The Sustainable Smallholder

#SmallIsTheNewBig 📊 Key Data: > 80% of the EU's #farms are smallholders, typically managing less than 10 hectares. > Small farms account for the majority of Europe’s 10 million farms, but occupy only 12% of total agricultural land. > Between 2005 and 2025, the number of farms in the EU dropped by 37%, with smallholders being hit the hardest. Despite their challenges, small farms are indispensable: ➡️ They produce a diverse range of #food for local consumption. ➡️ They preserve #biodiversity, protect #landscapes, and sustain rural cultural heritage. ➡️ They create jobs, fostering vibrant rural communities in areas with limited employment opportunities. 💡 Challenges #Smallholders Face: > Increasing market pressures and competition from industrial farming > Limited access to technology, resources, and innovation > Vulnerability to climate change and extreme weather events > Aging demographics as younger generations move away from agriculture ✨ At The Sustainable Smallholder, we see small farms as the key to #Europe resilient future: >They can lead the way in #regenerative #agriculture, ensuring sustainable and resilient supply chains >They have the potential to maintain traditional systems while adopting innovative practices >With the right incentives, we can bring #youth back to agriculture, revitalizing #ruraleconomies 📢 Our Call to Action: We are ready to partner with organizations, foundations, and donors who are committed to working with smallholder farmers. Let’s: ✔️ Transition smallholder farmers to sustainable practices. ✔️ Strengthen resilient supply chains. ✔️ Preserve traditions while ensuring food security for future generations. ✔️ Build programs that empower smallholders and bring the next generation back to agriculture. We believe in the power of collaboration to create lasting change. If you’re an organization or foundation looking to invest in smallholder farmers, let’s work together to drive sustainable impact! 🌾💚 #SmallIsTheNewBig #Sustainability #SmallholderFarms #EUFoodSystems #RegenerativeAgriculture #ClimateAction

🌎💔 The Shocking Truth About Food Waste: What Wasting Fruits & Veggies Costs Our Planet The #FAO poll shows that the audience is close to reality. Recent reports do show that ~45% of the most wasted foods globally are fruits and vegetables. 🥦🍅 What are the implications of this??? 🌱 1️⃣ Wasted Land Use Imagine this: 1 billion hectares of #land—🌍 the size of Canada—is used to grow fruits and veggies that never get eaten. 😱 That’s land that could restore ecosystems or feed communities sustainably. 🔥 2️⃣ Wasted #GreenhouseGases (GHGs) Rotting fruits and vegetables release ~1.3–1.7 Gt CO₂e annually, equal to the entire emissions of Japan or Brazil. #Methane from this waste is 25x more potent than CO₂. Every kilogram wasted = as much CO₂ as driving a car 7–10 km. 🚗💨 💧 3️⃣ Wasted #Water Growing fruits and veggies sucks up 322 liters of water per kilogram. The water wasted annually on discarded produce could fill 20 million Olympic-sized swimming pools. 🏊♀️🌊 🍎 4️⃣ Wasted #Nutrition Billions of calories are lost daily—enough to feed millions of people. Meanwhile, in Southeast Asia & Africa, many don’t get enough fruits and vegetables, leading to malnutrition and nutrient deficiencies. 🥺🥗 💡 At The Sustainable Smallholder Smallholder, we empower #smallholder #farmers as key players in reducing #FoodWaste and driving #sustainable #FoodSystems. 🌾💪 Smallholders grow the #food that feeds the world—#SmallIsTheNewBig, and it’s time to empower them with better storage, supply chains, and market access. 🌟 What can we do? Let’s: ✅ Educate consumers on the value of fruits and vegetables ✅ Improve infrastructure for storage and distribution ✅ Push for policies that empower smallholders and reduce waste Together, we can transform waste into opportunity. 🌍✨ What solutions do YOU think can make a difference? Let’s discuss! #FoodWaste #Sustainability #LandUse #ClimateAction #SmallholderFarmers #SmallIsTheNewBig #climatechange #regen #regenerativeagriculture #COP #FAO #foodloss #foodwaste #foodsystems #collaboration

#SmallIsTheNewBig🌱 Smallholder Farmers: The Heart of Regenerative Agriculture 🌍🌍🌍 It’s time to shift focus: smallholder farmers, not industrial giants, must lead the regenerative revolution. Why? They’re the true stewards of the land, but they lack the resources to scale and succeed. 💡 The Problem: 1️⃣ Ideas aren’t the issue. Scaling is. 2️⃣ Production (supply) isn’t enough. We need demand. What’s Working vs. What’s Missing ✅ Supply-Side Success: Farmer-led innovations (agroecology, carbon credits). ❌ Still Missing: Access to affordable regenerative inputs. Scalable financing models. ✅ Demand-Side Success: Regenerative brands telling compelling stories. ❌ Still Missing: Consumer awareness and willingness to pay. Policies incentivizing demand. 🌟 Bridging the Gap: Educate Consumers on how their choices impact smallholder farmers. Empower Farmers with scalable tools and resources. Innovate Financing to connect consumer dollars directly to smallholder regeneration. Empowering Smallholders is the solution. Let’s scale their impact! 🌟 🌟 ✨ What’s your vision for bridging supply and demand? Post in comments below ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️!! Lets do this 🧨 🎇 🔥 💡 💡 💡 🌟 ✨ #SmallIsTheNewBig #RegenerativeAgriculture #Sustainability #FoodSystems #COP29 #regen #foodsystems #ifad #fao #smallholders #farmers #climatesmartagriculture #regenbrands #consumerdemand #sustainable #climatechange

