Agriculture and sustainable farming supporting poor rural areas

In addition to providing food on the table, agriculture is also a source of income and employment for approximately 65% of the world’s working poor (World Bank). This makes it the second largest provider of jobs in the world, behind services. It can be a key driver of economic growth, particularly in less developed countries where agriculture can make up more than 25% of a country’s GDP (UN Food and Agriculture Organisation).

Supporting rural farmers through training and technology can help to sustain agricultural production during this pandemic and beyond. By empowering famers with sustainable agricultural techniques, they can continue to harvest crops throughout the year while also minimising their impact on the environment. With the world’s population predicted to grow to grow to 9.7 billion people by 2050, agricultural production will need to increase by 50 per cent globally in order to feed the world’s population (World Bank).

A changing climate has also led to increasingly unpredictable rainfall and extended dry seasons, posing a significant challenge for farmers. Rising temperatures and prolonged droughts can potentially wipe out harvests and destroy the livelihoods of communities. Over 40% of the world’s population is affected by water scarcity (World Bank) and water shortages can have significant repercussions for global food production.

Sustainable farming can transform lives. Many small-scale farmers who live in vulnerable communities do not have access to the technology, skills or resources they need to maintain their crops consistently throughout the year. But when farmers are empowered with life-long agricultural skills, they can diversify their crops, become more self-reliant and develop strategies to mitigate the impact of adverse weather conditions.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the livelihood of farmers, with semi-lockdowns severely disrupting trade networks. The price of perishable goods, such as vegetables and fruits, has also dropped, leading to lower profits for producers (Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research).

In Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara Province, our local partners work with farmers in vulnerable communities, who are primarily dependent on subsistence agriculture, to improve their income security. East Nusa Tenggara is the driest province in Indonesia and experienced severe drought throughout 2020.

Through our program, farmers have been trained to harvest corn as an alternative staple food to rice. They also learnt conservation farming, climate change adaptation techniques and other agricultural technologies to increase their income generation opportunities. With these new income streams, the farmers are in a better position to send their children to school and provide food for their families.

But after they participated in a training program, run by Caritas Australia in partnership with eight local NGOs, the couple learnt sustainable farming techniques, developed water management skills, and started cultivating a variety of vegetables throughout the year.

Now, their farm is thriving, their income has increased and they have even helped to build a school in their local village. The couple no longer have to live day-to-day and have the security of a sustainable income stream throughout the year.