In Africa, most development strategies include efforts to improve the productivity of staple crops grown on smallholder farms. An underlying premise is that small farms are productive in the African context and that smallholders do not forgo economies of scale—a premise supported by the often observed phenomenon that staple cereal...

“Eating is an agricultural act” as the American novelist, farmer and poet Wendell Berry stated in his 1989 essay ‘On the pleasures of eating’. But what does this actually mean? According to Berry: “Most people think of food as an agricultural product, but they do not think of themselves as...

The Agriculture, forestry and fishery statistics statistical book provides a selection of topical data. Information is presented for the European Union (EU) and its Member States, and is supplemented (when available) with data for EFTA members and for the acceding and candidate countries to the EU. This publication aims to...

In collaboration with the International MBA in Agribusiness Network (AGRIMBA), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) will hold a workshop on “Enhancing efficiency and inclusiveness of agri-food chains in Eastern Europe and Central Asia”. The workshop will be implemented as part of the programme of the...

The Greek position is that the expenditure for agriculture should remain at the present level, at least up to 2013. It is argued that European agriculture can play a multi-functional role. Agriculture is very important - in economic, social as well as environmental terms - for the sustainable development of...

In the National Agriculture Policy of 2013, organic farming is described as a ‘window of opportunity’ that has the capacity to enhance both ‘national and farm incomes’. The policy makes reference to constraints to organic agriculture including high certification costs and weak regulation. Little is being done however, to follow...

El Sello Manos Campesinas es un sistema de acreditación que respalda atributos de productos y servicios generados por pequeños productores a lo largo de todo el territorio nacional. La sola presencia de este sello, asegura el cumplimiento de sus estándares, además de fomentar el desarrollo económico local de familias campesinas. El...

The independent, sustainable lives in the mountains of Thailand’s indigenous peoples’ way of life is now under threat. Commercial farming, national boundaries and ‘modern life’ is compromising and taking away their last remaining link to the earth—the very source of their distinct indigenous identities, culture and dignity. Food security is...

In addition to their social, environmental, health and religious importance, palm groves formed over the decades a source of livelihood for an important segment of Iraqi farmers, especially after the orchards became shelter to another crop of high economic return (citrus), contributing to achieve self-sufficiency until the late nineties. of...

La manifestation "Innover pour améliorer les performances de l'irrigation", organisée par l'Association Française pour l'Eau, l'Irrigation et le Drainage (AFEID) sous l'égide de la Commission Internationale des Irrigations et du Drainage (CIID) est la rencontre de plusieurs évènements mobilisant les acteurs mondiaux de l'irrigation dans leur grande diversité, pour faire de Montpellier, le temps...

Martín Perdomo tiene sembradas cuatro hectáreas de café en su finquita en una vereda de Chaparral, en el sur del Tolima. Tiene la cédula cafetera que lo acredita como socio de la Federación Nacional de Cafeteros, está afiliado a una de las cooperativas cafeteras más dinámicas del país y vive...

After two decades of radical political transition, strong structural reforms, the Albanian olive and olive oil industry is showing positive signs. The olive sector is becoming one of the most important sectors. Approximately one third of the farmers in Albania are involved in this sector.

Avicultura Campesina is an agroecological chicken cooperative in Palencia, in northern Spain, set up by three small-scale chicken farmers, Cristina, Arturo and Jeromo. Based in the villages of Amayuelas de Abajo and Castrillo de Villavega, the group have also formed a cooperative to buy their own slaughterhouse, so that they...

La manifestation "Innover pour améliorer les performances de l'irrigation", organisée par l'Association Française pour l'Eau, l'Irrigation et le Drainage (AFEID) sous l'égide de la Commission Internationale des Irrigations et du Drainage (CIID) est la rencontre de plusieurs évènements mobilisant les acteurs mondiaux de l'irrigation dans leur grande diversité, pour faire de Montpellier, le temps...

A paper published in the journalAgricultural Systems analyzes the impact of agricultural water interventions (AWI) on farm incomes by using the Kothapally watershed in Andhra Pradesh in India as a case study. AWI refers to strategies and techniques such as on-site soil and water conservation strategies, irrigation and damming of rivers....

This Ph.D. work aims at exposing, and giving sense to the dynamics of agrarian change in Southern Thailand where rubber is a major crop. It intends to provide elements for decision makers to reflect on the future directions of the Thai rubber economy. I applied a sequence of multivariate analysis...

A recent study commissioned by the Tanzania Organic Agriculture Movement found that the country’s organic farmers are receiving insufficient support from the state. With benefits to consumer health, the environment and the national economy, the organic sector should not be undervalued. The same can be said for the nutritional needs...

Este número incluye: Más políticas públicas para el desarrollo rural Con una amplia participación se realizó el segundo encuentro de Mesas de Desarrollo Rural en Cerro Largo Más de 1000 mujeres rurales presentes en "Somos Mujeres Rurales" Fueron aprobados todos los perfiles presentados en el "Somos de acá... Ganadero Familiar"  

Documentaries on the Best Practices in Rural Development carried out by young farmers that have been granted support under EU Rural development policies.

Added value to improve Agriculture and Farmers’ living standards. A journey through the activities of the Food Security through Commercialization of Agriculture Project (FSCA) in the Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Senegal and Sierra Leone.