Leaders of two United Nations agencies fighting hunger worldwide have applauded new legislation in the United States aimed at strengthening global food assistance programs in the years ahead. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) praised U.S. President Barack Obama for his 20 July...

Research is expected to address immediate problems while at the same time anticipating future needs. Today’s research will guide tomorrow’s solutions and approaches in farming and forestry. Incorporating research and innovation activities into a long-term strategy will make it easier to identify strategic areas of short-, medium- and long-term interest,...

Les systèmes oasiens constituent des zones fertiles au milieu d’espaces arides voire désertiques. Ces lieux sont souvent les derniers endroits habités par l’homme avant d’atteindre le désert et ils sont par conséquent extrêmement précieux à la vie humaine malgré les conditions climatiques très pénibles. La présence de nappes peu profondes en zone de bas-fonds...

Adapting agriculture to a changing climate and world will mean developing and implementing new approaches to irrigation policies and practices the world over, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) warned today. These new approaches were discussed at the beginning of the 2nd World Irrigation Forum underway today...

Depending on their cattle breeds and husbandry methods, the income difference between Senegalese dairy farming families can be as high as eight-fold. Under the FoodAfrica programme, coordinated by Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), a unique yield monitoring programme was conducted,and is now being expanded to dairy farms in collaboration with...

At Sky Hill, the Miclăuș’ summer haven, volunteers can pick berries for jam, dry medicinal plants for tea, cut grass, or stuff mattresses with sweet-smelling hay. The Miclăușes also welcome architecture students to work on design and restoration projects. Cornelia serves everyone fresh fruit and vegetables from the farm, along with...

The structure of farms is multi-dimensional, comprising amongst others the absolute number of farms in a country or region, the total size of its agricultural area and labour force, as well as the distribution of farms according to their physical and economic size. Striking differences can be observed among Member...

Dans le cadre de son programme « les Ateliers de l’OCEMO », l’Office de Coopération Economique pour la Méditerranée et l’Orient (OCEMO) et le Centre International de Hautes Etudes Agronomiques Méditerranéennes (CIHEAM), organisent une conférence intitulée « Sécurité alimentaire, développement inclusif, climat : les enjeux de la coopération en Méditerranée...

The average farm size in Ethiopia is shrinking and the option for expanding the land frontier is also very limited. As a result, increasing farm productivity is critical for achieving higher growth and national food security. Identifying the drivers of productivity and weighing their significance are therefore vital for effective...

Small-scale irrigation is increasingly recognized as a key strategy for enhancing agricultural productivity and food security under growing climate uncertainty in Africa south of the Sahara. Rainfed production dominates the region, but governments and other stakeholders are increasing investments in irrigation. As these efforts are being rolled out, the gender...

Tree-based production systems have enormous potential to reduce vulnerability and increase the resilience of households living in dryland regions of Sub-Saharan Africa. Trees are key providers of biomass, which is critical for many livelihood needs. Wood from trees is the leading source of energy in many dryland countries and is...

This publication addresses the need to strengthen the interface between the scientific community, knowledge-holders and policymakers, and build capacity for and strengthen the use of science and knowledge in policymaking on the topic of ecosystem services. With respect to the ecosystem service of pollination, FAO developed a protocol to identify...

With regard to genderdifferentiated impacts on child-specific outcomes, in Lesotho the programme had a strong positive impact on school enrolment and time spent in school (mainly driven by girls) and on a reduction of farm work (mainly driven by boys) for children aged 13–17. These gendered outcomes were also influenced...

The newsletter of october 2016 of the Low Impact Fishers of Europe. 

Nos dias 28 e 29 de novembro, a Secretaria de Agricultura, Abastecimento e Desenvolvimento Rural (Seagri/DF) e a Empresa de Assistência Técnica e Extensão Rural do Governo do Distrito Federal (Emater/DF) realizarão o I Encontro de Agrofloresta do Distrito Federal e Entorno, no auditório da Granja Modelo do Ipê, no...

Investing in agricultural research in developing countries is one of the most cost effective ways to increase sustainable food production. Research-based knowledge provides methods for increasing food production and improving food safety, diets, and market access. Improving the productivity of the agricultural sector can lead to significant economic development and enhanced well-being...

Rural advisory services (RAS) are increasingly recognized as critical to agricultural and rural development. RAS work with farmers and other important stakeholders in rural economies. They provide rural communities with a wide range of skills and knowledge, and facilitate interactions among the different actors to help them access support and...

Europe’s farmers face a tall order. Long tasked with providing us with safe and affordable food, they are now expected to help generate jobs and economic growth as well. This priority was at the heart of European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker’s State of the European Union speech earlier this month....

In 2011, in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Democratic Republic of Congo’s government launched the Food Production, Processing, and Marketing project—which aimed to raise incomes and improve food security in the target areas by improving agricultural productivity, market efficiency, and the capacity of producers...

During the period 1980-1990, many rural microfinance institutions (MFIs) were created by international donors as experiments in new or alternative financing to combat financial exclusion. The development of these MFIs, as well as the extent of their contribution to other initiatives, has led to efforts to sustain their operations. In...