Food or cash? Trade-offs between support for food and non-food agricultural production

Trade-offs occur between food and cash crop production in terms of food security, social and environmental impacts, but synergies are also possible. Cash crop production for agricultural income generation can have a positive impact on food security, especially when done together with food crop production, because it combines two dimensions of food security: food availability and food accessibility. Environmental damage can be reduced by integrated and sustainable agricultural practices that can also achieve high yields. Smallholder farmers are greatly helped by financial, institutional and knowledge support for the implementation of sustainable agricultural practices that also allows them to reap economic benefits. The findings of this report are based on empirical evidence from literature review.