able farmers to capture more value from their pro-
duction. Policy-makers can also promote small
farmers’ participation in SCPI by improving their
access to production and market information
through modern information and communication
technology (FAO, 2011).
Farmers’ assumptions, attitudes or cultural beliefs
are often deeply ingrained. However, governments
can create an enabling environment for the wide-
spread uptake of productivity enhancing practices
by farmers with appropriate policy frameworks,
encouragement through participatory research and
extension, the broadcast media, and formal and
non-formal education, as well as through financial,
tax and other incentives.
To encourage smallholders to adopt sustainable
crop production intensification, it is not enough to
demonstrate improved sustainability. Farming
needs to be profitable, smallholders must be able
to afford inputs and be sure of earning a reasonable
price for their crops. Some countries protect income
by fixing minimum prices for commodities; others
are exploring smart subsidies on inputs, targeted to
low income producers. Policy-makers also need to
devise incentives for small farmers to use natural
resources wisely for example through payments for
environmental services and reduce the transaction
costs of access to credit. In many countries, regulations
are needed to protect farmers from unscrupulous
dealers selling bogus seeds and other inputs; while
inputs with negative environmental consequences
need to be priced to reflect these aspects (FAO,
2011).
Production systems for SCPI are knowledge inten-
sive and relatively complex to learn and implement.
For many farmers, extensionists, researchers and
policy-makers they represent new ways of doing
business. There is thus an urgent need to build
capacity and provide learning opportunities and
technical support in order to improve the skills all
stakeholders need. Major investment will be needed
to rebuild research and technology transfer capacity
in developing countries in order to provide farmers
with appropriate technologies and to enhance their
skills through approaches such as farmer field
schools.The shift to SCPI systems can occur rapidly when
there is a suitable enabling environment or gradually
in areas where farmers face particular agro-eco-
logical socio-economic or policy constraints includ-
inga lack of necessary equipment. While some
economicand environmental benefits will be
achieved in the short term, a longer term commit-
ment from all stakeholders is necessary in order to
achieve the full benefits of such systems (FAO,
2011).6. Key messages
In conclusion there are three key messages regarding
the development and implementation of SCPI.6.1 Sustainable crop production intensification
(SCPI) requires a systems approach
Production is not the only element to consider in
implementing SCPI; sustainable livelihoods and
value chain approaches need to underpin the increase
in productivity and diversification, so that one element
is not optimized at the expense of another. SCPI
harnesses ecosystem services such as nutrient
cycling, biological nitrogen fixation, predation and
parasitism, uses varieties with high productivity per
external input and minimizes the use of technologies
or practices that have adverse effects on human
health or the environment.SCPI represents a shift from current farming practices
to sustainable agricultural systems capable of
providing significant productivity increases and
enhanced ecosystem services. Such systems are
based on: simultaneous achievement of increased73