Increasing Income through Fruit and Vegetable Production Opportunities and Challenges

This report, presented by Thomas Lumpkin, Director General of AVRDC, discusses the current context of global horticulture production and its potential for increasing income. The challenges for developing the horticulture sector are considered in relation to market systems, post-harvest systems and food security and genetic resources. The issue of the environmental impact of horticulture production is addressed with an emphasis on the need for farmers to have access to information on price, quality and safety standards. Capacity building, institutional partnerships and an enabling environment for horticulture production all need to respond to the knowledge intensive nature of horticultural production, ensuring an effective flow of both long-term technical information and dynamic market information. The opportunities provided by horticulture production for women to increase their incomes and for households to improve their health and nutrition are also raised as important factors in reducing rural poverty. This report was discussed at the Stakeholder Meeting at AGM2005.