This course provides a definition of vulnerability and illustrates the three critical dimensions used to define it. It also presents the most commonly used methods to assess vulnerability, and provides examples and criteria for selecting the appropriate vulnerability indicators.

Current agricultural practices are regarded as one of the most significant drivers of biodiversity loss. At the same time, the goal achieving global food security remains a long way off; indeed, the number of malnourished has recently risen to over 1 billion people. The world desperately needs an agricultural production...

Sustainably managed forests have multiple environmental and socio-economic functions important at the global, national and local scales, and play a vital part in sustainable development. Reliable and upto-date information on the state of forest resources - not only on area and area change, but also on such variables as growing...

Sustainably managed forests have multiple environmental and socio-economic functions important at the global, national and local scales, and play a vital part in sustainable development. Reliable and upto-date information on the state of forest resources - not only on area and area change, but also on such variables as growing...

The hilly-mountain area of Serbia is considered to be of a great ecological and socioeconomically value. The traditional agriculture practice, which is still in use in Serbia, seems to be outdated. This is why it is almost impossible to stop the migration process, so the population started leaving the farms...

Describes trends in direct selling by farmers in Italy by region, product and place of sale. Proposes a model of variables that affect the probability of a farmer adopting direct sales: farmer (gender, age, off-farm income); farm (farm type, work units, standard gross margin) and location (region, altimetry, less favoured...

Agroecosystems cover vast areas of land worldwide and are known to have a large impact on the environment, yet these highly modified landscapes are rarely considered as candidates for landscape design. While intentionally-designed agricultural landscapes could serve many different functions, few resources exist for evaluating the design of these complex...

La producción cafetalera en Colombia es una actividad de gran importancia; cuenta con un área sembrada de 873.000 ha y una producción anual de 12 millones de sacos de 60 kg, y de ella dependen en forma directa cerca de dos millones de personas. En particular, el departamento de Santander...

En el presente documento se intenta realizar un balance de la legislación vigente sobre las comunidades campesinas hasta diciembre de 2009. El objeto del mismo se enmarca dentro del interés del Grupo ALLPA por poner en práctica un sistema de monitoreo y vigilancia de los derechos de las comunidades campesinas...

In this paper a simplified methodology for the estimation of drought impacts on crop yield in rainfed agriculture is proposed. The methodology is based on empirical models for the estimation of actual to potential evapotranspiration ratio (ET/PET). This ratio is related to the Reconnaissance Drought Index (RDI), an expression of...

This report is based on extensive research and interviews with several hundred farmers, the majority of them women, carried out by ActionAid staff and consultants in Uganda, Kenya and Malawi throughout the last third of 2009. It is complemented by an extensive global literature review, and our study also benefited...

La exitosa experiencia de los productores de banano o plátano orgánico en la costa norte del país, especialmente en el departamento de Piura, demuestra que la pequeña agricultura puede ser moderna, rentable, amigable con el medioambiente, alcanzar altos estándares de calidad y, por tanto, incorporarse en la cadena comercial internacional....

Este número de la Revista de Agroecología LEISA, contiene los siguientes artículos: El ganado: ¿amigo o enemigo? Ganadería y cambio climático: mitigación y adaptación en comunidades indígenas de Chiapas, México ASOGADI: un proyecto sostenible en medio de una hidroeléctrica Comentario a informe UNESCO - SCOPE - UNEP: “Ganadería en un paisaje cambiante” En invierno sembramos,...

Global food production has increased by 20% in the past decade – but food insecurity and poverty remain widespread , while the natural resource base continues to decline. International research centers, which have helped drive previous improvements, must continue to deliver new technologies to support sustainable growth in agriculture; and...

Mediterranean basin is one of the most prominent hot spot of climate change in the world. Further, extreme climatic events such as drought are expected to become more frequent and intense in this region. To evaluate seasonal and annual droughts, Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) was computed for 15 meteorological stations...

ZATAC was requested by FAO to identify participants from Africa and facilitate a 3 day roundtable meeting on voluntary standards and schemes for specific quality products. The aim of the roundtable was to consult with key stakeholders and build consensus on intervention strategies related to voluntary standards and schemes for...

Este número de la Revista de Agroecología LEISA, contiene los siguientes artículos: Sobre el crédito a los agricultores de pequeña escala y la necesidad de una base autónoma de recursos Crédito agroecológico y solidario en apoyo a la transición agroecológica Las mutuas ganaderas de los pequeños ganaderos de Galicia Fondos rotativos solidarios y la...

Rural producer organizations, such as farmers' organizations or rural cooperatives, offer a means for smallholder farmers in developing countries to sell their crops commercially. They hold particular promise for Sub-Saharan Africa, where small-scale farming is the primary livelihood but commercialization of food-crops is very limited. Using the experience of smallholders...

Based on the premise that smallholders often get excluded as markets become more commercial, this paper draws lessons from the Cassava: Adding Value for Africa (C:AVA) Project by exploring the main issues and challenges facing extension service partners in five African countries (Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda and Malawi). These lessons...

Drought risk is a combination of the probability of extended dry periods and the consequences for people, communities and their environment. The management of drought risk seeks to reduce the impacts of droughts, either by reducing their probability of occurrence (mitigation) or their consequences (adaptation). The paper shows how an...