Agriculture, rural livelihoods and poverty eradication: some policy lessons from the food price crises

The role of agricultural development as a driver of inclusive growth and poverty reduction has regained policy attention since the mid-2000s. In addition, today agriculture is increasingly seen as a provider of other major development goals— notably food security, improved nutrition, more resilient ecosystems and climate change mitigation. Though not yet fully recognized, the potential for agriculture to drive inclusive growth, reducing poverty on a large scale in the coming years particularly in rural areas, is linked to its ability to deliver on these other goals. However, in the aftermath of two global food price spikes and in the midst of growing climate instability affecting harvests, we are only beginning to see some convergence between discourses on agriculture as a driver of poverty reduction and those that link it to food security and nutrition, climate change mitigation, or a “green economy”.

Related Subject(s): Economic and Social Development