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New Farming First Video – The Story of Agriculture and the Green Economy

Editor — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 16:19:05 +0000

We have created a new animated video called “The Story of Agriculture and the Green Economy”. The video aims to share knowledge on the green economy and the role Agriculture has to play in ensuring its success. The informative video highlights the importance of sustainable agricultural infrastructure as a core aspect of agriculture’s role within the green economy.

The video communicates a key message – that the future of our world depends on addressing global challenges now.

A transition to a green economy is already underway but the challenge is to build on this momentum. Currently, there is no international consensus on the problem of global food security or on possible solutions for how to nourish a population of nine billion people by 2050.

We need to create sustainable livelihoods, feed a growing population and safeguard the environment, and agriculture has a large role to play in making this happen. Agriculture currently accounts for 37% of employment globally, 34% of land use, 70% of water use and up to 30% of greenhouse gases.

Growth from agriculture is at least twice as effective in reducing poverty than any other sectors, and it has one of the highest potentials for mitigating carbon emissions.

Thus, we are calling for:

a reversal of the decline in government spending and foreign aid to agriculture that has been happening since the 1980’s
investment in agricultural research and science-based policies that give farmers a variety of innovative solutions
acknowledgement of agriculture’s ability to stimulate employment and the economy

If you liked our video, then please share it on social networks such as Twitter and Facebook or email it to friends and family, and engage in conversation around the green economy. We want as many people as possible to “agvocate” with us, sharing the message that agriculture is vital for a green economy, and that there is an urgent need to put farming first.

You can watch more Farming First videos here on Farming First TV.

The creation of this video builds on previous work we have done on the green economy, including our award-winning infographic. Click here for our page on Agriculture and the Green Economy where you can watch the video, view the infographic, or download our policy paper or our guide to Green Economy Initiatives on Agriculture.

You can follow Farming First on Twitter here.

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Video Interview with Malawi’s Farm Subsidy Programme Coordinator

Editor — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 13:56:51 +0000

In May 2009, Farming First (www.farmingfirst.org) interviewed Mr. Idrissa Mwale, Principal Economist at the Ministry of Agriculture in Malawi. Mr. Mwale has coordinated the country’s farm subsidy programme, which targets the most needy farming households with subsidised seed and fertilizer. The programme has produced record harvests over the past four years, which have created an export market for Malawi’s farmers. Mr. Mwale discusses the next steps for the programme and how other African governments are learning from the agricultural programme as a driver of rural development.

Watch the video:

Mr Mwale was also interviewed by BBC’s World Business News.

Listen to the BBC interview audio file here:

Mr. Mwale also presented a speech on the successes of the programme at the UN Commission for Sustainable Development on 14 May 2009. In his speech, he discusses why and how agriculture should be put back at the center of the development agenda. He also notes how the Farming First principles align well with the programme Malawi has been following to date:

…this achievement came about because the Government of Malawi made a choice to prioritize the agricultural sector. This allowed the Government and various cooperating partners to increase investments in inputs provision, extension service delivery and agricultural research. This notwithstanding, the Government still believes that more investments in agricultural research, local based capacity building, irrigation development and marketing are necessary to spur increased and sustain production in the medium to long term. This is consistent with the Farming First principles of the partners hosting us tonight.

For the full text:

Download the speech (pdf)

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Video of Dr. Lindiwe Majele Sibanda Discussing the Obama Agriculture Plan

Editor — Mon, 04 May 2009 15:51:58 +0000

In this video, Farming First’s Dr. Lindiwe Majele Sibanda discusses the Obama administration’s recent announcement of $448 million in funding to address the global food crisis. Dr. Sibanda explains the implications of such funding and how it can best be applied in southern Africa.

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Why is $100 Better than $1000? Farm Support vs. Food Aid

Editor — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 10:14:04 +0000

At a recent Farming First conference in New York, Dr. Lindiwe Sibanda explained how supporting small-scale farmers with $100 worth of agricultural inputs and training can help them to improve their livelihoods more than $1000 worth of equivalent food aid.

Dr. Sibanda is CEO of the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN), a Southern African network organisation with representation in 12 Southern African countries.

Watch her presentation here:

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