Feed the Future Publications Global Food Security Strategy Activity Design Guidance

Increased sustainable productivity drives agriculture-led economic growth throughout the global economy, but it is particularly important for the local economy, creating new on- and off-farm employment opportunities, including for women and young people. Accelerating productivity growth and making these gains more efficient is critical to addressing Feed the Future’s topline goals of reducing food insecurity, malnutrition, and poverty. Productivity growth is multifaceted, including increased yields,resource-use conservation, reduced postharvest loss, market efficiency, and value addition. Greater agricultural productivity can enhance demand for locally produced goods and services; increase availability and affordability of safe, nutritious foods; and improve profitability throughout the entire agriculture and food system, allowing households to build assets to strengthen resilience to market,climate, and environmental shocks and stresses. Incorporating the concept of sustainability means considering impacts and tradeoffs among productivity, human, social, economic, and environmental outcomes.