Organic and eco-sustainable farming is particularly suited to farms situated within parks, because it does not harm local ecosystems as it does not use pesticides and promotes biodiversity, improving biological links and creating ideal habitats for animal life. It also promotes grants that reward farmers for acting as “guardians/stewards of...

Social farming, or care farming as it is also called, defines short or long-term activities that use agricultural resources such as animals and plants to promote and generate social services in rural areas. Examples of these services include rehabilitation, therapy, sheltered employment, life-long education and other activities that contribute to...

The project “Adotta un terrazzamento” [“Adopt a terrace” in English] aims at regulating and expanding mountain farming activities by giving any interested person the opportunity to adopt a terrace and provide direct or long-term support to the mountains of the Brenta Valley, in the Alps region in Italy.

“Adotta una mucca”, (“Adopt a cow” in English) is an Italian initiative from the Valsugana Valley in the Trentino province. Its objective is to introduce tourists, children and families to mountain life and culture. Adopters can visit various Alpine huts, learn how mountain products are made faithfully following old recipes...

Urgenci, the international network of Local Solidarity Partnerships for Agroecology between producers and consumers (LSPA) and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). As part of the 3-year mutual commitment, the Mediterranean network, including members...

Between November 22 - 25, 2017 Lebanon hosted the 2nd Learning Journey on LSPA: Local Solidarity Partnerships for Agro-ecology between producers and consumers. Around 20 facilitators from 11 Mediterranean countries (Algeria, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Tunisia, Turkey, Syria) participated and shared their experiences through meetings and site...

Parasites in goats are common. They can have varying effects on the animals, but sometimes can be a serious problem. An organic farmer in Italy has found a natural way of reducing the effect of these – bringing in black laying hens to live alongside the goats. These hens help...

While much of the production of food in Europe depends on migrant workers, most people are not aware of the terrible working and living conditions that most of them have to endure. At the same time, the plight of small scale producers who must deal with the low prices imposed...

SOLMACC, an EU- LIFE funded project coordinated by IFOAM EU is about testing and sharing strategies for organic and low-input farming to mitigate and adapt to climate change. It wants to demonstrate that agriculture can be climate-friendly, but you need to apply a combination of optimised organic farming practices to...

The aim of this study is to promote cooperation and actions for the benefit of coastal communities on the Southern and Eastern shores of the Mediterranean region by adopting an approach that integrates environmental, economic and social dimensions. These areas are traditionally based on Fisheries, especially small-scale fisheries (SSFs), which...

Productores de 14 países demandaron políticas concretas para potenciar la producción ecológica y la alimentación saludable al cierre del VII Encuentro Latinoamericano y del Caribe de Agricultura Ecológica y Orgánica que tuvo lugar en Rurrenabaque, Beni. Más de 200 productores reunidos en el municipio beniano reclamaron a los gobiernos de la región...

The central theme of Terra Madre Salone del Gusto 2016 has a profound meaning: loving the earth is cultivating it, taking care of it, working it with love, preserving the environment and the planet that we live on. Loving the earth is what must define this moment in history, and...

In Italy, an innovative partnership between organic farmers, local governments, catering and hospitality industries have led to the creation of Bio-districts – territorial networks that promote short supply chains, preserve local traditions and resources, and support rural development. We talked to Salvatore Baslie, one of the initiators of the Bio-district...

The second Mayors Summit of the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (MUFPP), will take place on 13-14 October 2016 at FAO Headquarters in Rome. Due to the strong link between FAO’s mission and the objectives of the MUFPP, FAO has agreed to support this initiative and to host the second annual gathering...

The Europe 2020 strategy for growth and jobs called for a stronger role of financial instruments in 2014-2020. The European Council subsequently gave a mandate to the European Commission that the programming of the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) should be used to significantly increase the overall EU support...

En Ecuador, el Gobierno Nacional ha desarrollado la Estrategia de Reducción Acelerada de la Desnutrición Crónica Infantil, cuyo enfoque es intervenir en todas las aristas que directa o indirectamente son detonantes de la desnutrición. En este marco el Programa Mundial de Alimentos en Ecuador en miras de cambiar el comportamiento...

The Global Food Forum will gather passionate political and business leaders willing to share insights on their vision, as well as on possible pathways for future developments, aiming to enhance both economic performance and environmental sustainability –around 250 participants representing key influencers of the EU debate will participate, including many MEPs and...

A collection of short examples of initiatives/projects related to new entrants into farming (mostly small scale)

In the Mediterranean, the diversity of production systems and value chains is seen as an asset for sustainability. More than anywhere else, the Mediterranean zone boasts a wide range of sheep and goat farming situations, products and natural resources. This diversity of production systems has provided many different products, shaped...

Association of private farming of the Czech Republic organized an International Conference on family farms and Common Agricultural Policy of EU. The event was held in Brno on 4 - 6th of April 2016. 10 European countries attended the conference. Herewith volume 3. Presentation of Italy