STWR - Share The World's Resources

Following the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), changes in US farm policy fuelled market concentration in agriculture. The real losers in this scenario are farmers and rural communities in Mexico and Canada, says a report by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.

Over half of those hungry in the world today are smallholder farmers or waged agricultural workers. Governments and the agribusiness sector must work together to transform the currently unjust food system, says a report by Olivier De Schutter.

While the globalisation of agriculture results in cheaper food, it also contributes to environmental degradation, increased poverty amongst producers, and global hunger. Establishing the value of such an essential good should not be left to the market, argues Timothy A. Wise.

While proponents of biotechnology claim that GM crops could help tackle growing climate pressures such as water shortages, campaigners warn that the a greater use of chemicals and further deforestation may actually increase carbon emissions. Report by Friends of the Earth.

Continuing population and consumption growth mean that the global demand for food will increase for decades to come. The goal is no longer simply to maximize crop yields, but to balance production, environmental and social justice outcomes, say H. Charles J. Godfray et al.

Smallholders in the livestock industry are unable to compete with larger, more intensive producers. A widening gulf is emerging between those who can take advantage of growing demand for animal food products and those who cannot, says a report by FAO.

Malawi is lauded as a success story of the “green revolution” agricultural model – a technique that relies on imported fertilisers and seeds. But the achievements will not be sustainable unless land is redistributed fairly and dependency on imports is addressed, says a report by GRAIN.