Innovative approaches for linking sustainable and agro-ecological production to markets in developing countries


As an output of the international workshop held in Bogota from 23 to 25 June, the Plant Production and Protection and Division and the Rural Infrastructure and Agro-Industries Division of FAO have launched a report on innovative approaches for linking sustainable and agro-ecological production to markets in developing countries (Enfoques innovadores que vinculan la producción sostenible y agroecológica con los mercados en los países en desarrollo).

The report focuses on the role of markets in providing producers with incentives for adopting more sustainable agricultural practices that facilitate a transition towards sustainable agricultural systems. The publication describes 21 innovative initiatives from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean, the Pacific islands and the Near East, and summarizes the discussions held during the workshop. It emphasizes practitioners’ needs for information and research to reinforce these innovations, and makes recommendations on the public policies needed to promote them.

The report highlights how market incentives can promote the development of innovative initiatives that strengthen food sovereignty while linking small producers to markets. It also recognizes the role of the promoters of these initiatives as social mediators who bring together scientific and traditional knowledge and mobilize other actors, promoting sustainable innovations.

Finally, the document proposes various public policies for strengthening innovative initiatives, such as the creation of legislation and a legal framework to support agro-ecology and sustainable agriculture, and the recognition of local and indigenous knowledge and its integration into scientific knowledge through a formal framework for education and dissemination.

The report (presentations, findings of working groups and conclusions) is available at: www.fao.org/3/a-az561s.pdf

 

Core Themes