3 reasons why we can win the fight against poverty | Andrew Youn

譯者: Regina Chu 審譯者: Marssi Draw

I've been living in rural East Africa for about 10 years,

我在東非鄉下住了大約十年，

and I want to share a field perspective with you on global poverty.

我想跟大家從農作的實務觀點 來談全球貧窮問題。

I believe that the greatest failure of the human race

我相信人類最大的失敗，

is the fact that we've left more than one billion of our members behind.

就是把超過十億的同類 拋諸在後這個事實。

Hungry, extreme poverty:

飢餓、赤貧：

these often seem like gigantic, insurmountable problems,

這些常常被視為巨大、 難以克服的問題，

too big to solve.

大到無法可解。

But as a field practitioner,

但是身為農作實務工作者，

I believe these are actually very solvable problems

我相信這些都是 可以實際解決的問題，

if we just take the right strategies.

只要我們用對策略。

Archimedes was an ancient Greek thinker,

阿基米德是古希臘思想家，

and he taught us that if we lean on the right levers,

他教導我們，要是用對槓桿，

we can move the world.

我們就能舉起地球。

In the fight against extreme poverty, I believe there are three powerful levers

要對抗赤貧，我相信我們可以用

三個有力的槓桿。

that we can lean on.

This talk is all about those levers, and why they make poverty

這場演講就是要談這三個槓桿， 以及為什麼這些方法

a winnable fight in our lifetimes.

能讓我們在有生之年打贏貧窮之戰。

What is extreme poverty?

什麼是赤貧？

When I first moved to rural East Africa,

我第一次搬到東非鄉下時，

I stayed overnight with a farm family.

我在某戶農家度過一晚。

They were wonderful people.

他們都是很好的人。

They invited me into their home. We sang songs together

他們邀我到家裡。 我們一起唱了幾首歌，

and ate a simple dinner.

吃了一頓簡便的晚餐。

They gave me a blanket to sleep on the floor.

他們給了我一條毯子， 讓我睡在地上。

In the morning, however, there was nothing to eat.

但是到了早上，沒有東西可吃。

And then at lunchtime, I watched with an increasingly sick feeling

然後到了午餐時間， 我目睹了一場愈看愈難過的景象，

as the eldest girl in the family cooked porridge as a substitute for lunch.

這戶人家的大女兒 煮了一鍋粥充當午餐。

For that meal, every child drank one cup to survive.

每個孩子都喝一碗粥熬過那天。

And I cannot tell you how ashamed I felt

他們分我一碗時， 我真的無法用言語形容

when they handed one of those cups to me,

我那時有多羞愧，

and I knew I had to accept their hospitality.

而且我知道我必須接受他們的款待。

Children need food not only to survive but also to grow physically and mentally.

孩童需要食物不僅是為了生存， 還為了能讓身心都能成長。

Every day they fail to eat, they lose a little bit of their future.

不夠吃的每一天， 都在蠶食他們的未來。

Amongst the extreme poor, one in three children

在赤貧人口中，三分之一的孩子

are permanently stunted from a lifetime of not eating enough.

因為一輩子都吃得太少 而永久發育不良。

When that's combined with poor access to health care,

再加上沒有醫療保健，

one in 10 extremely poor children die before they reach age five.

十分之一的赤貧孩童 會在五歲前死亡。

And only one quarter of children complete high school

只有四分之一的孩童能念完中學，

because they lack school fees.

因為他們沒錢繳學費。

Hunger and extreme poverty curb human potential in every possible way.

飢餓與赤貧會百般抑制人類的潛能。

We see ourselves as a thinking, feeling and moral human race,

我們視自己為會思考、 會感覺、有道德的人類，

but until we solve these problems for all of our members,

但是在我們為自己的同類 解決這些問題之前，

we fail that standard,

我們愧對於那個標準，

because every person on this planet matters.

因為世上的每一個人都很重要。

This child matters.

這個孩子很重要。

These children matter.

這些孩童很重要。

This girl matters.

這個女孩很重要。

You know, we see things like this,

你知道嗎，我們看到像這樣的事，

and we're upset by them,

我們會很生氣，

but they seem like such big problems.

但是問題好像太大了。

We don't know how to take effective action.

我們不知道該如何採取有效的行動。

But remember our friend Archimedes.

