The state of food and agriculture 2012. Investing in agriculture for a better future - Summary

FAO’s flagship annual report gives a strong focus this year in investing in agriculture as an essential element for reducing food insecurity and promoting sustainable agricultural production. The focus of this report is on the accumulation of capital by farmers in agriculture and the investments made by governments to facilitate this accumulation.

The document reviews evidence on the importance of on-farm investment in agriculture as well as investment by governments, donors and private foreign investors. It highlights differences across regions and areas where investment may be lagging behind levels required to achieve sustainable productivity growth. The report also presents evidence showing how public resources can be used more effectively to catalyse private investment, especially by farmers themselves, and to channel public and private resources towards more socially beneficial outcomes.

FAO - December 2012