Small-holder farmers - defined as those marginal and sub-marginal farm households that own or/and cultivate less than 2.0 hectare of land - constitute about 78 per cent of the country’s farmers (at Agricultural Census 1990-91). These small-holders owned only 33 per cent of the total cultivated land; their contribution to national grain production was nonetheless 41 per cent. Their contribution to household food security and poverty alleviation is thus dis-proportionately high - and is increasing. Moreover, as the national population increases, so does the number of small-holdings.