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...

Peu de travaux ont considéré la construction et le développement d'un contrat comme un processus d'apprentissage des acteurs. Des agriculteurs individuels de São Tomé ont dû s'organiser et avancer collectivement, en réponse aux demandes d’un industriel pour un nouveau contrat de cacao biologique et équitable. Cette construction relationnelle entre les...

En un contexto de cambio climático y volatilidad de precios agrícolas, se impone revisar las prioridades de inversión del sector. Expertos internacionales señalan la necesidad de reorientar la inversión pública hacia la pequeña agricultura de manera estratégica.

La Red Café de la Coordinadora Latinoamericana de Pequeños Productores de Comercio Justo, comprometida con las organizaciones que la integran ha decido retomar el tema del calentamiento global, y el aporte de la agricultura sostenible de los pequeños productores a la mitigación del mismo. En la actualidad el cambio climático...

Los proyectos pueden ser una oportunidad para resolver o iniciar procesos que contribuyan a la solución de los problemas presentes en las comunidades. Mediante ellos se accede a recursos monetarios y humanos que no siempre están disponibles para tales fines. Por otra parte, los proyectos necesitan de la participación de...

Achieving balance between water demand and supply is crucial for sustainable agriculture in semi-arid countries. Many agronomic options and socio-economic measures can be applied to reduce water demand in agriculture sector without compromising its performance. This work investigated some specific management options for the improvement of the performances of the...

Los proyectos de electrificación rural tienen como objetivo reducir las brechas de oportunidades de las poblaciones más alejadas. Hacen posible la diversificación de sus actividades económicas, tanto productivas como comerciales, y permiten que servicios públicos como educación, salud, comunicación, entre otros, mejoren en su calidad y cobertura. La multiplicación de este...

Dimitra Newsletter 19 highlights FAO’s strong interest in the exchange and capitalisation of good agricultural practices and in the methods that enable rural populations to access information and communication. The Knowledge Management and Gender programme, which organised a Knowledge Share Fair in Niamey in June 2010, illustrates the innovative methods...

Originally perceived as an occasional natural hazard, drought is now a phenomena, for which one can be prepared, despite the difficulties in determining its beginning and end. It is therefore crucial to understand the individual and social behaviour, in order to adopt effective measures and policies to mitigate the negative...

Romania is a country of peasants, with a long deep history in peasant agriculture, which effects everything in the country, including its art, culture, and the way Romanians think. This has survived despite the best efforts of past empires and communists to destroy it. Today peasant culture remains the bedrock...