但是請記得我們的朋友阿基米德。

Global poverty has powerful levers.

解決全球貧窮的有力槓桿，

It's a problem like any other.

就像其他的問題一樣。

I live and work in the field, and as a practitioner,

我在田間生活、工作， 身為實務工作者，

I believe these are very solvable problems.

我相信這些是有辦法解決的問題。

So for the next 10 minutes,

所以接下來十分鐘，

let's not be sad about the state of the world.

我們不要為這世界的狀態難過。

Let's engage our brains.

讓我們動動大腦。

Let's engage our collective passion for problem-solving

讓我們集思廣益， 用解決問題的熱情，

and figure out what those levers are.

一同找出可用的槓桿。

Lever number one: most of the world's poor are farmers.

槓桿一號：這世界最窮的人 絕大多數是農夫。

Think about how extraordinary this is.

想想這有多不尋常。

If this picture represents the world's poor,

如果這張照片代表世界的窮人，

then more than half engage in farming as a major source of income.

那麼有一半以上 是以農耕當他們的主要收入。

This gets me really excited.

這讓我非常興奮。

All of these people, one profession.

這麼多人，一種職業。

Think how powerful this is.

想想這力量有多大。

When farmers become more productive, then more than half the world's poor

只要農夫能更有生產力， 那麼全世界半數以上的窮人

earn more money and climb out of poverty.

就能賺更多錢，爬出貧窮的深淵。

And it gets better.

更好的還在後面。

The product of farming is, of course, food.

農耕的產物當然是食物。

So when farmers become more productive, they earn more food,

農夫的生產力更好， 代表他們會賺更多的食物，

and they don't just help themselves,

這樣不只是自助，

but they help to feed healthy communities and thriving economies.

還能幫忙養活健康的社區， 讓經濟繁榮。

And when farmers become more productive, they reduce environmental pressure.

農夫的生產力更好， 就能減少對環境的壓力。

We only have two ways we can feed the world:

我們只有兩種方法可以餵飽世界：

we can either make our existing farmland a lot more productive,

要不是讓現有的農地大幅增產，

or we can clear cut forest and savannah to make more farmland,

就是繼續皆伐森林及疏林莽原 轉變成更多農地，

which would be environmentally disastrous.

對環境產生衝擊災難。

Farmers are basically a really important leverage point.

農夫基本上 是非常重要的槓桿作用點。

When farmers become more productive,

農夫的生產力更高，

they earn more income, they climb out of poverty,

就能賺更多收入，爬出貧窮深淵，

they feed their communities and they reduce environmental land pressure.

餵飽他們的社區， 減少對土地環境的壓力。

Farmers stand at the center of the world.

農夫站在世界的中心。

And not a farmer like this one,

農夫都不像這樣，

but rather this lady.

反而比較像這位女士。

Most of the farmers I know are actually women.

大部分我認識的農夫都是婦女。

Look at the strength and the will radiating from this woman.

看看這位女士散發出的力量及意志。

She is physically strong, mentally tough,

她的身體強壯，心志剛強，

and she will do whatever it takes to earn a better life for her children.

她會不惜一切給孩子更好的生活。

If we're going to put the future of humanity in one person's hands,

如果我們要將人類的未來 交在某人的手中，

then I'm really glad it's her.

那我真的很高興是交給她。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

There's just one problem:

只有一個問題：

many smallholder farmers lack access to basic tools and knowledge.

許多小農得不到基本的工具及知識。

Currently, they take a little bit of saved food grain from the prior year,

目前，他們把一點 去年留下來的食物種子

they plant it in the ground and they till it with a manual hand hoe.

種在土裡，而且用鋤頭犁地。

These are tools and techniques that date to the Bronze Age,

這是青銅時代留下來的農作法，

and it's why many farmers are still very poor.

這也是為什麼許多農夫 仍然非常貧窮。

But good news, again.

但是再說一次，這是好消息。

Lever number two:

槓桿二號：

humanity actually solved the problem of agricultural poverty a century ago.

人類其實在一個世紀前 就解決了務農貧困的問題。

Let me walk you through the three most basic factors in farming.

讓我帶大家看一下 三個最基本的農事因子。

First, hybrid seed is created when you cross two seeds together.

