The Risks Agriculture Faces in Developing Countries Reading Answers

Jan 2, 2023

The Risks Agriculture Faces in Developing Countries Reading Answers contains 13 questions that are to be answered in 20 minutes. The Risks Agriculture Faces in Developing Countries Reading Answers is taken from the IELTS Academic Reading Cambridge 3 Test 4, Reading Passage 1. IELTS topic- The Risks Agriculture Faces in Developing Countries Reading Answers deals with Synthesis of an online debate. The Risks Agriculture Faces in Developing Countries Reading Answers, contains 2 different IELTS reading question types are given including- Choosing the Correct letter and matching statements. Candidates need to skim through the passage for the best answer. They can also refer to IELTS Reading practice papers.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

The Risks Agriculture Faces in Developing Countries Reading Answers

Synthesis of an online debate

Two things distinguish food production from all other productive activities: first, every single person needs food each day and has a right to it; and second, it is hugely dependent on nature. These two unique aspects, one political, the other natural, make food production highly vulnerable and different from any other business. At the same time, cultural values are highly entrenched in food and agricultural systems worldwide.
Farmers everywhere face major risks; including extreme weather, long-term climate change, and price volatility in input and product markets. However, smallholder farmers in developing countries must in addition deal with adverse environments, both natural, in terms of soil quality, rainfall, etc. and human, in terms of infrastructure, financial systems, markets, knowledge and technology. Counter-intuitively, hunger is prevalent among many smallholder farmers in the developing world.
Participants in the online debate argued that our biggest challenge is to address the underlying causes of the agricultural system’s inability to ensure sufficient food for all, and they identified as drivers of this problem our dependency on fossil fuels and unsupportive government policies.
On the question of mitigating the risks farmers face, most essayists called for greater state intervention. In his essay, Kanayo F. Nwanze, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, argued that governments can significantly reduce risks for farmers by providing basic services like roads to get produce more efficiently to markets, or water and food storage facilities to reduce losses. Sophia Murphy, senior advisor to the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, suggested that the procurement and holding of stocks by governments can also help mitigate wild swings in food prices by alleviating uncertainties about market supply.
Shenggen Fan, Director General of the International Food Policy Research Institute, held up social safety nets and public welfare programmes in Ethiopia, Brazil and Mexico as valuable ways to address poverty among farming families and reduce their vulnerability to agriculture shocks. However, some commentators responded that cash transfers to poor families do not necessarily translate into increased food security, as these programmes do not always strengthen food production or raise incomes. Regarding state subsidies for agriculture, Rokeya Kabir, Executive Director of Bangladesh Nari Progati Sangha, commented in her essay that these ‘have not compensated for the stranglehold exercised by private traders.In fact, studies show that sixty percent of beneficiaries of subsidies are not poor, but rich landowners and non-farmer traders.
Nwanze, Murphy and Fan argued that private risk management tools, like private insurance, commodity futures markets, and rural finance can help small-scale producers mitigate risk and allow for investment in improvements. Kabir warned that financial support schemes often encourage the adoption of high-input agricultural practices, which in the medium term may raise production costs beyond the value of their harvests. Murphy noted that when futures markets become excessively financialised they can contribute to short-term price volatility, which increases farmers’ food insecurity. Many participants and commentators emphasised that greater transparency in markets is needed to mitigate the impact of volatility, and make evident whether adequate stocks and supplies are available. Others contended that agribusiness companies should be held responsible for paying for negative side effects.
Many essayists mentioned climate change and its consequences for small-scale agriculture. Fan explained that in addition to reducing crop yields, climate change increases the magnitude and the frequency of extreme weather events, which increase smallholder vulnerability. The growing unpredictability of weather patterns increases farmers’ difficulty in managing weather-related risks. According to this author, one solution would be to develop crop varieties that are more resilient to new climate trends and extreme weather patterns. Accordingly, Pat Mooney, co-founder and executive director of the ETC Group, suggested that ‘if we are to survive climate change, we must adopt policies that let peasants diversify the plant and animal species and varieties/breeds that make up our menus.
Some participating authors and commentators argued in favour of community- based and autonomous risk management strategies through collective action groups, co-operatives or producers’ groups. Such groups enhance market opportunities for small-scale producers, reduce marketing costs and synchronise buying and selling with seasonal price conditions. According to Murphy, ‘collective action offers an important way for farmers to strengthen their political and economic bargaining power, and to reduce their business risks. One commentator, Giel Ton, warned that collective action does not come as a free good. It takes time, effort and money to organise, build trust and to experiment. Others, like Marcel Vernooij and Marcel Beukeboom, suggested that in order to ‘apply what we already know’, all stakeholders, including business, government, scientists and civil society, must work together, starting at the beginning of the value chain.
Some participants explained that market price volatility is often worsened by the presence of intermediary purchasers who, taking advantage of farmers’ vulnerability, dictate prices. One commentator suggested farmers can gain greater control over prices and minimise price volatility by selling directly to consumers. Similarly, Sonali Bisht, founder and advisor to the Institute of Himalayan Environmental Research and Education (INHERE), India, wrote that copipunity-supported agriculture, where consumers invest in local farmers by subscription and guarantee producers a fair price, is a risk-sharing model worth more attention. Direct food distribution systems not only encourage small-scale agriculture but also give consumers more control over the food they consume, she wrote.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation

