Agriculture
Growth in agriculture is twice as effective in reducing poverty as growth in other sectors.
The Challenge
Development assistance for agriculture in the developing world has declined over the last two decades, leaving many poor countries more vulnerable to hunger and poverty. In sub-Saharan Africa especially, agriculture has been plagued by low productivity and under-investment, making it difficult for Africans to feed themselves and earn an income from farming. The spike in food prices in 2008 jeopardized even more people in poor countries as the price of imported foods such as rice, wheat, and corn peaked. This, coupled with the global financial crisis, resulted in a devastating economic impact on families, who often spend at least half of their income on food. It is estimated that between 2008 and 2009 there will be 100 million more hungry people around the world, bringing the total number to approximately 1.02 billion.
The Opportunity
Investing in agriculture will help the world's poorest people earn their way out of poverty. This is especially true in sub-Saharan Africa, where agriculture is the backbone of most economies and employs nearly two-thirds of the population. In addition to fueling economic growth, investment in agriculture will also enable the world's poorest countries to better feed their people and weather shocks caused by changing global food prices.
In addition to food aid, tools such as fertilizer and seeds are urgently needed to help communities deal with the immediate impacts of the food crisis. In the long-term, food security and economic growth will require investing in agriculture. With stronger infrastructure, improved technology and training, farmers could benefit from increased crop yields and stronger connections to domestic, regional, and international markets.
Learn more, read the full Agriculture Issue Brief...
Progress Report
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Agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa
Many governments and donor countries are beginning to tap into the vast potential of agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa by making new investments in the sector to enhance economic opportunities and increase food security. MORE
Related Hot Topics in Policy
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Food Security in Focus
Achieving food security for developing countries is an essential component of eradicating poverty. MORE
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2009 Pittsburgh G20
Africa is part of the solution MORE
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Agriculture Appropriations
ONE urges the US Congress to fully fund the President's commitment to agriculture assistance in the developing world. MORE
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2009 G8 Summit
The G8 countries only have a year before the Gleneagles commitments to the poorest are to be delivered, but some G8 countries, particularly the summit chair Italy, are falling dangerously behind.
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G20: The 2009 London Summit
G20 leaders recognized the need to address extreme poverty as part of the global recovery, but details and actions must follow to make the agreement of the Summit meaningful.
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Presidential Transition Briefing
In November 2008, ONE delivered its transition briefing, "From Vision to Action: Realizing the Potential for Development in an Obama Administration," to President-elect Obama's transition team.
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Related Campaigns
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It's Time to Invest in Agriculture
ONE members ask their senators to make sure the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations fully-funds the president's request for smart, targeted global agricultural investments that will stop hunger in its tracks.
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UN Summit: Fill the Funding Gap
September - October, 2008
In September 2008, before a High Level Event on the Millennium Development Goals, more than 50,000 European ONE members mobilized to urge world leaders to fill the worldwide US$1 billion funding gap to combat the food crisis. MORE -
The “EU Billion” for Food and Agriculture
July - November, 2008
With €1 billion of funding to struggling farmers in developing countries on the line, European ONE members helped apply public pressure at the critical moment to help secure this new money.
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Hunger Crisis
April - July, 2008
As prices for staple foods essential to the world's poorest people soared to record highs in 2008, more than 140,000 ONE members signed our petition to President George W. Bush asking him to work to get the hunger crisis on the agenda at the 2008 G8 Summit, and to secure additional commitments for all types of food assistance and increased agricultural productivity in developing countries. MORE
Related Press Releases
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“Hold G20 Summit in Africa”, anti-poverty group urges
World leaders meeting at the Group of 20 (G20) Summit in Pittsburgh are being urged by the advocacy group ONE to put Africa at the heart of global recovery efforts by agreeing to hold a future summit on the continent in 2010. MORE
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ONE reaction to G8 food security communiqué
The G8's US$20bn agreement to provide support for the world's poorest farmers was welcomed today by advocacy group ONE. The deal was expected to amount to US$15bn over three years, but at the last minute the communiqué announced the figure had risen to US$20bn. The deal also includes significant steps to make progress on the effectiveness of aid for agriculture.
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Keep Africa aid promises and act now to stem hunger, G8 told, or risk global irrelevance
Leaders of the world's eight biggest economies must act this week to rescue their aid promises to Africa, advocacy group ONE said today, including agreeing a special deal for the continent's farmers. MORE
Quick Facts
Approximately 1.02 billion people are hungry
around the world today, an increase of an estimated 100 million people since 2008.
Growth in agriculture is twice as effective
at reducing poverty compared to growth in other sectors.
2/3 of people in sub-Saharan Africa
are employed in agriculture.
Related Policy Analysis
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Policy Brief
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Issue Brief
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Issue Brief
The Millennium Challenge Account -
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From Vision to Action: ONE's Presidential Transition Briefing