LESSONS LEARNED - Science for Agriculture and Rural Development in Low-income Countries - page 109

In the face of such huge challenges, commitment to tasks and concerted actions
that aim at achieving the Millennium Development Goals on all fronts would be
essential, but will depend, first of all, on the political will and support of governments.
With respect to food security, environmental issues and rural livelihood (Roetter
and Van Keulen 2007; Verhagen et al. 2007; Kuiper et al. 2007), we have identified
some specific knowledge gaps that have to be tackled in new research programmes
on RDSA. Based on our review, we argue that agriculture plays three specific roles
in future rural development strategies:
• A solid base for changing livelihoods;
• A producer of high quality affordable food; and
• A provider of environmental services.
Each of these roles has its own specific research requirements. Clearly, the three
different roles for agriculture identified here are not mutually exclusive neither are
they per se in conflict. They do, however, call for a clear identification of the
dominant role of agriculture under local biophysical and socio-economic conditions
and the tailoring of research to meet the associated specific requirements.
Agriculture as a solid base for a changing livelihood
In terms of agricultural research, one could focus on ensuring stable production, by
providing technologies tailored to female-dominated agricultural households (since
males tend to migrate first to urban areas), where possible generating surpluses that
allow households to invest in profitable enterprises either within or outside the
agricultural sector.
It will also be necessary to look at 'exit strategies' to enable households living in
adverse biophysical and/or socio-economic settings to move out of agriculture. This
may involve investments in education and infrastructure, allowing households access
to alternative sources of income.
Agriculture as a sector producing high-quality affordable food
Biophysical improvements, particularly in the field of plant breeding and best
agricultural practices, are required to increase crop yield potentials, close yield gaps,
and increase resource-use efficiencies. That should be complemented by farmer-
based strategies exploiting local capabilities to increase and diversify production and
contribute to environmental sustainability. Land and labour productivity will be
increased in this way and farm households will receive an economic incentive to
produce food in an environmentally friendly way (conserving resource quality and
protecting biodiversity) that is consistent with consumer demands, including local
diversity.
Overcoming constraints that emanate from globalization and adverse economic
environments requires additional policy research. Research on the scope for agricul-
tural growth needs to be placed in the larger context of increasingly open economies,
affecting local food markets, on the influence of the macro-economic environment