Farmer-managed seed systems and the conservation of agrobiodiversity are increasingly recognized as important components of food and seed sovereignty. In contrast, hybrid, genetically modified (GM), and, increasingly, gene-edited crops continue to be promoted by Green Revolution proponents as a “climate smart” package that includes fertilizers, pesticides, purchased seeds, and links...

La mise au point d’une méthode automatique d’estimation des surfaces irriguées par les petits exploitants agricoles en Afrique aux abords des cours d’eau, à partir d’outils libres et de données satellitaires gratuites, reste un défi majeur à cause de la diversité des cultures qui y sont pratiquées, de l’étroitesse des...

Agrobiodiversity is the subset of biodiversity found within agricultural ecosystems. It feeds us with nutrients vital to our health. It fuels and furnishes our homes. It underpins cultural traditions. It sustains farm productivity in the face of climate change. But agrobiodiversity is rapidly being lost.  Just three crops account for half...

Degraded soil can be repaired, and replenished with nutrients, until it produces abundant harvests at lower costs, while removing carbon from the atmosphere, and putting it back into the ground. This is the optimistic message of David Montgomery’s book, Growing a Revolution.

The Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) today unveiled a comprehensive report critically examining the African Development Bank’s ambitious Dakar II initiative, part of the broader Feed Africa program. This initiative, titled ‘Feed Africa: Food Sovereignty and Resilience’, aims to revolutionize African agriculture with a focus on turning the...

Banana plants have superficial roots. Proper spacing, planting, and mulching will yield better and more fruit. You can also intercrop your banana and plantain plants with food crops, medicinal plants and other trees to provide additional sources of income and create a suitable micro-environment.

Five years after the catastrophic Cyclone Idai hit Chimanimani District in Zimbabwe, claiming over 500 lives and causing extensive destruction, the community's journey towards recovery and resilience offers a beacon of hope. This article by John Willson delves into the heart of Chimanimani's efforts, showcasing how the district is confronting...

The African Union is in the process of finalizing a draft protocol on intellectual property rights under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), sparking concerns among civil society organizations about the potential impacts on seed systems and the rights of smallholder farmers. While the AfCFTA, enacted in May 2019,...

FAO developed this manual, in collaboration with Solidaridad West Africa, to support trainers in preparing and delivering the training on empowering rural women to engage in responsible agricultural investments (RAI). The design of this training programme is based upon a specific methodology that meets the learning needs of rural women...

African forest are increasingly in decline as a result of land-use conversion due to human activities. However, a consistent and detailed characterization and mapping of land-use change that results in forest loss is not available at the spatial-temporal resolution and thematic levels suitable for decision-making at the local and regional...

Brussels, Belgium — Access Agriculture is proud to announce the launch of its upgraded, new-look video platform (www.accessagriculture.org) with improved functionality and navigation that allows visitors a more engaging way to explore its incredible array of over 4,000 quality farmer-to-farmer training videos across 100 languages.

Grâce aux données satellites et aux méthodes d’apprentissage machine, les chercheurs ont identifié et localisé 15 formes d’utilisation des terres – de la culture de divers végétaux utiles tels que le caféier, le cacaoyer et l’hévéa, aux pâturages et à l’exploitation minière. C’est ce que démontre une étude publiée dans...

This document sheds light on the ongoing efforts in Eastern and Southern Africa to develop National Agroecology Strategies (NASs), aiming to transform agri-food systems through the promotion of agroecological production practices, and the development of markets, value chains, and consumer demand. The brief offers an unique insight into policy advancements...

Le sol n’est pas qu’un simple support : il doit être en bonne santé pour que les activités agricoles puissent s’installer et perdurer. En Côte d’Ivoire, le ministère de l’agriculture a rassemblé agriculteurs, décideurs politiques et scientifiques autour d’actions pratiques pour assurer la durabilité des sols des paysages forestiers en...

New African Society (NAS), a youth-led Sierra Leone-based organization, is working for the development of self-sufficient communities to alleviate generations of poverty within the country. The organization offers services that promote the advancement of agricultural projects within the region, seeking to remedy a lack of opportunity for socioeconomic mobility and...

Du 16 au 17 mai 2023, s’est tenu à l’Ivotel Hôtel Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire), le séminaire international sur la préservation et la restauration des sols forestiers en Afrique de l’Ouest. L’organisation de ce séminaire est une initiative du Ministère d’État, Ministère de l’Agriculture et de Développement Rural (MEMINADER) de Côte...

La production de biopesticides pour l’agriculture est une innovation agroécologique qui répond à la nécessité de réduire, d’une part, les externalités négatives de l’utilisation des pesticides chimiques sur la santé et l’environnement, et d’autre part, la dépendance aux aléas du commerce international, surtout dans les pays en développement. Dans ce...

La faible productivité de l’agriculture en Afrique subsaharienne est due en grande partie à la dégradation de la fertilité des sols. Les agricultures familiales, pilier de la sécurité alimentaire de cette grande région, doivent relever le défi de la restauration et du maintien de la capacité productive des terres. Les...

Après quatre transitions technologiques et organisationnelles en 400 000 ans, l’humanité est en quête d’une sécurité alimentaire durable et partagée. En effet, les lourdes externalités négatives du système agro-industriel devenu hégémonique en 150 ans incitent à reconstruire les systèmes alimentaires dans une perspective socio-écologique. Sur la base d’une synthèse de diverses prospectives, les...

Burkina Faso faces accelerated degradation of its natural resources as a result of the combined effects of natural and human-caused factors (inappropriate farming practices, bush fires, wood cutting, extension of agricultural areas, etc.). The province of Passoré, in the Nord Region of thecountry, is in an arid zone and regularly...