Agriculture remains an essential pillar for livelihoods across the Global South, notably in low- and middle-income economies where a significant portion of the population depends directly on farming for food security and income. Disruptions to agriculture—whether due to environmental, economic, or political stresses—rapidly manifest as widespread food insecurity, income shocks, and broader social instability. Recent international data reinforce that over a quarter of the world’s labor force is engaged in agriculture, a figure that climbs dramatically in the poorest nations.
Smallholder farmers dominate agriculture in much of the developing world, typically cultivating less than two hectares with minimal mechanization and limited access to improved seeds, irrigation, or advisory services. Such constraints depress productivity and perpetuate cycles of subsistence-level poverty, low savings, and seasonal labor migration. With farming serving as the mainstay of rural life, the ongoing inability to invest in resilience or scaling-up productivity means rural poverty becomes self-reinforcing and difficult to break.
Climate change and extreme weather are acute additional pressures. Reports from IFPRI and the FAO note both current and projected declines in yields from rising temperatures, erratic precipitation, advancing salinity in delta regions, and more frequent floods and droughts. Bangladesh starkly illustrates these challenges: recurrent waterlogging and saltwater intrusion routinely damage harvests, driving farmers to adapt through crop innovation and diversification, though adoption often outpaces the expansion of credit and stable markets.
Market failures further undermine agricultural development. Fragmented value chains, dilapidated infrastructure, poor storage, and limited market information prevent smallholder farmers from capturing the full value of their output. Prices at the farm gate remain low, post-harvest losses absorb a large share of national production, and persistent inefficiencies discourage household investment in improved methods or inputs. As such, inefficient markets act as a bottleneck, stifling agricultural and economic progress.
Conflict and displacement are the most dramatic disruptors. In countries such as Sudan, violent instability in 2023 obliterated the agricultural cycle, displacing millions and causing famine-like conditions. Market disruptions led to rapid surges in acute food insecurity, and the breakdown of rural livelihoods resulted in long-lasting impacts on both individuals and national economies.
The COVID-19 pandemic further exposed the fragility of rural value chains, with lockdowns and global supply shocks isolating many smallholders from essential markets and credit. Documentation since 2020 shows the impacts of these shocks, making clear the need for reinforced social protection systems and diversification of rural incomes.
Current data highlight the magnitude of these challenges. Undernourishment affected roughly 9 to 9.5 percent of the global population in 2022 and 2023, with the greatest concentration in Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia. In 2023, roughly 282 million people experienced acute food insecurity, a result of combined conflict, climate, and market shocks. In low-income regions, agriculture often provides livelihoods for the majority of rural households, underscoring its social and economic significance.
Country-specific experiences support these diagnoses. In Bangladesh, floating gardens, diversification, and climate-smart approaches are expanding but still reach a minority of smallholders. Innovations are hampered by shortfalls in financing, high-quality inputs, and predictable output markets. Sub-Saharan Africa has demonstrated some output gains, yet productivity is constrained by scant irrigation, seeds, and extension support, slowing the translation of population growth into poverty reduction or food security. In Sudan, the 2023 conflict underscores how quickly war can destroy local food systems: farming collapsed, markets closed, and food insecurity soared to unprecedented levels.
Policy responses must therefore be multifaceted and evidence-driven. The strengthening of smallholder services—including access to extension, inputs, and small-scale mechanization—remains fundamental. Investment in climate-resilient infrastructure, such as irrigation and flood defenses, alongside the adoption of climate-smart practices, is critical to withstand future shocks. Improved value chains, via better transport, storage, market information, and cooperative arrangements, are necessary to reduce loss and ensure fairer prices for farmers. Social protection systems, such as scalable safety nets and insurance products, must buffer against unforeseen shocks and allow livelihoods to recover. In conflict settings, support must prioritize humanitarian access, land rights protection, and measures to restore or maintain production even where peace is fragile.
Ultimately, agriculture in the Global South stands at a crossroads, grappling with entrenched structural weaknesses now aggravated by escalating climate, market, and conflict risks. The solutions are recognized and have shown promise at various scales: climate-smart technologies, cooperative market structures, and targeted finance can and do work, but only reach their potential with coordinated large-scale investment and governance that recognize farmers as active economic participants. Rapid action to scale these interventions remains critical for meeting the world’s food security and development goals.
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