Youth Agri Champions Demand Paper 2023

Introduction
Why Do Smallholder Farmers
Need More Support?
Smallholder farmers like us produce a third of the
world’s food on their 500 million farms. In some
African countries, we are responsible for over 90%
of food production [1],
and demand for our
products is rising rapidly as populations grow.
However, the impacts of climate change have
become a severe threat to our crops and livestock,
Solutions exist that would allow us to increase our
and are forcing more and more smallholders to
yields despite the changing climate. These include
switching to resilient crop and livestock varieties,
abandon their land, increasing food insecurity in
already vulnerable populations.
using modern technology for purposes such as
better forecasting and efficient irrigation, and
improving practices to prevent soil degradation and
Resilient, productive smallholder farmers are crucial
for the success of the United Nations 2030 Agenda
reduce reliance on pesticides and fertilizers.
Agricultural extension services and capacity
and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in
building programs disseminate these solutions to
particular SDG 2, Zero Hunger. 2023 marks the
midway point of the implementation of the SDGs,
smallholders. They also serve as a platform to gather
but due to climate change, conflict, and the
further input and feedback from smallholders,
forming an important link between policy, science,
aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, rates of food
insecurity and malnutrition are on the rise [2].
and practice. But they are not always effective, and
they do not reach everyone. Below, we have
Support for smallholder farmers is more important
than ever to turn the tide and achieve zero hunger
identified three specific challenges and formulated
sustainably.
three demands to address them.
[1] https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000133644/download/?_ga=2.98642845.2007065547.1695132276-478443392.1693819407
[2] https://thedocs.worldbank.org/en/doc/40ebbf38f5a6b68bfc11e5273e1405d4-0090012022/related/Food-Security-Update-XC-July-27-
2023.pdf
Youth AgriChampions Demand Paper 1