We can end extreme poverty in our lifetime. Since 1990, the world has halved the number of extreme poor. However, there are still about 767 million people living under USD 1.90 a day. Countries have committed themselves to ending hunger and extreme poverty by 2030. Investing in agriculture has been, and still is, an effective approach. However, it is not the only one. FAO is taking a broader view to tackling rural poverty. Our programmes and policy guidance focus on the following areas to address and improve the many different factors that contribute to poverty:
1. GREATER ACCESS
Remove barriers and increase poor peoples’ ability to provide for themselves. This means increasing their access to credit, services, natural resources and other assets, improving their capacity to manage risks and linking small-scale agriculture to markets and food systems.
2. INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY
Increase the productivity of small farms while promoting the sustainable use and management of natural resources.
3. DECENT EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Create decent farm and off-farm employment for the poor, including men, women and youth, by promoting entrepreneurship and developing their occupational skills.
4. BASIC LEVEL OF INCOME AND SOCIAL PROTECTION
Build and scale-up social protection systems, like cash transfer programmes.
5. STRONGER INSTITUTIONS
Strengthen the role of rural institutions, community organizations and local governments in policy dialogue and decision-making.
6. EMPOWERED PEOPLE
Empower the rural poor to actively participate in and benefit from the development process.
7. EQUAL TREATMENT
Reduce gender inequalities, particularly regarding access to social services and productive resources.
8. BETTER POLICIES
Help countries implement a comprehensive set of policies and strategies for rural poverty reduction at territorial, country and regional levels.
9. ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE
Supports countries to increase the resilience, adaptive and coping capacity of poor and vulnerable communities to climate change.
Source: http://www.fao.org/reduce-rural-poverty/pathways-out-of-poverty/en/
