The report Reviving the Roots – Land use and soil care practices among smallholders in Naryn and Issyk-Kul regions in Kyrgyzstan explores how agricultural land and soils are perceived and cared for in Kyrgyzstan, both historically and today. By focusing on ecological knowledge, the report studies how holistic perceptions of soil can...

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) stands out for its high nutritional value and agroecological adaptability, positioning it as a strategic crop in specialized markets. In Colombia, es-tablishing crops in high Andean regions requires identifying improved genotypes with high yield potential and grain quality. The objective of this study was to agronomically...

Where water resources are often limited and irregular, rainwater harvesting is an essential practice for agriculture. In the face of increasing challenges caused by climate change and rainfall variability, efficient water management becomes imperative to ensure food sovereignty and the sustainable development of communities. By collecting, storing, and efficiently managing...

African leafy vegetables are important for nutrition, and increasingly for sale. Shops in Africa are now starting to sell packets of seeds to farmers and gardeners. But seed produced by farmers is also sold informally, in small town markets.

The growing global importance of agroecology highlights the pivotal role public and private sectors play in providing incentives and investments to catalyze behavioural changes and transform food systems. However, limited research exists on incentives for scaling agroecological practices in cacao value chains. This study employed a systematic review approach, focusing...

Root rot caused by the oomycete Phytophthora cinnamomi (Pc) is the main phytosanitary limitation in avocado production in many regions of the world. Management of this disease has been based on epidemiological studies and integrated crop management, where resistant rootstocks are considered one of the main options. This study aimed to evaluate...

In many African countries, agriculture still accounts for more than two-thirds of the labour force. Most family farms are less than two hectares. It is still often a subsistence agriculture, sometimes supplemented by a few cash crops. However, monetary income from agricultural activity is often modest; they do not allow...

The microbiological diversity that colonizes fermentation is a resource that could be used to develop natural microbiological starters that promote fermentation. The study involved the application of a natural microbial inoculate derived from 48-hour pre-fermented cacao pulp and beans under controlled laboratory conditions, aiming to evaluate its potential in improving...

Discover how Indigenous Peoples in Guatemala are rescuing ancestral agricultural knowledge to avoid risks associated with pesticide use. These natural, chemical-free methods, rooted in cultural values, offer powerful alternatives that boost food security, keep land and water clean and support environmental conservation for sustainable development. Protecting not just the health...

KEY MESSAGES Digital tools are an increasingly common approach to providing agricultural advisories, yet often many farmers do not participate in digital knowledge systems. Conventional approaches for analyzing digital inclusion focus on internet access, digital literacy, and benefit inequalities, and overlook agroecology values such as co-creation of knowledge, agency, and empowerment. Co-creation of...

Coffee is Uganda’s most important cash crop and has sustained livelihoods for generations across a range of farming systems. Yet the coffee sector — both in Uganda and internationally — is under the threat from climate change. However, the effective use of agroforestry systems can mitigate these impacts and keep...

Este análisis aprovecha la información obtenida por la Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria, AGROSAVIA, en los ejercicios de producción de cebolla de bulbo, en Cesar, desarrollados para 2022, en los municipios de la Paz, San Alberto y en el centro de Investigación Motilonia (C.I. Motilonia) de Agustín Codazzi Cesar, para...

This Agenda Knowledge for Development is the result of a process that started in 2015, aimed at building a global knowledge partnership for the development of a peaceful, wealthy, inclusive, just and sustainable world. It represents a committed response from a range of individuals and communities that the UN's Agenda...

In recognizing the urgent need to address global challenges such as biodiversity loss, food insecurity, and climate change, it is essential to incorporate diverse knowledge systems, including Indigenous worldviews and knowledge of nature. The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) has taken significant steps to integrate Indigenous...

Not all good intentions lead to effective and fair policy designs, as their implementation creates new problems. The European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) may be an example. In targeting ‘deforestation-free’ trade, it forces a complex social–ecological reality into an oversimplified forest–non-forest representation. The forest definition used refers to tree cover...

This video - produced by the PSii project (Agroecological TRANSITIONS program) in Ethiopia - explores the critical role of crop diversity in enhancing soil health, detailing the benefits of diverse cropping systems such as improved soil structure, nutrient cycling, and beneficial microbial activity. It highlights various incentives that are encouraging...

Fruit processing at small scale often lacks access to efficient, integrated technologies capable of ensuring product quality and safety. Flash Vacuum Expansion emerges as a promising alternative to conventional thermal treatments by coupling rapid steam heating with instant decompression, enabling simultaneous pasteurization and cooling, tissue disintegration, and deaeration. This study...

This teaser introduces an infographic and policy brief exposing barriers to Indigenous People’s participation in school feeding supply chains and the strategies to break them down through concrete actions. Prepared for the 2nd School Meals Coalition Global Summit (18–19 September 2025), this video is produced by the Indigenous Peoples’ Food...

With support from the Government of Japan, and in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Egypt's Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (MWRI), ICARDA has set a new standard for sustainable agriculture in water-scarce regions with completion of the Enhancing Agricultural Productivity project in...

Yemen’s beauty, wealth and fertile land earned it the name of Arabia Felix – “happy" or "flourishing" Arabia – among ancient Greeks and Romans. Today, years of conflict, economic crisis and environmental challenges have kept its rural people from prospering. We asked Tawfiq El-Zabri, IFAD’s Country Director for Yemen, about how small-scale farmers are building resilience...