UNITED NATIONS: Calling the decimation of small farms “the biggest catastrophe”, an Indian sustainable development expert has said that improving the lot of the small farmer while increasing productivity holds the key to employment growth and ending poverty.

Speaking at a panel discussion at the UN Economic and Social Council, Pavan Sukhdev, the founder of GIST Advisory, said that size and scope of the farm sector was not adequately recognised in the rush to create jobs that focused on industry and the non-farm sector.

More than one billion people worked on farms and a majority of farms, which were less than two hectares in size and produced half of all the food, he said.

In contrast, he said, the number of jobs in the technology, industrial and other non-farm sectors were smaller and pointed out that, for example, there would not be a demand for one billion software professionals.

Therefore, Sukhdev called for making small farms the drivers of employment and economic growth by providing them access to sustainable technology and giving more help to the small farmer.

Small farms were now at risk, Sukhdev said, not only from factors like climate change but also from corporations that were decimating them through industrialising agriculture. This was “the biggest catastrophe”, he said.

The theme of the panel discussion was “Wanted: 600 million jobs!” The UN and its affiliated organisations say that is the number of jobs that have to be created over the next decade to provide employment to a growing youth population, alleviate poverty, sustain economic growth and ensure social stability.
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