The world will need to increase agricultural production by 50% to meet the nutritional needs of a predicted global population of 9.8 billion people, according to the International Finance Corporation, which says that an estimated 480 million smallholder farmers can help meet this need, especially as food market growth shifts to the emerging world. The authors of Working with Smallholders: A Handbook for Firms Building Sustainable Supply Chains argue that as agribusinesses face increasing pressure, working with smallholders can ensure diversity and security in food supply chains, while enabling the farmers to increase their productivity and income.
Source: World Bank