Questions 1-3:
The Reading Passage has nine paragraphs, A-l.
Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct letter, A-l, in boxes 1-3 on your answer sheet.

a reference to characteristics that only apply to food production.

Answer: A
Supporting Sentence: Two things distinguish food production from all other productive activities: first, every single person needs food each day and has a right to it; and second, it is hugely dependent on nature.
Keywords: distinguish food production, single person
Keyword Location: Paragraph A; Line 1
Explanation: The author states that food production differs from all other productive activity in two ways. First, everyone requires food every day and has a right to it; and second, it is highly dependent on nature.

a reference to challenges faced only by farmers in certain parts of the world.

Answer: B
Supporting Sentence: smallholder farmers in developing countries must in addition deal with adverse environments
Keywords: smallholder farmers, developing countries
Keyword Location: Paragraph B; line 2
Explanation: The author states that the smallholder farmers in developing nations must also contend with adversity. There must be both environmental (soil quality, rainfall, etc.) and human (infrastructure, banking systems, markets, expertise, and technology).

a reference to difficulties in bringing about co-operation between farmers.

Answer: H
Supporting Sentence: It takes time, effort and money to organise, build trust and to experiment
Keywords: efforts, money, and build trust
Keyword Location: Paragraph H; Line 5
Explanation: The passage in paragraph H mentions that Giel Ton, one commentator, cautioned that communal action is not a free gift. Organizing, building trust, and experimenting cost time, effort, and money.

Questions 4-9:
Look at the following statements (Questions 4-9) and the list of people below.
Match each statement with the correct person, A-G.
Write the correct letter, A-G, in boxes 4-9 on your answer sheet.

NB You may use any letter more than once.

List of People

Kanayo F. Nwanze
Sophia Murphy
Shenggen Fan
Rokeya Kabir
Pat Mooney
Giel Ton
Sonali Bisht

Financial assistance from the government does not always go to the farmers who most need it.

Answer: D. Rokeya Kabir
Supporting Sentence: In fact, studies show that sixty percent of beneficiaries of subsidies are not poor, but rich landowners and non-farmer traders.
Keywords: sixty percent, beneficiaries of subsidies
Keyword Location: Paragraph E; line 4
Explanation: In her piece, Rokeya Kabir, Executive Director of Bangladesh Nari Progati Sangha. It stated that state subsidies for agriculture 'had not compensated for the grip held by private traders. In truth, studies suggest that sixty percent of subsidy recipients are not poor, but rather wealthy landowners and non-farmer traders.

Farmers can benefit from collaborating as a group.

Answer: B. Sophia Murphy
Supporting Sentence: According to Murphy, ‘collective action offers an important way for farmers to strengthen their political and economic bargaining power,
Keywords: collective action, political and economic bargaining
Keyword Location: Paragraph H; line 3
Explanation: Collective action offers an essential option for farmers to improve their political and economic negotiating power. They lower their business risks, as mentioned by Murphy. Giel Ton, one commentator, cautioned that communal action is not a free gift. Organizing, building trust, and experimenting cost time, effort, and money.

Financial assistance from the government can improve the standard of living of farmers.

Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: Ethiopia, Brazil and Mexico as valuable ways to address poverty among farming families and reduce their vulnerability to agriculture shocks
Keywords: Ethiopia, Brazil and Mexico, farming families
Keyword Location: Paragraph E; line 1
Explanation: Shenggen Fan, the director general of the International Food Policy Research Institute, praised public welfare programmes. Social safety nets as effective approaches to combat poverty among agricultural families. They lessen their susceptibility to ag shocks in Ethiopia, Brazil, and Mexico.

