Giving Compass' Take:

• A 2018 report shows that more investment in small-scale agriculture is needed across the globe so that farming can continue to be a sustainable source of food.

• How can investments in sustainable farming address broader issues like food waste innovation and aid the effort to end hunger?

• Read about a newer project to measure and monitor environmental impacts of crops.

A recent report by the international network More and Better presents a global overview of investments in agriculture, revealing that more investment in small-scale sustainable agriculture is needed. The report gives an overview of some of the most important financial institutions involved in agriculture and the benefits and implications of different investment models. It also provides recommendations for inclusive and equitable future investments in small-scale sustainable farming.

"Farmers have the most important occupation in the world," says Aksel Nærstad, International Co-coordinator of the More and Better Network.

"The U.N. Global Compact states that small-scale food producers — peasants, artisanal fisherfolks, pastoralists, hunters, and gatherers — produce 40 percent of the food which is traded and 70 percent of all food in the world. But peasants are also the largest group of the poor people in the world and of the about 800 million people who are starving. More focus on and support to improve the condition for peasants is therefore crucial."

The report details several studies from the World Bank and U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) demonstrating how investments in small-scale sustainable agriculture is an effective and proven way to reduce hunger and poverty in low-income countries.

Read the full article about investing in small-scale agriculture at Food Tank.