Oxfam welcomes increase in aid to poor farmers, says more funding needed by Oxfam International 6:25am 30th Jun, 2009   10 July 2009 (Oxfam International)    Against a backdrop of unprecedented crises – the economy, food shortages, climate change and increasing poverty – this G8 has attempted to portray itself as seriously tackling the big issues facing the world.    The real bright spot was the new commitment to invest in agriculture and tackle global hunger. This is a welcome initiative, championed by President Obama who has set a real ‘can-do’ tone to the conference.    Oxfam"s Emma Seery said “With the economic crisis costing Africa $245bn this year alone, this is a state of emergency”. Oxfam"s Gawain Kripke said: "Oxfam welcomes the G8 joint statement that commits leaders to focus on hunger and the needs of small farmers. The statement commits $20 billion over 3 years for agriculture development. Much of this funding is recycled, but the new money makes a downpayment on eliminating hunger. With a billion people facing hunger, more new money is urgently needed."    However, past commitments to the extra money promised at Gleneagles Conference in 2005 (an extra $50 billion by 2010, of which half is for Africa) and was made yet again - but with no plan to get there despite still being $23 billion short and only a year to go.    On climate change, there has been an important acknowledgement of the need to keep increases in global warming below 2 degrees - but again missing the key action steps to achieve it: a 40% cut in emissions by 2020.    Robert Fox from Oxfam Canada says Oxfam research shows global public investment in agricultural production has fallen 75 per cent from its levels in the ‘70s. So the draft agreement for the new food security initiative pledging US$20 billion over three years is still not enough but is certainly more promising. This money still pales in comparison with the resources mobilized world-wide to bail out the banks some $15 trillion, but if it"s properly targeted to small farmers - most of whom are women - it"s a start on the types of investments needed to support small scale production for local consumption.    The money continues to fall far short of need. In the coming months we"ll want to follow up carefully to confirm how much of this money is really new and to ensure it benefits the small farmers who so urgently need support to move from surviving to thriving.    June 30, 2009    Leaders from the world"s industrialized economies should commit to increasing investment in agriculture in poor countries when they meet in Italy next week, global development group Oxfam said on Tuesday.    In a new report, Oxfam said agricultural assistance by Group of Eight donor countries had fallen sharply, to around $5 billion a year in 2007 from $20 billion in the 1980s.    The G8, which comprises the United States, Britain, Germany, Italy, France, Russia, Canada and Japan, will meet on July 8-10 to discuss international issues.    "A substantial increase in long-term agriculture investments is loose change compared to ongoing investments in rich countries or the trillions of dollars spent globally this year on the financial bailout," said the report"s author, Emily Alpert.    "Strengthening the agricultural sectors of developing countries is a crucial part of the long-term solution to the world"s food, financial and climate crises," she added.    A devastating crisis in food prices last year, which led to increased hunger, malnutrition and the risk of social unrest in many poor countries, illustrated why investment in agriculture was necessary to boost global food supplies, Oxfam added.    Years of underinvestment have caused stagnating yields, degraded lands and a scarcity of fresh water in poor countries, it said.    Investment by donors, national governments and the private sector in poor countries should target women and help improve knowledge about environmentally-sustainable farming methods in the wake of climate changes, the report said.    In Africa, governments spend on average 4.5 percent of their budgets on agriculture, the report said.    While Africa and other poor regions are attracting agridollars from Asia and the Middle East countries worried about their own food security, there is concern among development groups that local populations will be marginalized by deals that do not take their needs into account.    Alpert said agricultural investment must include the poor who live in marginalized areas and it was important that donors and governments filled the gap left by the private sector.    "Despite perceived low returns on investing in marginalized areas by donors and the private sector, investing in developing country agriculture pays for itself by reducing poverty," she said, adding that it also boosted income and local economies.    "A healthy agricultural sector acts as a multiplier in local economies, leading eventually to higher wages and vibrant rural markets where farmers and workers spend their earnings." 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