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...

Informal markets receive little attention from governments and researchers, despite their centrality to farmers’ seed security. This paper documents the importance of informal markets for supplying seed and restocking critical plant genetic resources in normal and stress periods. It analyses farmers’ rationales for using such markets and their strategic actions...

This sixth and last volume in our publication series features the final results of the International Task Force on Harmonization and Equivalence in Organic Agriculture (ITF). The ITF worked from 2003 to 2008 in search of solutions to trade barriers created by worldwide proliferation of organic standards and technical regulations....

The project has supported the Volta Mango Growers Association (VOMAGA). This report presents the results of a survey among a sample of the mango farmers on the impact of the project. The report first gives an introduction to the mango sector in Ghana and the project partners and activities. Subsequently...

Los días 28 y 29 de mayo de 2008, se llevó a cabo en Bolivia, el Seminario sobre “Enfoques de Desarrollo Territorial y Desarrollo Rural” a iniciativa del Postgrado en Ciencias del Desarrollo de la Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (CIDES/UMSA) el Instituto Interamericano de Cooperación para la Agricultura (IICA)...