Achieving the SDGs through Investments in Marginal Environments

Poverty and food insecurity are linked to multiple types of marginality, from biophysical marginalities such as limited or poor quality water for farming, to social marginalities such as caste, gender, or ethnicity. Poorly functioning markets and lack of alignment between formal property rights and informal ownership systems contribute to systemic marginalities. To achieve the SDGs of zero poverty and zero hunger by 2030, investments that address these marginalities are necessary. Starting from 1999, ICBA’s contributions include addressing biophysical constraints of salinity and water stress, using both “high tech” and “low tech” approaches. Critical policy issues such as tradeoffs between higher financial return and investments with greater poverty reduction impacts are highlighted.