In a gripping episode of DevelopmentAid Dialogues, podcast host Hisham Allam invited two renowned pioneers in sustainable agriculture to discuss the delicate balance between ethical goals and practical challenges. Carmelo Troccoli, General Director of the Campagna Amica Foundation and the World Farmers Market Coalition, spoke with Kyle Newell, a global expert on integrating smallholder farmers into commercial value chains. The discussion focused on urgent issues such as ethical certifications, sustainable farming techniques, and the role of legislation in influencing agriculture’s future.
Download the transcript of this episode.
Carmelo Troccoli kicked off the conversation by addressing the complexities of open markets in Europe. While free trade agreements have increased worldwide market access, he highlighted the underlying inequities:
“European farmers face stringent quality standards, but similar rules are rarely enforced for imported products.” This absence of reciprocity places a major burden on our farmers.”
He emphasized the necessity of adding environmental and social factors into trade deals, using the EU-Mercosur deal as an example.
“A fair trade system must ensure that imported goods adhere to the same standards we impose on our farmers,” he told reporters.
Kyle Newell discussed the influence of ethical certifications like Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance on smallholder farmers. While these certificates provide access to premium markets, they also present substantial hurdles.
“Currently, they apply to only about 0.5% of global agriculture,” he told me. “The high upfront costs often make them inaccessible to small-scale farmers.”
Noel recommended realistic measures like cutting certification fees and acknowledging existing sustainable activities.
“In Sub-Saharan Africa, many smallholder farmers already plant organically because they cannot afford chemical inputs. However, the expense of organic certification frequently outweighs the benefits for them,” he added, emphasizing the need to close this gap.
Drawing on his experience with farmers’ markets in Italy, Carmelo emphasized the transforming power of direct ties between producers and customers.
“When small-scale farmers interact directly with consumers, trust replaces bureaucracy. “They don’t need certification to demonstrate their quality,” he explained.
Carmelo discussed the success of Campagna Amica, a network that connects 50,000 small farmers with consumers every week.
“This model enables small farmers to compete effectively with larger operations, fostering resilience and community engagement,” according to him.
Climate change, soil degradation, and water scarcity were among the topics covered during the conversation. Kyle Newell underlined the importance of a hybrid strategy that incorporates both old and new methodologies.
“High-tech solutions are valuable, but sometimes the most impactful changes come from optimizing existing practices,” he observed.
He also referenced a stark financial reality: agriculture in the Global South requires an estimated $400 billion annually for climate adaptation, far exceeding current commitments.
Carmelo underscored the urgency of preserving food biodiversity.
“In the last century, we lost 75% of the world’s food biodiversity. Restoring it is both a conservation effort and an innovation strategy for resilient agriculture,” he argued.
Both guests agreed on the pivotal role of policy in creating a more equitable agricultural system. Carmelo advocated for policies that enable farmers to move beyond raw material production:
“Farmers should be central players in the food system, with opportunities to process, sell, and add value to their products.”
Kyle Newell pointed out systemic biases in existing policies, which often favor large-scale producers.
“We need to rethink trade and subsidy frameworks to ensure inclusivity and equity,” he suggested.
For listeners interested in the transformative role of agriculture in sustainable development, Carmelo Troccoli and Kyle Newell’s insights offer a powerful perspective on the intersection of innovation, policy, and community engagement in reshaping global food systems.
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