67
arbitrated by communal authorities (sometimes called “customary” or “tribal”
authorities). Communal rights may be recognized by civil authorities as well, but
they do not have the same legal standing as land titles or leaseholds granted by the
state (Cousins 2016). Formal lenders see communal tenure rights as a risky investment and are reluctant to extend credit, regardless of the productive potential of
the land.
Communal tenure systems are often dominated by social and patriarchal hierarchies that disenfranchise vulnerable groups. As a result, gender, age, and community standing often determine the quality, quantity, and terms of the landholdings.
Furthermore, without civil legal protections, communal landholders have little
recourse if their land is appropriated by customary or state authorities. In these circumstances, communal landholders, particularly women, are less likely to make
investments in improved seeds or fertilizer, suppressing their earning potential and
making it difficult to save for capital purchases, such as mechanization and irrigation technologies. Likewise, long-standing and widespread land disputes stifle the
sale, purchase, leasing, and inheritance of land, effectively freezing the land market,
discouraging productive investment, and stifling economic growth (Valetta 2012).
Policies that secure and promote farmer access to land, water, and improved
inputs enable farmers of all scales to remain competitive even during the challenging phases of business cycles and help them respond to changing climate patterns.
2.11 Concluding Remarks
Without productivity growth, the world’s agriculture and food systems will not be
able to sustainably produce the food, feed, fiber, and biofuel needed for ten billion
people in 2050. An enabling policy environment also supports the productive potential of farmers, ranchers, foresters, and fishers by generating new market opportunities, increasing their access to affordable financing, and improving the environmental
sustainability of their operations. The data show that a global focus on productivity
growth is urgently needed to reverse the downward trend in productivity growth.
While this chapter has focused on the role of the producer, the role of the consumer in productive sustainable food systems is just as critical. Significant reductions in food waste are critical to sustainable food systems, and most food waste
occurs at the retail and consumer point of the value chain. Consumers also need to
educate themselves on the science and practice of agriculture and be willing to challenge their assumptions about what makes their food “sustainable.” Without consumer acceptance of science-based innovations such as biotechnology, gene-editing,
and proven practices in livestock husbandry, the target levels for agricultural productivity and sustainability will not be realized.
Innovation and productivity are interdependent, but access to and acceptance of innovative technologies and practices must be improved if they are to realize their potential.
2 Productivity in Agriculture for a Sustainable Future
arbitrated by communal authorities (sometimes called “customary” or “tribal”
authorities). Communal rights may be recognized by civil authorities as well, but
they do not have the same legal standing as land titles or leaseholds granted by the
state (Cousins 2016). Formal lenders see communal tenure rights as a risky investment and are reluctant to extend credit, regardless of the productive potential of
the land.
Communal tenure systems are often dominated by social and patriarchal hierarchies that disenfranchise vulnerable groups. As a result, gender, age, and community standing often determine the quality, quantity, and terms of the landholdings.
Furthermore, without civil legal protections, communal landholders have little
recourse if their land is appropriated by customary or state authorities. In these circumstances, communal landholders, particularly women, are less likely to make
investments in improved seeds or fertilizer, suppressing their earning potential and
making it difficult to save for capital purchases, such as mechanization and irrigation technologies. Likewise, long-standing and widespread land disputes stifle the
sale, purchase, leasing, and inheritance of land, effectively freezing the land market,
discouraging productive investment, and stifling economic growth (Valetta 2012).
Policies that secure and promote farmer access to land, water, and improved
inputs enable farmers of all scales to remain competitive even during the challenging phases of business cycles and help them respond to changing climate patterns.
2.11 Concluding Remarks
Without productivity growth, the world’s agriculture and food systems will not be
able to sustainably produce the food, feed, fiber, and biofuel needed for ten billion
people in 2050. An enabling policy environment also supports the productive potential of farmers, ranchers, foresters, and fishers by generating new market opportunities, increasing their access to affordable financing, and improving the environmental
sustainability of their operations. The data show that a global focus on productivity
growth is urgently needed to reverse the downward trend in productivity growth.
While this chapter has focused on the role of the producer, the role of the consumer in productive sustainable food systems is just as critical. Significant reductions in food waste are critical to sustainable food systems, and most food waste
occurs at the retail and consumer point of the value chain. Consumers also need to
educate themselves on the science and practice of agriculture and be willing to challenge their assumptions about what makes their food “sustainable.” Without consumer acceptance of science-based innovations such as biotechnology, gene-editing,
and proven practices in livestock husbandry, the target levels for agricultural productivity and sustainability will not be realized.
Innovation and productivity are interdependent, but access to and acceptance of innovative technologies and practices must be improved if they are to realize their potential.
2 Productivity in Agriculture for a Sustainable Future