
The contribution of insects to food security, livelihoods and the environment
Entomophagy is the consumption of insects by humans. Entomophagy is practised in many countries around the world but predominantly in parts of Asia, Africa and Latin America. Insects supplement the diets of approximately 2 billion people and have always been a part of human diets. However, it is...

Street food and urban and periurban agriculture and horticulture: perspectives for a strategic coalition towards food security
The aim of this discussion is to share perspectives on actual and potential links between street food vending and urban and periurban agriculture and horticulture, analyzing if and in which way such links may represent the basis for possible strategies to enhance food security in urban areas.

The State of Food and Agriculture 2014 (SOFA)
Innovation in family farming More than 500 million family farms manage the majority of the world's agricultural land and produce most of the world's food. We need family farms to ensure global food security, to care for and protect the natural environment and to end poverty, undernourishment and...

State of the World's Forests 2014 (SOFO)
Enhancing the socioeconomic benefits from forests Across the world, forests, trees on farms, and agroforestry systems play a crucial role in the livelihoods of rural people by providing employment, energy, nutritious foods and a wide range of other goods and ecosystem services. They have tremendous...

How to develop the hydro-agricultural resources in West Africa?
It is clear that the development of irrigated agriculture is a key factor for food security and nutrtion in West Africa and in the Sahel. In this context, mobilisation of groundwater offers great opportunities. But how can we better understand, exploit and manage water resources in the region? And how can we coordinate and unify different approaches to development of irrigation?

What Future for Irrigated Agriculture in Central Asia?
Welcome to the online discussion “What Future for Irrigated Agriculture in Central Asia?”. This three-week online discussion is initiated by the Global Food Security and Nutrition Forum (FSN Forum) in close collaboration with Investment Centre Division, both based in Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations (FAO).

What do we really know about the number and distribution of farms and family farms in the world?
The agricultural economics literature provides various estimates of the number of farms and small farms in the world. This paper is an effort to provide a more complete and up to date as well as carefully documented estimate of the total number of farms in the world, as well as by region and level...

A Vegetable Garden for All
A practical guide for setting up family gardens for the production of nutritious, safe food crops, that would contribute to the diets of populations affected by food insecurity.

Geographic determinants of rice self-sufficiency in Southeast Asia
Rice self-sufficiency is a key objective of most Asian governments, yet attaining that objective has been elusive for several countries over extended periods of time; long-term status as an exporter or importer is relatively constant, and is altered only by revolutionary events (i.e., major changes...

Post-green revolution food systems and the triple burden of malnutrition
Developing country food systems have changed dramatically since the Green Revolution period. At the same time, malnutrition still represents a challenge and is now understood to encompass the three simultaneous dimensions of undernourishment, micronutrient deficiencies, and over-nutrition manifest...