WHY EUROPE SHOULD PARTNER THE WORLD'S SMALLHOLDERS TO ADOPT BIG TECH?
The direct benefits of harnessing cutting edge technology for agriculture are clear: more efficient production of more food to reduce hunger and reliance on imports while also boosting rural incomes... Despite the rise of industrial and intensive farming, it is the world’s 800 million smallholder farmers who continue to shoulder a disproportionate burden of global food security. Family farms with modest plots of land make up around 90 per cent of all agricultural operations and are responsible for producing more than half of global food supplies. With rising population levels, persistent hunger and the evolving threat of climate change, the success of balancing food production with increased demand will be in their hands. To achieve this, though, they also need in their hands the latest technology and innovations that best support sustainable agriculture. This was the conclusion of this year’s Global Forum for Food and Agriculture , where agriculture ministers rightly ide...