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frequent and intense periods of drought, resulting in a trend

of drier soils. With already fragile ecosystems, the unreliable

precipitation pattern from climate change has increased the

vulnerability of farmers in dry areas to crop failures and falls

in crop and livestock productivity.

In addition, family farms in the drylands are challenged by

political marginalization, limited access to markets and credit,

insufficient infrastructure and poor quality social services. All

these factors combine to limit the options available to family

farms and their members, driving them further into poverty

and pushing some of their members – particularly the young

– out of the family farm to seek off-farm or non-farm work

elsewhere. Breaking this vicious cycle of poverty requires

robust institutions, fair policies, larger investments, increased

research and a renewed focus on science, technology and

innovation. A strong political commitment is required to

address the complex factors affecting family farming in the

drylands and their evolving needs.

The challenges facing family farms in the drylands are

daunting. Much more needs to be done by the research, devel-

opment and policy communities, working in close partnership

with all members of the family farm, to increase their produc-

tivity while encouraging the sustainable use of the natural

resource base.

The environmental sustainability of family farming in the

drylands can be addressed by helping family farms conserve

and sustainably use their land and water. There must be a

focus on improving water availability and enhancing water

productivity, as well as on building soil fertility, combating

land degradation and conserving biodiversity.

The social sustainability of family farms can be addressed

by generating employment opportunities for family farming

members, increasing access to resources and opportunities for

women, and attracting youth to agriculture by making farming

more intellectually challenging and economically rewarding.

From the economic sustainability perspective, science and

development efforts should focus on helping small farms

improve their income by increasing the productivity of their

lands and reducing production costs. Producing more high-

value, quality products increases the sustainability of family

farms. In some cases, the key factor to the success of the

family farm is the ability of its members to access microcredit

and have the capability to link directly to the market.

The International Center for Agricultural Research in the

Dry Areas (ICARDA) has been working in the drylands for

more than 35 years to improve the livelihoods of small family

farmers by helping increase crop productivity through the

sustainable intensification and diversification of their produc-

tion systems. It is clear that there is no silver bullet to cope

with challenges faced in dry areas; science-based technologi-

cal change is necessary to fuel the transition from traditional

to sustainable agriculture.

For example, in 2010, a wheat stripe rust epidemic in

Ethiopia wiped out crops and left thousands of family farms

devastated. Protecting farmers against the destructive effects

of stripe rust was the aim of a USAID-funded initiative that

Image: ICARDA

Producing more high-value, quality products increases the sustainability of family farms

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