Correcting the policy bias against dryland farming will help solve the current food crisis and enhance the livelihood of farmers, said International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (Icrisat) director general William Dar. In a policy paper on dryland farming, he said less than 10 per cent spending in developing countries goes to agriculture and less than one per cent for agricultural research.
Dependence on just a few globally traded crops could expose the developing nations to new risks. Overdependence on a few corps will create agro-ecological risks, he said in a statement.