Peasants, Smallholders and Post-global Food Crisis Agriculture Investment Programs

This article examines new multilateral food and agriculture development programs implemented in response to the 2008 Global Food Crisis. These programs, which seek to increase agricultural investment and production in developing countries, have gained wide currency among donors, recipient governments and multilateral organizations. Given the significant financial and political resources committed to their success, these new multilateral food and agriculture programs point to a new global food security policy consensus. By examining two of the key World Bank and EU programs prioritizing the integration small-scale and peasant farmers into commodity chains, we argue they fail to adequately address the obstacles poor farmers themselves have identified as critical to improving their food security and livelihoods.