A/70/287 Smallholder farmers 33. Smallholder farmers constitute a significant portion of the world ’s population. Estimated to number 500 million worldwide, they represent 85 per cent of the world’s farms but use no more than 20 per cent of the world’s arable land. 24 They are responsible for growing over 70 per cent of the world ’s food and are critical to global food security. Yet, they are also estimated to represent half of the hungry. 25 Therefore, unless small-scale farmers are given the appropriate support and technology to confront climate change, the resulting negative impact on food production and increase in world hunger will be devastating. 34. Subsistence farmers often inhabit the most exposed and marginal landscap es, such as hillsides, deserts and flood plains, and may already suffer from chronic food insecurity. Other factors contributing to their food insecurity may include insecure land tenure and lack of crop insurance and irrigation options. They may also lack access to formal social safety nets and have unpredictable and uneven exposure to markets and finance. They often have no access to information and technology to explain how the local climate is changing and how to adjust their farming strategies accordingly. Despite being skilful and resilient in dealing with nature, the current speed and intensity of climate change is outpacing their capacity to adapt. 26 Women 35. As farm labourers, vendors and unpaid care workers, women are responsible for food preparation and production in many countries and regions around the world and play a vital role in food security and nutrition. Nevertheless, women and girls continue to be disproportionately affected by climate change, poverty and malnutrition. Women in rural areas are particularly affected as the number of female-headed households continues to grow, exceeding 30 per cent in some developing countries, while women own only 2 per cent of agricultural land and have limited access to productive resources. 27 According to FAO, women are responsible for 50 per cent of the world’s food production, most of which is for family consumption. 36. In addition to the many challenges they face in relation to food production, women face significant barriers in tackling climate change because of their gender. Their vulnerability to climate change-related risks is exacerbated by discriminatory practices in the agricultural sector, where gender discrimination may affect women ’s access to financing, technical support and other necessary resources. They may also have less bargaining power in or be excluded from decision -making on land use or __________________ 24 25 26 27 15-10041 Celia A. Harvey and others, “Extreme vulnerability of smallholder farmers to agricultural risks and climate change in Madagascar”, in Philosophical Transactions B: Achieving Food and Environmental Security: New Approaches to Close the Gap, vol. 369, No. 1639 (5 April 2014). International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements, “IFOAM highlights the plight of smallholder farmers on Earth Day”, 22 April 2014. Available from www.ifoam-eu.org/sites/ default/files/pr_earth_day_0.pdf. IFAD, “Climate change and the future of smallholder agriculture”, discussion paper prepared for the round table on climate change held at the thirty-first session of the IFAD Governing Council, Rome, 14 February 2008. Isabella Rae, Women and the Right to Food: International Law and State Practice (Rome, FAO, 2008). 9/25