units with Turkey and Azerbaijan. As part countries. The project aims to capacity development to design of the project, FAO is collecting develop tools and methodologies gender-sensitive advisory lessons learned and good to design demand-focused services for rural women in practices on gender-sensitive programmes that address the Kastamonu, Kars and Antalya rural advisory services, with a challenges that both women and (Turkey), Samukh, Khachmaz view to include them in capacity men farmers face in their lives, and Salyan (Azerbaijan). The goal development materials.

SUPPORTING YOUNG rural areas. With this in mind, 750 000 jobs for young people ENTREPRENEURS IN FAO is supporting the Federal in the agricultural sector over a Ministry of Agriculture and five-year period. AGRICULTURE TO FOSTER Rural Development of Nigeria ECONOMIC GROWTH to better engage young rural The programme has already people in agriculture through the trained almost 7 000 young Nigeria Youth Employment in “agropreneurs” in the country Agriculture Programme. (3 893 female and 2 725 male) in different agricultural productions, Launched in September 2014, the including rice, aquaculture, Programme aims to create more poultry, maize, tomato, wheat, decent employment opportunities sorghum, apiculture, soya bean, and foster entrepreneurship in key cassava, and palm oil. The value chains among poor young trainings have contributed to Agricultural growth contributes people in rural areas. Nigeria is increase the productivity of poor to reducing poverty directly, by committed to allocating some young people and their access to raising farmers’ incomes, and US$230 million to cover the total decent employment opportunities, indirectly, by generating more cost of the programme, which with a positive impact on rural employment opportunities in will guide the support to create poverty reduction in the country.

25 STRATEGIC WORK OF FAO TO REDUCE RURAL POVERTY

FARMER FIELD SCHOOLS: part of the Regional Initiative on Farmer Fields Schools have proven EMPOWERING SMALLHOLDERS Small-Scale Agriculture and aims to be crucial to intensifying to improve rural livelihoods by agricultural production and THROUGH SUSTAINABLE disseminating good agricultural reducing rural poverty in the AGRICULTURE practices and supporting small- region, especially in Tunisia and scale scale farmers to enhance Jordan. Through Farmer Fields their agricultural skills. Schools, FAO has disseminated good and sustainable agricultural In the Near East and North practices, decreasing costs of Africa, rural poverty lingers and production while increasing small-scale agriculture remains yields and quality. Farmers have neglected by most of the policies acquired technical skills and related to agriculture, food knowledge to improve their security and rural development. productivity, income and food FAO has created around 2 000 Yet, smallholders provide more security. Farmer Fields Schools Farmer Fields Schools to help than 80 percent of agricultural have also contributed to enhance small-scale farmers improve production, which makes small- social inclusion and have their livelihoods and move out scale agriculture key to boost empowered poor rural people, of poverty in the Near East and local economies, create decent especially women, to participate North Africa region. This inclusive job opportunities and foster rural in the social and economic life of community-based approach is development in the region. their communities.

FAO SUPPORTS WOMEN women who work in the informal The support of FAO to women FISHERS IN COSTA RICA TO sector and lack decent employment molluscs’ gatherers has not opportunities. FAO has supported only empowered small-scale ACCESS DECENT EMPLOYMENT them to obtain legal recognition fishers but it has also increased OPPORTUNITIES of their work and achieve better the visibility of this activity in work conditions to improve line with the objectives stated their livelihoods. in the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale As part of these efforts, FAO Fisheries in the context of Food has helped women mollusc Security and Poverty Eradication, gatherers engage with the promoted by the Organization government to achieve official worldwide. sustainable use permits. Thanks to this support, women These results are part of the In the Pacific coast of Costa molluscs’ gatherers can now country’s participation in the Rica, more than 1 000 families legally capture the product Regional Initiative on Farming of mollusc gatherers engage in and have achieved decent and Inclusive Food Systems in fisheries for their livelihoods, employment conditions that Latin America and the Caribbean making a substantial contribution allow them to access healthcare, that seeks to reduce rural poverty to small-scale fisheries in the a retirement pension and and enhance food security for country. Many of these fishers are social security. poor people in the region.

26 The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by FAO in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned.

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A local farmer inspecting Printed on ecological paper. freshly planted crops in Mirabeau. ©FAO/Giuseppe Bizzarri 2030 Agenda. countries in the implementing We supporting to are committed impacts in all aspects of our work. nutrition and climate change integrating gender, governance, technical leadership, while fully Programmes, leveraging our FAO works through five Strategic To accomplish these objectives, malnutrition and poverty. achieving aworld without hunger, states inmember sustainably main areas of our work support to Objectives of FAO represent the The five key priorities or Strategic FAO OF WORK THE STRATEGIC and food systems and food agricultural efficient and inclusive Enable Reduce rural poverty Make agriculture, and sustainable and more productive fisheries and forestry malnutrition and insecurity food hunger, eliminate Help and crises and livelihoods threats of to resilience the Increase

in the 2030 Agenda. the latest developments in relation and agriculture food to in the SDGs. This is page continuously with updated all To learn more, consult our onthe work webpage of FAO implementing monitoring and SDGs. the qualify FAO as avaluable ally countries for in development (social, economic and environmental) unique skills in the three dimensions of sustainable experience working with development and partners Our wide-range of technical expertise, length of SDGs. work FAO of strategic the aligned with is broadly of natural resources and leaving no one behind, the andcauses hunger, of poverty sustainable management With an integrated approach aimed at tackling the root of the 2030 heart the very Agenda. Food and agriculture cut across all the SDGs and lie at resources and ensure prosperity all. for hunger, and poverty end to sustain planet’s the natural global priorities by adopted countries in2015 September 2030 Agenda Sustainable for Development are aset of The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the