🌍 Empowering Women Farmers Through Climate-Smart Agriculture 🌿 #Womenfarmers are the backbone of global agriculture, making up nearly half of the world’s #smallholder farmers (~250m !!) and 43% of the agricultural workforce in developing countries. Despite their critical role, they often face systemic barriers such as limited access to land, financing, and training. These challenges leave them disproportionately vulnerable to #climatechange, threatening both their livelihoods and global food security. 🔑 Why Women Farmers Matter in #climatesmartagriculture (CSA): >Women farmers produce 60-80% of food in developing countries, yet they receive less than 10% of agricultural credit and 5% of extension services globally. >Studies show that #gender-responsive training significantly increases women's adoption of CSA practices, improving farm yields and resilience. >Climate-smart approaches, such as women only #FarmerFieldSchools, have boosted women's participation by 30-50%, fostering greater leadership in #sustainableagriculture. ✨ The Sustainable Smallholder, we are committed to transforming food systems by empowering smallholder farmers, especially women: ✅ Supporting over 6,000 smallholders in 2024, spanning 10 countries, including Singapore, Cambodia, India, Egypt, Spain, and Greece. ✅ Partnering with 10+ private sector organizations to build resilient and regenerative supply chains in crops such as rice, olives, wheat, and vegetables. ✅ Securing multi-year projects, recognizing that #regeneration is a hashtag #journey, not a quick fix. ✅ We have a gender target set at 40% of beneficiaries Lets work together to empower women farmers to lead the way in climate-smart agriculture. Connect with us to explore collaborative opportunities that drive sustainable change and strengthen food security for all.

🌍 Reflecting on 2024: Empowering Smallholders, Transforming Systems 🌿 As 2024 draws to a close, our team at The Sustainable Smallholder are proud to reflect on our journey to empower #smallholder farmers and advance #sustainable #foodsystems globally. Smallholders make up over 500 million farmers worldwide, representing the backbone of agriculture. Yet, they remain underserved despite their critical role in driving food security, system change, and sustainability. This year, we were honored to work with and impact the lives of 6,000 smallholder farmers across the globe. ✨ Our Key Achievements in 2024✨: ✅ Global Reach: Spanning across Singapore, Cambodia, India, Egypt, the Philippines, Vietnam, Spain, Portugal, Cyprus, and Greece, we focused on sustainable programs in partnership with the private sector to bring meaningful change to smallholder farmers growing rice, olives, vegetables, wheat, and more. ✅ Building Resilient Supply Chains: Collaborated with 10+ private sector partners to design regenerative and resilient supply chains that prioritize smallholder livelihoods and environmental sustainability. ✅ Winning Long-Term Projects: Secured multi-year projects (3+ years), recognizing that regeneration is a journey requiring long-term commitment and trust-building. ✅ Innovation for System Change: Created farmer-centric, human-centered solutions to empower smallholders as decision-makers and stewards of the land. ✅ Scaling Impact: Reached ~6,000 smallholder farmers with programs designed to improve livelihoods, reduce environmental footprints, and foster systemic transformation. 🚀 Looking Ahead to 2025🚀: 2025 is the year we double down on impact, scaling efforts to ensure smallholders are at the forefront of sustainable food system transformation. Our objectives: 1️⃣ Expand Farmer-Led Innovation: Launch new programs focused on empowering farmers as leaders of change, using the Human Centred Design principles even more. 2️⃣ Build Partnerships for Change: Collaborate with public and private stakeholders to amplify smallholder voices in policy and practice. Expand our partner eco-system. 3️⃣ Champion Regeneration: Strengthen multi-year efforts to integrate regenerative principles into resilient supply chains. 4️⃣ Leverage Technology: Pilot digital tools and AI that enhance smallholder decision-making and resource management. ⚡ Do these goals align with yours? Are you a corporate leader, development expert, or sustainability champion passionate about creating tangible impact in agriculture? Let’s connect to explore how our innovative approaches can combine to create lasting, sustainable change. Book a conversation with us and let's have a great chat! #Sustainability #SmallholderEmpowerment #farmers #FoodSystemTransformation #TSS2025 #Innovation #Collaboration #RegenerativeAgriculture #COP30

