Small farmers, agroecology and food sovereignty in Ethiopia: An anthropological appraisal

The small farmers of Ethiopia play a very significant role not only feeding the large segment of country's population but also contribution to food security. Africa accommodates approximately 33 million small farms constituting 80 percent of all farms in the continent. The majority of African farmers are smallholders, with two-thirds of all farms out of which 90 percent of farms are below 10 hectares. The small farmers of Ethiopia constitute a significant segment of this group in the continent who practice low-resource agriculture based primarily on the use of local resources and modest use of external inputs. The small farming system on highlands of Ethiopia sustain diversified farming systems and produces multiple crops covering grains, fruits, vegetables, fodder, and animal products in the same field or garden. These farmers have upheld the keys for food sovereignty and sustainable agriculture of the country. The small farms of Ethiopia are more productive and resource conserving compared to modern agriculture and large farms evolved on the foundation of small farms. Traditional multiple cropping systems sustained by small farmers since centuries has provided as much as 20 percent of domestic consumption of the region. The productivity in terms of harvestable products per unit area of polycultures developed by small farms is much higher than productivity of large farm under a single crop with the same level of management. This paper based on desk research and critical synthesis of research work done by different scholars on food sovereignty and small farmers highlights how these farmers take better care of natural resources, including reducing soil erosion and conserving biodiversity. This paper also critical examines the inverse relationship between farm size and output that can be attributed to the more efficient exploitation of land, water, biodiversity, and other agricultural resources This study recommends that there is an urgent need for promoting strong rural economies in rural regions of the country empowering and renovating productive small-scale farming.. This scale down the tide of out-migration from rural regions and create adequate employment opportunities and strong foundation for food security against threats of climate change and drought.