第一，你將兩種種子雜交 就會產生雜交種子。

If you naturally pollinate a high-yielding variety

如果你讓高產量的品種

together with a drought-resistant variety,

與抗旱品種自然授粉，

you get a hybrid that inherits positive traits from both of its parents.

你就會得到從雙方遺傳到 好性狀的雜交種。

Next, conventional fertilizer, if used responsibly,

第二，負責地使用慣行肥料，

is environmentally sustainable.

就是對環境的永續經營。

If you micro-dose just a pinch of fertilizer

只要施與微劑量的肥料，

to a plant that's taller than I am,

比我還高的植物

you unlock enormous yield gain.

也能有龐大的產量。

These are known as farm inputs.

這些被稱為「農場投入（資源）」。

Farm inputs need to be combined with good practice.

農場投入資源要與好的農作法結合。

When you space your seeds and plant with massive amounts of compost,

如果你撒種時留一定的間隔， 並且施與大量堆肥，

farmers multiply their harvests.

農夫就能倍增收穫。

These proven tools and practices have more than tripled

這些證實有效的工具及方法

agricultural productivity in every major region of the world,

已使世界各主要地區 農業產量增加三倍，

moving mass numbers of people out of poverty.

使眾多百姓脫離貧窮。

We just haven't finished delivering these things to everybody just yet,

我們只是還沒把這些方法 提供給所有人而已，

particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa.

特別是下撒哈拉非洲的居民。

So overall, this is amazing news.

所以總體而言，這是非常好的消息。

Humanity actually solved agricultural poverty a century ago,

理論上，人類早在一世紀前 就解決了務農貧困的問題，

in theory.

We just haven't delivered these things to everybody just yet.

我們只是還沒把這些方法 提供給所有人而已。

In this century, the reason that people remain poor

這個世紀還有人貧窮的原因，

is because maybe they live in remote places.

是因為他們可能住在偏遠地區，

They lack access to these things.

他們拿不到這些東西。

Therefore, ending poverty is simply a matter

因此，終結貧窮只要

of delivering proven goods and services to people.

把這些可靠的貨品及服務 送到他們手上就好。

We don't need more genius types right now.

我們現在不需要更多天才。

The humble delivery guy is going to end global poverty in our lifetime.

謙卑的送貨員就能在 我們有生之年終結全球貧窮。

So these are the three levers,

所以這就是我說的三個槓桿，

and the most powerful lever is simply delivery.

而最有力的槓桿就是遞送。

Wherever the world's companies, governments and nonprofits

無論公司、政府或非營利團體

set up delivery networks for life-improving goods,

在哪裡建立遞送網絡， 分發改善生活的貨品，

we eliminate poverty.

我們都能消滅貧窮。

OK, so that sounds really nice in theory,

好，所以這在理論上聽起來很不錯，

but what about in practice?

但是要如何實施？

What do these delivery networks look like?

遞送網絡長什麼樣子？

I want to share the concrete example that I know best,

我想跟大家分享我最了解的實例，

my organization, One Acre Fund.

就是我的組織， One Acre Fund（一畝金）。

We only serve the farmer,

我們只為農夫服務，

and our job is to provide her with the tools that she needs to succeed.

我們的工作是提供 她所需的工具及種子。

We start off by delivering farm inputs to really rural places.

我們從遞送農場投入資源 到極偏僻的農村開始。

Now, this may appear initially very challenging,

乍看這很具挑戰性，

but it's pretty possible. Let me show you.

但這真的可行，我來說明一下。

We buy farm inputs with the combined power of our farmer network,

我們向網絡內的農夫集資， 買進農場投入資源

and store it in 20 warehouses like this.

貯存在 20 間像這樣的倉庫裡。

Then, during input delivery, we rent hundreds of 10-ton trucks

然後，在遞送投入資源的期間， 我們會租幾百輛 10 噸大貨車，

and send them out to where farmers are waiting in the field.

派去農夫等待的田間。

They then get their individual orders and walk it home to their farms.

然後他們會取自己所訂的貨物， 帶回家拿到田裡。

It's kind of like Amazon for rural farmers.

這有點像給農民用的亞馬遜。

Importantly, realistic delivery also includes finance, a way to pay.

很重要的是，實際可行的遞送服務 也包括財務，即付款的方式。

Farmers pay us little by little over time, covering most of our expenses.

農夫可以分期付款， 盡量打平我們絕大部分的支出。

And then we surround all that with training.