The #Soil Crisis: Our Forgotten Foundation 🌱 Amid conversations we The Sustainable Smallholder Consulting are having with our partners about #food security, land access, and #climatechange, there’s one truth we can’t ignore: it all starts with the soil. Land prices continue to rise, farmers are aging out, and the next generation faces enormous barriers to entry—especially those committed to #regenerative practices. Yet, at the core of all these challenges lies something far deeper: the health of our soil. 🔹 Without #healthysoil, there’s no food production. 🔹 Without healthy soil, carbon cannot be sequestered. 🔹 Without healthy soil, ecosystems collapse. We’re not just facing a land access crisis; we’re facing a #soilcrisis. As we work to transition land to the next generation, we must ensure they have the tools and support to rebuild soil health—because it’s not just land stewardship we’re talking about, it’s life stewardship. This is where farmers practicing #regenerativeagriculture and agroecology are leading the way—restoring #ecosystems, enhancing #biodiversity, and producing food that sustains both people and the planet. 🌾 #Soilhealth must become our first priority. It’s time to focus not only on who owns the land but how the land is cared for. What are you seeing in your community or industry to put soil health at the center of the conversation? Let’s learn from each other. 🌍

🌍 Happy #WorldSustainabilityDay! At The Sustainable Smallholder, we’re focused on transforming agriculture into a force for sustainable good. Today, let’s consider the impact sustainable practices can have globally. 📈 Did You Know? -- 60% of global #soil is #degraded, affecting #foodsecurity and increasing CO₂ levels. Sustainable practices can improve yields by 30-40% -- Transitioning just 10% of farms to #regenerative practices could offset emissions equal to removing 70 million cars from roads -- In #smallholder #systems, reducing chemical use by 30% boosts #biodiversity while maintaining #crophealth Let’s collaborate on scaling these solutions for a resilient future! #WorldSustainabilityDay #RegenerativeAgriculture #FutureOfFood #regenerativeagriculture #regeneration #sustainability #systemthinking #agriculture #smallholders #farmers Like Comment

🌾 Did you know? 🌾 There are 10.5 million farms across the European Union, and about 80% of these are smallholder farms with 10 hectares or less—that's 8.4 million farms! While smallholder farms may contribute a smaller portion of the EU’s total agricultural output compared to larger commercial farms, their role in shaping rural economies, preserving biodiversity, and supporting sustainable local food systems is immeasurable. Small farms are not just about agriculture; they are about community, sustainability, and resilience 🌱 Let’s continue supporting our smallholder farmers who are truly the backbone of a sustainable agricultural future! 💚 Contact us The Sustainable Smallholder Consulting - we are all committed to support profitable and sustainable transition pathways to future proof our agriculture systems! #Agriculture #Sustainability #Smallholders #Biodiversity #EUFarming #LocalFoodSystems #regeneration #foodsystems #COP29

🌱 The #RegenerativeFuture: Why businesses are moving beyond sustainability and thinking about #regrowth🌱 The shift from #sustainability to #regeneration is more than a trend—it's a transformative approach that goes beyond minimizing harm to actively creating positive impact. Today, consumers want more than sustainable practices; they seek brands that regenerate our world, benefiting people, places, and the planet.  Regeneration goes beyond sustainability by creating a deeper and wider socio-economic impact.🌍 According to a survey by ReGenFriends, nearly 80% of US consumers prefer "regenerative" brands over "sustainable" ones, particularly Gen Y and Z, who see sustainability as too passive. Regeneration embodies #renewal, #restoration, and #growth—the core values of #LivingSystems. Why Regeneration Matters - real life examples: >>Regenerating People: Meiji Yasuda in Japan is transforming from a life insurance company into a life regeneration firm, helping communities thrive by promoting health and vitality. >>Revitalizing Places: Decathlon's “Store as Nature” in France aims to enhance local biodiversity, with plans to expand these nature-positive stores across the country. >>Restoring the Planet: Companies like Natura partner with Amazonian communities, using traditional practices to sustainably source ingredients, preserving both culture and the environment. But for businesses to capitalize on this trend, they must ensure they're hitting the regeneration triple mark: regeneration of people, places and the planet. This is what we call #TripleRegeneration Specifically, regenerative firms seek to boost the health and vitality of people, places and the planet simultaneously in a synergistic manner. In doing so, there is a growing body of evidence to suggest that regenerative businesses can achieve far better financial performance and impact than their sustainability-focused peers. By focusing on the #TripleRegeneration of people, places, and the #planet, businesses can achieve better financial performance and create a lasting, positive impact. 🌟 Is your business ready to embrace the #RegenerativeFuture? (source: WEF article, posted on 06/06/24, added below) #regenerativeagriculture #sustainableagriculture #smallhlders #farmers #regenerativebusiness https://lnkd.in/eYxkP6EN