Resource information
Enormous improvements in human welfare have taken place over the past two centuries, but these have been unevenly distributed and have come at a lasting cost of degradation of our natural environment. At the same time, we cannot stop the engines of growth, because much more economic progress is still needed in order for people in developing countries to have a decent living. But using the traditional environmentally irresponsible development paths is no longer defensible. To meet both the objectives of conquering poverty and protecting the environment, the World Economic and Social Survey 2011 calls for a complete transformation of technology on which human economic activity is based.
The report advocates for a shift to green technologies and a move away from large-scale intensive agriculture towards sustainable agriculture with an emphasis on small holders in developing countries.
See in particular Chapter III: Towards a truly green revolution for food security – on food (price) crisis, unsustainable natural resource management and other related issues.
From p. 117 ff. the report looks specifically at small farmers’ role in food security, concluding that:
"(..), improving food security and even economic growth will critically depend on removing the barriers faced by small farm holders and expanding their productive capacity, while paying particular attention to the needs of female farmers."