然後我們提供訓練。

Our rural field officers deliver practical, hands-on training

我們的農村外勤人員， 提供實際的操作訓練

to farmers in the field

給在田間工作的農夫，

every two weeks.

每兩星期一次。

Wherever we deliver our services, farmers use these tools

我們遞送服務可達的地方， 農夫都用這些工具

to climb out of poverty.

脫離貧窮。

This is a farmer in our program, Consolata.

這位是參與我們計畫的農民， 康莎拉塔。

Look at the pride on her face.

看看她得意的樣子！

She has achieved a modest prosperity that I believe is the human right

她現在家境小康，已達到我認為

of every hardworking person on the planet.

世界上每一位勤奮工作的人 都應該得到的人權。

Today, I'm proud to say that we're serving about 400,000 farmers like Consolata.

今天，我可以很自豪地說我們服務了 約四十萬位像她這樣的農民。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

The key to doing this is scalable delivery.

做這件事的重點是可擴充式遞送。

In any given area, we hire a rural field officer

我們在每一個服務地區 都僱用農村外勤人員，

who delivers our services to 200 farmers, on average,

他們將我們的服務 提供給平均二百位農夫，

with more than 1,000 people living in those families.

超過一千人生活在這些家庭裡。

Today, we have 2,000 of these rural field officers

今天，我們有二千名農村外勤人員，

growing very quickly.

成長非常快速。

This is our delivery army,

這就是我們的遞送大軍，

and we're just one organization.

而我們只是一個組織。

There are many companies, governments and nonprofits

還有很多公司、政府及非營利組織

that have delivery armies just like this.

有像這樣的遞送大軍。

And I believe we stand at a moment in time

我相信我們正站在一個重要時刻，

where collectively, we are capable of delivering farm services to all farmers.

我們能一起遞送農村服務 給所有的農夫。

Let me show you how possible this is.

讓我跟大家說明這要如何達成。

This is a map of Sub-Saharan Africa,

這是下撒哈拉非洲地圖，

with a map of the United States for scale.

旁邊是美國地圖做比例對照。

I chose Sub-Saharan Africa because this is a huge delivery territory.

我選擇下撒哈拉非洲 因為這是非常廣大的遞送區。

It's very challenging.

非常具挑戰性。

But we analyzed every 50-mile by 50-mile block on the continent,

但是我們把非陸畫成 50 平方哩的區塊來分析，

and we found that half of farmers live in just these shaded regions.

我們發現一半的農夫 都住在這幾塊陰影區裡。

That's a remarkably small area overall.

整體來看這是非常小的一塊區域。

If you were to lay these boxes next to each other

如果你把這幾個區塊

within a map of the United States,

在美國地圖內一個接一個排起來，

they would only cover the Eastern United States.

只會蓋住美東地區。

You can order pizza anywhere in this territory

在這片區域的任何地方， 你都能叫比薩外送，

and it'll arrive to your house hot, fresh and delicious.

然後香噴噴熱騰騰的 現做比薩就會送到你家。

If America can deliver pizza to an area of this size,

如果美國能做到 在這樣大小的地區送比薩，

then Africa's companies, governments and non-profits

那非洲的公司、政府及非營利組織

can deliver farm services to all of her farmers.

也能做農村遞送服務給所有的農夫。

This is possible.

這是可行的。

I'm going to wrap up by generalizing beyond just farming.

我要擴大到農業之外的面向來總結。

In every field of human development,

在人類發展的各個領域上，

humanity has already invented effective tools to end poverty.

人類都已經發明了 有用的工具以終結貧窮。

We just need to deliver them.

我們只需要遞送工具。

So again, in every area of human development,

所以讓我再說一次， 在各個人類發展領域，

super-smart people a long time ago invented inexpensive,

都有超聰明的人在很久以前 發明了便宜、

highly effective tools.

超有用的工具。

Humanity is armed to the teeth

人類早就準備好

with simple, effective solutions to poverty.

以簡單有效的方案解決貧窮問題。

We just need to deliver these to a pretty small area.

我們只需要把這些遞送到 很小的區域就可以了。

Again using the map of Sub-Saharan Africa as an example,

再拿下撒哈拉與美國地圖為例，

remember that rural poverty is concentrated in these blue shaded areas.

