Kenner, D., and Segal, R. (2023). Sowing the seeds of poverty. How the World Bank harms poor farmers.
Download the pdf here (PDF, 3MB).
This CAFOD report shows how the World Bank is promoting regulations and laws that support the expansion of commercial markets for hybrid seeds and chemical inputs like fertilisers and pesticides in Africa. Our research shows how this approach does not support poor smallholder farmers’ diverse needs and is not effective in reducing poverty or increasing food security. We outline alternative models, based on agroecological principles, that are more appropriate for supporting farmers to build resilient livelihoods. We are calling on the World Bank to stop promoting a narrow ‘one size fits all’ model and to start supporting a range of approaches that are vital for tackling poverty and building sustainable food systems.