Modern agriculture and its impact on smallholder farmer livelihoods

‘Modern’ agriculture in the Global South usually takes the form of adoption of hybrid seeds, chemical inputs and planting practices modelled on conventional agriculture in the Global North. Additionally, it involves greater commercialization and approaching farming as a business. In practice, most farmers pursue a mix of strategies categorized as ‘modern’ or ‘traditional’ to meet a variety of needs, from risk reduction to food preferences. While there have been macro level analyses of agricultural production in the Global South, the trends they often describe do not capture the diversity on the ground or the social and economic differentiation underway in many contexts. Furthermore, how the adoption of ‘modern’ inputs and practices have had an impact on a broader definition of farmer livelihoods that includes health and environmental sustainability are few. This chapter reviews some of the existing studies as well as primary research carried out in countries in sub-Saharan Africa.