ISHS Acta Horticulturae 621: XXVI International Horticultural Congress: Horticultural Science in Emerging Economies, Issues and Constraints
PREPARING SMALL-SCALE ASIAN FARMERS FOR KNOWLEDGE-BASED HORTICULTURE |
| Author: | S.C.S. Tsou |
| Abstract:
Continued growth of the world population, widespread of poverty, limited scope for expansion of cultivated area, and increasing water scarcity pose great challenges for horticulture. The globalized market for horticultural products will add additional challenges to small-scale farmers, especially in Asia. The new economy, however, can have a positive impact on these farmers. They have better access to new opportunities and information, and are better linked with the local and international markets. Farmers need to know how to use new tools and technologies made available to them. Progressive farmers will play a leading role in testing and adopting new technologies and sharing their knowledge with other farmers. The leadership of vegetable farmers in rural communities is being studied by the Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center (AVRDC). Progressive farmers, the first group to adopt improved technologies, often demonstrate the benefits of new technologies and make an impact on others. Vegetable farming families generally invest more in education and thus, generate income from non-horticultural sectors. Balanced nutrition is a key component for poverty reduction and overall rural development. The role of vegetables in diversifying production systems of small-scale farmers, and achieving diversified diets and nutrition improvement, especially in micronutrients, is discussed. The potential contribution of indigenous vegetables for new products with value-added traits is emphasized. In order to prepare small-scale farmers to better respond to the emerging economy, new partnership or strategic alliances among the scientific community and private sector will need to be established. | |
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