According to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), small family farms make up 85% of all farms worldwide, and the people who live on them constitute the majority of the rural poor. Strengthening the capacity of smallholder farmers is key to help them manage agricultural risks and thus improve their livelihoods and ensure food security for the society. Incorporating aspects of capacity building and awareness into learning cycles and training programs are some of the tools that can help to support the empowerment of small-scale farmers.
We discuss the topic with our guest Mr Egide Niyonsaba, the Advisor to agricultural cooperatives and rural Small and Medium-sized Enterprises for the Project to Support Agricultural and Rural Financial Inclusion in Burundi.