Small-scale producers or smallholders feed the large majority of the world’s population, yet their importance has only recently been recognized in global policy spaces. The UN Committee on World Food Security (CFS) has been a key player in this, challenging the dominant narrative that the only solution to food insecurity is calling on technology to produce more food and agribusiness value chains to process it and channel it to consumers. Since its reform in 2009, the CFS has recognized both the agency of small-producers as well as the key roles they play in right to food realization and in achieving food security and nutrition. Through policy convergence processes, it has worked towards supporting smallholders in these roles. This policy focus is a direct result of the participation and evidence of small-scale producers from around the globe in CFS policy processes.

This document presents the independent report by the Civil Society and Indigenous Peoples Mechanism for the Committee on World Food Security monitoring the use and implementation of CFS policy recommendations on smallholders - 2019: "Towards Smallholder-oriented Public Policies".

Photo credits: © FAO/Luis Tato