GROW a better future

Our GROW campaign spans the globe. GROW identifies limiting climate change as the world’s number one priority if we are to end global hunger. But it also recognises a range of other important factors on which corporate and world leaders need to take action.

So in addition to tackling climate change, we need to reform our global food system including limiting food price spikes, ending land grabbing, and improving support for small-scale farmers.

You may have heard how Australia’s big four banks are supporting land grabbing around the world. We’re campaigning for them to take a zero tolerance to land grabbing approach to ensure that when they lend or provide other support to large agri-businesses, these companies are not pushing communities from their land.

Governments need to assist small-scale food producers by providing access to sustainable farming techniques. Only then will these farmers be able to produce enough food for our growing population.

This support is already underway. In Vietnam, the government kick-started support for farmers, and the number of people going hungry halved in 12 years.

But for really significant reductions in hunger, there needs to be more support to small-scale food production in developing countries.

Small-scale farmers, fisherfolk and agricultural workers are the backbone of the world’s food system. Yet paradoxically are the most likely to face hunger.

Again and again, we see that supporting a fair go for small-scale food producers is key to combating hunger. This involves sharing skills and farming knowledge, as well as supporting farmers and indigenous communities to have fair access to land and water sources.

We need to change the way the world thinks about farming.