b"International Year of Plant Health / PovertyPoverty Needs a Hand UpInvesting in the future of seeds to end poverty.Melissa ShipmanAFTER AN ESPECIALLYvola-tile year, the seed industry has the opportunity to make an impact toward reducing global poverty. Its a goal that will require intentional investment over the coming years. Anthony Leddin, Australian plant breeder for Valley Seeds, believes the most important thing to remember is that nations struggling with hunger and pov-erty need a hand up, not a hand out.In times of famine in places like Ethiopia, for instance, overseas aid will come in and give free seed to farmers. That seed can be used for planting, but also for eating, and it guts the market for local farmers trying to sell seed there, dropping wheat prices to nearly zero, not only in Ethiopia, but in countries sur-rounding it as well, Leddin says.The solution is about developing a foundation. Investments must be madeAnthony Leddin, a breeder from Valley Seeds, also works closely with Plant Breeders in the right way in order to successfullyWithout Borders to help educate about food security. make a difference in reducing and elimi-nating poverty. Simon Winter, executive director of the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Invest in Smallholder Farms Agriculture, says of the 600 million small The vast majority, or about 75%, of thescale farmers in the world, only about 10% global agricultural land is managed by smallof those are making a decent living. family farmers. The Food and AgriculturalThe rest are very vulnerable to volatile Organization of the United Nations reportsweather and other associated hazards like that 90% of family farmers operate farmspests, diseases and flooding, all of which that are smaller than 5 hectares.are getting worse as climate change That's where economy can reallyworsens, Winter says.grow, Leddin says.These small-scale operations areInvest in Public-Private Partnershipcrucial to local and regional food security,Partnerships are essential to give small-but come with many limitations.holder farmers access to high quality seed. Factors such as limited access toPublic investment has been declining in information, tools, services and marketmost of the world, which private invest-hinder them to increase their profitabil- ments and capability continue to grow.ity and income, says Julia Harnal, ViceTogether with CINI (Collectives of President Sustainability & GovernmentalIntegrated Livelihood Initiatives), BASFJulia Harnal serves as vice president of Affairs at BASFs Agricultural Solutionsis supporting a project with tribal smallsustainability and governmental affairs at division.landholders in the state of Odisha. BASF. 58/ SEEDWORLD.COMDECEMBER 2020"