Synthesis of an online debate*

综合在线辩论

ATwo things distinguish food production from all other productive activities: first, every single person needs food each day and has a right to it; and second, it is hugely dependent on nature. These two unique aspects, one political, the other natural, make food production highly vulnerable and different from any other business, At the same time, cultural values are highly entrenched in food and agricultural systems worldwide.

A粮食生产与其他生产活动有两点不同：首先，每人每天都需要食物，并且有权利获取食物;第二，粮食生产胙常依赖大自然。一是政治性的，另一个是自然性的，这两个独特性使得粮食生产非常脆弱，并且与其他行业都不同。与此同时，在世界各地，文化价值观都与粮食和农北体系息息相关。

B世界各地的农民都面临一些大的风险，包括极端气候、长期的气候变化以及生产资科和农产品市场的价格波动。然而，发展中国家的小农户必定还受到其他恶劣坏境的影响，无论是土壤质量、降雨量等方面的自然因素，还是基础设施、金秘体系、市场状况、(农业)知识和技术等方面的人为因素。让人想不到的是，饥俄现象在发展t 国家的小农户之间是普遍存在的。

BFarmers everywhere face major risks, including extreme weather, long-term climate change, and price volatility in input and product markets. However, smallholder farmers in developing countries must in addition deal with adverse environments, both natural, in terms of soil quality, rainfall, etc.,and human, in terms of infrastructure, financial systems, markets, knowledge and technology. Counter-intuitively, hunger is prevalent among many smallholder farmers in the developing world.

C在线讨论的参与者认为，我们最大的挑战是需要找出农业系统无法养活所有人的根本原因，而立他们认为这个问题源于我们依赖化石燃料和政府政策不支持。

D在降低农民面临的风险这个问题上，大多教的分析者认为政府庙该史多地参与进来。农业发展国际基金会主席 Ka nayoF.Nwaiize在他的文章中桎到：政府可以提供基础服务以极大地减少农民的风险，如建设道路使农产品更有 效地运到市场，或者提供储水和粮食存链设备来減少損耗。农业与贸易研究所高级顾问Sophia Murphy认为，政府的买和持有债券也可以平缓市场供给的不确定性造成的食品价格大幅波动。

CParticipants in the online debate argued that our biggest challenge is to address the underlying causes of the agricultural system`s inability to ensure sufficient food for all. And they identified as drivers of this problem our dependency on fossil fuels and unsupportive government policies.

E国际粮食政策研究所所长樊胜根在埃塞俄比亚、巴西和墨西哥开展社会保障和公共福利项目来解决农民家庭贫困问题和增强他们抵抗农业生产冲击的能力。然而，有些评论者认为那些发给贫困家庭的资金不一定会增强成粮食生产稳定性，因为这些项目并不总是会提升食品产量或者收入。BNS的执行理事RokeyaKabir在她的文章中提到这些国家农业补贴“并没有抵消来自私商的束缚。事实上，研究表明60%的补贴受益者都不是穷人，而是富有的地主或者中间商。”

FNWanze、Murphy以及Fan认为私人风险监控管理工具，如私人保险、商品期货市场和农业金触可以帮助小规模生产者减轻风险，允许投资进行改造。Kabir警告道，金融支持计划经常鼓励高投入的农业生产，这在中期可能会导致农业生产成本超出收获的价值。Murphy指出当期货市场变得过度金融化，它们将会引起短期的价格波动，这会增加农民将要面临的食品风险。许多参与讨论者和评论者强调市场需要提高透明度来減轻价格波动造成的影响，并且要明示市场存储和供应是否充足。其他人則认为农生企业应该担负起为负面影响买单的责任。

DOn the question of mitigating the risks farmers face, most essayists called for greater state intervention. In his easy, Kanayo F. Nwanze, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, argued that governments can significantly reduce risks for farmers by providing basic services like roads to get produce more efficiently to markets, or water and food storage facilities to reduce losses. Sophia Murphy, senior advisor to the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, suggested that the procurement and holding of stocks by governments can also help mitigate wild swings in food prices by alleviating uncertainties about market supply.