記得農村貧窮 都集中在這幾塊藍色區域。

Urban poverty is even more concentrated, in these green little dots.

都市貧困更集中， 就在這幾個綠色小點上。

Again, using a map of the United States for scale,

再用美國地圖做比例，

this is what I would call a highly achievable delivery zone.

這就是我稱為極可能到達的遞送區。

In fact, for the first time in human history,

事實上，這是有史以來

we have a vast amount of delivery infrastructure available to us.

人類有如此大的遞送基礎建設可用。

The world's companies, governments and non-profits

全世界的公司、政府及非營利組織

have delivery armies that are fully capable

都有遞送大軍能完全

of covering this relatively small area.

涵蓋這塊相對小的區域。

We just lack the will.

我們只欠意願。

If we are willing,

如果我們願意，

every one of us has a role to play.

每一個人都有角色能參與。

We first need more people to pursue careers in human development,

首先我們需要更多人 追求人類發展這塊事業，

especially if you live in a developing nation.

尤其是在發展中國家的人。

We need more front line health workers, teachers, farmer trainers,

我們需要更多的一線醫療人員、 教師、農村訓練人員，

sales agents for life-improving goods.

及代理改善生活品質貨物的業務員。

These are the delivery people that dedicate their careers

這些都是「遞送員」，

奉獻自己的事業來改善別人的生活。

to improving the lives of others.

But we also need a lot of support roles.

但是我們也需要很多支援的角色。

These are roles available at just my organization alone,

單單在我的組織裡就有這樣的需求，

and we're just one out of many.

而我們只是組織之一。

This may surprise you, but no matter what your technical specialty,

這可能會讓你大吃一驚， 但是無論你的技術專長為何，

there is a role for you in this fight.

在這場戰役中 總有你可以扮演的角色。

And no matter how logistically possible it is to end poverty,

不管物流如何終結貧窮，

we need a lot more resources.

我們還是需要更多資源。

This is our number one constraint.

這是我們的頭號限制。

For private investors, we need a big expansion of venture capital,

對於民間投資人， 我們需要創投業者、

private equity, working capital, available in emerging markets.

私募股權及流動資本 擴大投資在這個新興市場上。

But there are also limits to what private business can accomplish.

但是民營企業 能達成的使命還是有限。

Private businesses often struggle to profitably serve the extreme poor,

民營企業常常苦苦掙扎 如何服務赤貧還能賺錢。

so philanthropy still has a major role to play.

所以慈善事業仍然發揮主要功能。

Anybody can give, but we need more leadership.

任何人都可以施與， 但是我們需要更多領導角色。

We need more visionary philanthropists

我們需要有遠見的慈善家，

and global leaders who will take problems in human development

以及世界領袖， 能正視人類發展問題，

and lead humanity to wipe them off the face of the planet.

進而率領人類消滅全世界的貧窮。

If you're interested in these ideas, check out this website.

如果你對這方面有興趣， 請看這個網頁。

We need more leaders.

我們需要更多領袖。

Humanity has put people on the moon.

人類已經登月。

We've invented supercomputers that fit into our pockets

我們也發明了超級電腦， 既能塞進口袋，

and connect us with anybody on the planet.

還能讓我們與世上任何人連結。

We've run marathons at a five-minute mile pace.

我們能以五分鐘 一哩的速度跑馬拉松。

We are an exceptional people.

我們是卓越的人。

But we've left more than one billion of our members behind.

我們卻把超過十億的同類 遠遠拋在後頭。

Until every girl like this one has an opportunity

直到每個像這樣的女孩 都有機會

to earn her full human potential,

贏得她全部的潛力之前，

we have failed to become a truly moral and just human race.

我們都稱不上是 有道德和有正義的人類。

Logistically speaking, it's incredibly possible

從物流管理來看，真的極有可能

to end extreme poverty.

終結赤貧。

We just need to deliver proven goods and services

我們只需要遞送可靠的貨品及服務

to everybody.

給每一個人。

If we have the will, every one of us has a role to play.

只要我們有意願， 我們每個人都能參與其中。

Let's deploy our time, our careers,

讓我們充分利用 我們的時間、我們的事業

our collective wealth.

及我們的集體財富。

Let us deliver an end to extreme poverty

讓我們遞送赤貧終結書，

in this lifetime.

在此生之中。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）