Despite the achievements of smallholders in Asia during the green revolution, there is scepticism that Africa’s smallholders — who dominate the farm area in most countries — can imitate this model and deliver agricultural growth. This paper assesses whether such pessimism is justified. Given the high transactions costs of hiring...

This paper has two main objectives. Firstly, it provides an overview of trends in the magnitude, location and nature of rural poverty, with emphasis on least developed countries. Secondly, it offers new evidence that advances our understanding of rural poverty, by presenting quantitative analyses of the determinants both of rural...

The present edition offers a collection of 14 diverse articles highlighting different aspects of mangroves - from the lush natural stands, wildlings, nursery practices, enrichment planting, to the various uses of the mangrove ecosystems as paddy rice fields, along with fisheries and wildlife sanctuaries and salt exploitation areas. The Special...

This paper uses the well-known Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition technique to understand the determinants of wage-gaps between men and women, between urban and rural workers, and between those employed in the rural agricultural versus the rural non-agricultural sectors, for the 14 developing and transition economies in the RIGA-L dataset. The unexplained male...

This paper examines the links between the assets and the economic activities of rural households in developing countries to provide insight into how the promotion of certain key assets— particularly education, land and infrastructure—influences the economic choices of these households. Nationally representative data from 15 countries that form part of...

This paper analyses Malawi’s smallholder agricultural efficiency, using a nationally representative sample survey of rural households undertaken by the National Statistical Office in 2004/2005. It aims to inform agricultural policy about the level and key determinants of inefficiency in the smallholder farming system that need to be addressed to raise...

The contribution of small-scale aquaculture (SSA) to sustainable rural development (SRD) include, for example, securing food, efficient use of water, farm materials and other resources, creating wealth, diversifying livelihoods, generating rural employment and income, utilizing family labour, fostering social harmony and empowering women. While recognized as such, there has not...

This Issue of the magazine aims at reflecting on and rekindling interest in successful field projects, capacity-building initiatives and networking of natural resources practitioners. It is a strategy to sustain ideas that could enhance conservation of wildlife and natural ecosystems and improve Africa's rural livelihoods. This edition of Nature &...

La Encuesta Nacional Agropecuaria 2008 (ENA 2008) se ha realizado con el propósito de estimar el número de Unidades de Producción Agropecuaria a nivel de Departamentos, lo que permitirá conocer a su vez los recursos agropecuarios con que cuenta cada uno de ellos y de esta manera contribuir a la...

La tercera edición tiene el objetivo de proveer una guía metodológica práctica al proceso de montaje y puesta en marcha de huertas familiares centradas en la auto producción de alimentos nutritivos e inocuos como aporte significativo en fibras minerales y vitaminas para la alimentación de la población, afectada por la...

The process of the family farmers' recognition as individuals with rights demonstrates having their first roots, in spite of being recent, if compared to the history of the Brazilian rural syndicalism, still in the constitution of the labor-syndical legislation in 1930. Therefore, seeking to explore that process the present paper...

Organic Monitor was commissioned by Food & Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations to assess the European and North American market for organic ingredients: organic cocoa, coffee and vanilla. The purpose of the study is to investigate the market potential for Pacific Island Country (PIC) growers. The focus is...

Livelihoods in Darfur are intimately linked to the conflict, none more so than the livelihoods of the Northern Rizaygat—a group of Arabicspeaking, camel-herding nomads living in the Sudanese states of North, South, and West Darfur. They have achieved notoriety for their role in the Janjaweed—the pejorative name given to the...

This brief has been prepared for the UN Convention on Climate Change meeting in Copenhagen, December 2009, to raise awareness of the imminent impacts of climate change on food security in Pacific island countries and territories and to urge participants to consider the importance of mainstreaming food security in climate-related...

The last decades have seen a proliferation of economic studies that have compared the economic performance of organic and non-organic farming systems. Several criticisms were formulated questioning the validity of such comparisons, partly because of the inherent difference between the two systems (in terms of complexity, diversity and objectives other...

There is barrier among farmers in developing countries to convert to organic farming. This study examines factors affecting the decision of Thai vegetable farmers to convert and suggests possible measures to improve conversion

The FAO Glossary on Organic Agriculture in English, French and Spanish contains 401 concepts and definitions, where appropriate, which have been selected from FAO and international documents and publications on Organic Agriculture, as well as from the proceedings of meetings of experts discussing Organic Agriculture and Food Security issues. The...

This paper uses the sustainable livelihoods framework to explore the contribution of smallholder production to food security in some sub-Saharan African countries and relates it to the South African case. Noting that many of the world’s hungry are smallholder farmers, it is clear that food insecurity is closely linked to...

Seed interventions are the major agricultural response during emergency and recovery phases of humanitarian relief. They are implemented by diverse agencies, and widely promoted: for instance the FAO alone managed 400 such projects between 2003 and 2005. However, seed aid suffers from a lack of critical attention, perpetuating widespread myths...

Sitio web de la revista Agrópolis, la es una publicación semestral de la Fundación para el Desarrollo Regional en los países del Mercosur ampliado (FUNDER). Es de carácter no gubernamental y su Directorio está conformado por personalidades de Argentina, Brasil, Paraguay y Uruguay. Agrópolis se idea como espacio de reflexión en el que...