Andrea Cattaneo POLICY SEMINAR How to transform food systems for inclusive growth and poverty eradication NOV 6, 2017 - 12:15 PM TO 01:45 PM EST

1. Andrea Cattaneo
IFPRI, Washington DC
Nov. 6, 2017
Report Highlights

2. Fulfilling the 2030 Agenda depends crucially on progress in rural areas
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▪ In adopting the 2030 Agenda the international community committed itself to eradicating
hunger and poverty.
▪ Fulfilling this agenda is already facing important challenges:
➢ Hunger is on the rise again!
➢ Poverty rates decreasing very slowly in some regions .
▪ Most of the poor and hungry live in rural areas; more efforts are needed to transform
economies in these areas.
▪ This report identifies opportunities to achieve the progress required in rural areas through
inclusive transformation.

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Theevolution of rural and urban poor as share of total population
Key Message #1:
Economic growth in rural areas has helped
millions escape poverty, and will be critical
to ending hunger by 2030

4. Relationship between consumption of staple foods and
incomes in developing countries
As incomes increase diets change accordingly
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Key Message #2
Urbanization and dietary changes
in both rural and urban areas are
transforming the food system –
creating opportunities and
challenges

5. Land area per capita of rural population, by region, 1970-2050
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Key Message #3
Linking 500 million smallholders to
these growing domestic markets is
fundamental for poverty reduction
Opportunity seen in urbanization and dietary changes, but inclusiveness
will not be automatic

6. Going forward the link is the food system
▪ Food systems can be transformed in ways that reduce poverty and improve
food and nutrition security
▪ An agro-territorial approach is critical to balance infrastructure development
& policy interventions to transform the system
▪ Particularly relevant in countries with rapid population growth and limited
prospects for industrialization, to create jobs on-farm and off-farm.
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7. Transformation becomes more inclusive
▪ Agro-territorial approach takes into account the importance of small cities and
towns.
▪ Report finds that over half of the global population lives within or around
cities and towns of less than 500,000 people.
▪ Yet, in most developing countries, resources are disproportionately allocated
to larger cities.
▪ Better connecting rural–urban territories is a strategy for creating on-farm and
off-farm jobs, eradicating poverty, and ensuring food and nutrition security.
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8. ▪ There are five commonly used agro-territorial tools.
Structuring interventions based on country needs
▪ Agro-territorial investments with different geographic range under different governance models.
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9. Conclusions
▪ Economic growth in rural areas has helped millions escape poverty, and will be critical to ending
hunger by 2030.
▪ Urbanization and dietary changes in both rural and urban areas are transforming the food
system – creating opportunities and challenges.
▪ There is a need to ensure that this transformation is smooth and provides an opportunity for the
500 million smallholders around the world.
▪ Stronger links between rural areas and small cities and towns can lead to more dynamic growth
of economic opportunities in rural areas
Report proposes an agro-territorial approach to leverage the changes in food systems as a
key ingredient for attaining SDG1 & SDG2
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