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SPECIAL PROGRAMME FOR FOOD SECURITYDiversification of Production SystemsThe majority of poor people in developing countries live in rural areas and depend on agriculture for both food and income. Thus, the causes and consequences of food insecurity and poverty are closely linked. One of the most effective ways to break the viscous cycle of poverty and food insecurity is to increase agricultural production and productivity by small farmers who are often among the poorest of the poor, to the extent that this is environmentally sustainable and economically viable. Excessive dependence on a narrow range of products, i.e., the lack of diversification within many production systems, exposes farmers unduly to climatic vagaries, pests and diseases and price fluctuations; this leads to fluctuations in income levels during the year; contributes to environmental degradation; may fail to take advantage of complementarities (e.g. between livestock and crops) and has negative effects on diet and health. Diversification of traditional farming systems aims at generating new skills for small animal production, apiculture, fish farming, artisanal fishery, vegetables, fruit and tree crops and family gardens in peri-urban areas. The Special Programme for Food Security (SPFS) assists low-income, food deficit countries (LIFDCs) to improve their national/local food security through rapid increases in productivity and food production, reduction in year-to-year variability in production and improvement in access to food through a multidisciplinary and participatory approach on an economically and environmentally sustainable basis. As one of the four interrelated and complementary components of Phase I, "Diversification of Production Systems" covers: (i) Introduction of aquaculture, artisanal fisheries development, short-cycle
animal production (poultry, sheep, goats, pigs, bee keeping) and tree
crops;
SEE PROJECT EXAMPLE:
SEE SPECIFIC COMMON ELEMENTS (Programme arrangements and
terms of references (TORs) relevant to
SPFS diversification activities):
SEE GENERAL COMMON ELEMENTS APPLICABLE TO ALL SPFS PHASE I ACTIVITIES:
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