G根多分析者提到气候吏化以及其对小规模农业的影响， Fan解释道：“除了减少作物产量，气候变化增加 了极端天气事件的強度和频率，削弱了小农户的抵抗能力/越来越难以预测的天气状孔让农民越来越难以应对天气?!发的风险。根据该作者的现点，一个解决措施是研发作物品种，这些品种更能适应新的气候条件和各种极端的天气状X。因此，ETC集团的联合创始人兼执行理事Pat Mooney认为：“如果我们想在气候变化中生存，我们必须采取措施让农民丰富可供食用的农作物和牲畜品种。”

H—些参与的作者和评论者赞成通过集体行动组、合作社以及生产集团来实施区域性的自主风险管理 s 这些组 织提升小规模生产者 的市场机会， 减少市场成本 并且根据季节性的价格情况进行买卖。根据 Muipby的说法：“集体活动为农民提供了一种重要途径来加强他们在政治上和经济上的谈判能力，并以此降低他们的商业风险。”一位评论者 Gie丨Ton提醒道，集体行动并非没有代价。它需要时间、精力和金钱去组织、建立信任并进行试验。其他人如MarcelVemooij和Marce丨Beukeboom认为，为了 “应用我们已经知道的方法"，所有利益相关者，包括企业、政府、科学家以及民间团体，从价值链的起点开始，需要一起努力。

EShenggen Fan, Director General of the International Food Policy Research Institute, help up social safety nets and public welfare programmes in Ethiopia, Brazil and Mexico as valuable ways to address poverty among farming families and reduce their vulnerability to agriculture shocks. However, some commentators responded that cash transfers to poor families do not necessarily translate into increased food security, as these programmes do not always strengthen food production or raise incomes. Regarding state subsidies for agriculture, Rokeya Kabir, Executive Director of Bangladesh Nari Progati Sangha, commented in her essay that these `have not compensated for the stranglehold ecercised by private traders. In fact, studies show that sixty percent of beneficiaries of subsidies are not poor, but rich landowners and non-farmer traders.'

I一些参与者解锋说市场价格波动经常因为中间商的介入而变得更糟，这些人利用农民的脆弱性，自己决定价格..一个评论者建议农民可以通过直接把产品卖給消费者的方法来获得更多的对价格的控制力，并使价格波动最小化。同样，印度喜马拉雅环境与教育研究所( INHERE ) 创始人和顾问 Sonali Bsht写道，区域支持型农业让消费者订购并保证给生产者一个合理的价格，这是一个值得更多关注的风险分摊模式。她写道，食品直铕模式不仅鼓励小规模农北，而且还让消费者更好地控制他们所消费的食物。

FNwanze, Murphy and Fan argued that private risk management tools, like private insurance, commodity futures markets, and rural finance can help small-scale producers mitigate risk and allow for investment in improvements. Kabir warned that financial support schemes often encourage the adoption of high-input agricultural practices, which in the medium term may raise production costs beyond the value of their harvests. Murphy noted that when futures markets become excessively financialised they can contribute to short-term price volatility, which increase farmers` food insecurity. Many participants and commentators emphasised that greater transparency in markets is needed to mitigate the impact of volatility, and make evident transparency in markets is needed to mitigate the impact of volatility, and make evident whether adequate stocks and supplies are available. Others contended that agribusiness companies should be held responsible for paying for negative side effects.

GMany essayists mentioned climate change and its consequences for small-scale agriculture. Fan explained that 'in addition to reducing crop yields, climate change increase the magnitude and the frequency of extreme weather events, which increase smallholder vulnerability.'' The growing unpredictability of weather events, which increases farmers` difficulty in managing weather-related risks. According to this author, one solution would be to develop crop varieties that are more resilient to new climate trends and extreme weather patterns. Accordingly, Pat Mooney, co-founder and executive director of the ETC Group, suggested that ` if we are to survive climate change, we must adopt policies that let peasants diversify the plant and animal species and varieties/breeds that make up our menus.'

HSome participating authors and commentators argued in favour of community-based and autonomous risk management strategies through collective action groups co-operatives or producers` groups. Such groups enhance market opportunities for small-scale producers, reduce marketing costs and synchronise buying and selling with seasonal price conditions. According to Murphy, `collective action offers an important way for farmers to strengthen their political and economic bargaining power, and to reduce their business risks.` One commentator, Giel Ton, warned that collective action does not come as a free good. It takes time, effort and money to organise, build trust and to experiment. Others, like Marcel Vernooij and Marcel Beukeboom, suggested that in order to `apply what we already know`, all stakeholders, including business, government, scientists and civil society, must work together, starting at the beginning of the value chain.

ISome participants explained that market price volatility is often worsened by the presence of intermediary purchasers who, taking advantage of farmers` vulnerability dictate prices. One commentator suggested farmers can gain greater control over prices and minimise price volatility by selling directly to consumers. Similarly, Sonali Bisht, founder and advisor to the Institute of Himalayan Environmental Research and Education (INHERE), India, wrote that community-supported agriculture, where consumers invest in local farmers by subscription and guarantee producers a fair price, is a risk-sharing model worth more attention. Direct food distribution systems not only encourage small-scale agriculture but also give consumers more control over the food they consume, she wrote.

* The personal names in the next refer to the authors of written contributions to the online debate.