Farmers may be helped if there is financial input by the same individuals who buy

Answer: G. Sonali Bisht
Supporting Sentence: community-supported agriculture, where consumers invest in local farmers by subscription and guarantee producers a fair price
Keywords: community-supported agriculture, subscription and guarantee
Keyword Location: Paragraph I, line 3
Explanation: India said that community-supported agriculture, in which customers subscribe to local farmers and ensure that they receive a fair price. It is a risk-sharing strategy deserving of wider consideration.

Governments can help to reduce variation in pages.

Answer: B. Sophia Murphy
Supporting Sentence: the procurement and holding of stocks by governments can also help mitigate wild swings in food prices by alleviating uncertainties about market supply.
Keywords: alleviating uncertainties, market supply
Keyword Location: Paragraph D; line 3
Explanation: According to Sophia Murphy, a senior advisor at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy. The government stockpiling and purchases can also assist to control dramatic fluctuations in food prices by removing supply-related uncertainty.

Improvements to infrastructure can have a major impact on risk for farmers. from them.

Answer: A. Kanayo F. Nwanze
Supporting Sentence: governments can significantly reduce risks for farmers by providing basic services like roads to get produce more efficiently to markets, or water and food storage facilities to reduce losses
Keywords: reduce risks, basic services like roads, reduce losses
Keyword Location: Paragraph D; line 2
Explanation: Kanayo F. Nwanze, the president of the International Fund for Agricultural Development. They contended in his essay that governments can significantly lower risks for farmers by providing basic services. Such as roads to get produce to markets more effectively or water and food storage facilities to reduce losses.

Questions 10 and 11:
Choose TWO letters, A-E.
Write the correct letters in boxes 10-11 on your answer sheet.
Which TWO problems are mentioned which affect farmers with small farms in developing countries?

lack of demand for locally produced food
lack of irrigation programmes
being unable to get insurance
the effects of changing weather patterns
having to sell their goods to intermediary buyers

Questions 10 :

Answer: D. the effects of changing weather patterns
Supporting Sentence: climate change and its consequences for small-scale agriculture
Keywords: climate change, small-scale agriculture
Keyword Location: Paragraph G; Line 1
Explanation: Numerous essayists discussed the effects of climate change on small-scale agriculture. According to Fan, climate change not only lowers agricultural yields but also increases the intensity and severity of severe weather events. It makes smallholders more vulnerable.

Questions 11:

Answer: E. having to sell their goods to intermediary buyers
Supporting Sentence: the presence of intermediary purchasers who, taking advantage of farmers’ vulnerability, dictate prices
Keywords: farmers’ vulnerability, dictate prices
Keyword Location: Paragraph I, line 1
Explanation: Some participants discussed the existence of middleman buyers. They set prices by taking advantage of farmers' vulnerabilities, frequently making market price volatility worse. Selling directly to customers, according to one commenter, would give farmers more control over prices and reduce price volatility.

Questions 12 and 13:
Choose TWO letters, A-E.
Write the correct letters in boxes 12-13 on your answer sheet.
Which TWO actions are recommended for improving conditions for farmers?

reducing the size of food stocks
attempting to ensure that prices rise at certain times of the year
organising co-operation between a wide range of interested parties
encouraging consumers to take a financial stake in farming
making customers aware of the reasons for changing food prices

Question 12:

Answer: C. organising co-operation between a wide range of interested parties
Supporting Sentence: all stakeholders, including business, government, scientists and civil society, must work together, starting at the beginning of the value chain.
Keywords: scientists and civil society, must work together
Keyword Location: Paragraph H; last line of paragraph
Explanation: According to Marcel Vernooij , Marcel Beukeboom, all stakeholders—including industry, government, science, and civil society. They must collaborate, beginning at the start of the value chain, in order to "use what we already know.

Question 13:

Answer: D. encouraging consumers to take a financial stake in farming
Supporting Sentence: community-supported agriculture, where consumers invest in local farmers by subscription and guarantee producers a fair price
Keywords: community-supported agriculture
Keyword Location: Paragraph I; line 3
Explanation: India said that community-supported agriculture, in which customers subscribe to local farmers. It ensures that they receive a fair price, is a risk-sharing strategy deserving of wider consideration.

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