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This book is about Indigenous Peoples’ food systems and how important local knowledge about foods and the ecosystems that provide them can be used to improve health and well-being. The authors describe processes and activities in nine cultures of Indigenous Peoples, where interventions were developed and implemented with local knowledge, and explain how this information can benefit Indigenous Peoples everywhere, and all of humankind. Food and nutrition insecurity and the burden of high incidence of non-communicable diseases reach all corners of the globe. This “nutrition transition” is driven by changing lifestyles, loss of livelihoods for all those engaged in food production, increasing poverty and urbanization, and [...]

This framework explains the Disaster Risk Reduction for Food and Nutrition Security Framework Programme of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) which has been undertaken with the goal of enhancing the resilience of livelihoods against threats and emergencies to ensure the food and nutrition security of vulnerable farmers, fishers, herders, foresters and other at risk groups. The framework presents four thematic pillars which mirror the priorities outlined in the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA): (i) enable the environment, emphasizing good governance and effective policy making; (ii) watch to safeguard, emphasizing early warning systems; (iii) apply prevention and [...]

This comprehensive sourcebook on climate-smart agriculture (CSA), produced by the Food and Agriculture Organisation, consists of eighteen modules covering every aspect of planning and implementing CSA policies and projects.  Aimed primarily at developing countries, the opening module outlines the case for CSA (including forestry and fisheries), discussing issues such as food security, resilient systems, and systemic efficiency. The sourcebook argues that if we are to match growing demand whilst simultaneously combating climate change, it is crucial that greater efficiency and resilience is achieved in our food systems to aid climate mitigation and adaptation respectively. This has to happen globally, and in [...]

Conservation Agriculture is actually applied on about 10% of the world’s cropland and adoption is growing fast. However, it is not growing fast enough to face the challenges ahead, such as the need to eradicate hunger and food insecurity for a growing population and to address the threats of climate change, land and environmental degradation, resource scarcity and increasing cost of food, production inputs and energy. For “sustainable intensification” strategy as being implemented through Conservation Agriculture to spread faster, it needs not only the accurate application of the concept and principles, but also supportive policies that can facilitate adoption of [...]

The AFOLU sector (Agriculture, Forestry, Land Use) is directly linked with climate change issues, on an environmental aspect as well as on an economical and social aspect (food security).  On the one hand, the sector directly contributes to climate change. Indeed, agriculture represents 14% of the total worldwide GHG emissions, and deforestation accounts for 17% (UNFCCC, 2008). The AFOLU sector is thus responsible for one third of the GHG emissions in the world. Moreover, this sector is increasingly vulnerable to climate changes and hence requires adaptation measures. On the other hand, it is estimated that the mitigation potential of the AFOLU [...]

Building on FAO’s work on good practices in agriculture and forestry, the Bioenergy and Food Security Criteria and Indicators (BEFSCI) project has compiled a set of good environmental practices that can be implemented by bioenergy feedstock producers in order to minimize the risk of negative environmental impacts from their operations, and to ensure that modern bioenergy contributes to climate change mitigation while safeguarding and possibly fostering food security.  BEFSCI has also compiled a set of good socio-economic practices that can help minimize the risks and increase the opportunities for food security associated with bioenergy operations.  BEFSCI has identified a range of policy instruments that [...]

This best practices guidance document is intended to help development professionals  and government officials who are involved in agricultural and rural development investment operations to mainstream climate change considerations in programme identification, design and supervision. The link between food security, rural livelihoods and climate change is well recognized, and the idea of mainstreaming climate change into agricultural and rural development investment programmes has become increasingly important. This publication provides practitioners with pertinent information from FAO and external sources, as well as options and good practices on rapid assessments, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and disaster risk reduction.

Since the Global Conference on Climate Change, Food Security and Agriculture held at the Hague in 2010, the concept of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) has gained increasing attention at international and national levels, with several countries initiating related activities. The objective of this paper is to highlight recent experiences with country-level implementation of CSA to identify some key lessons to incorporate in ongoing efforts to expand the use of the approach in developing countries. Examples are presented from Malawi, Zambia, and Vietnam on the issues discussed, and how to use the evidence base to inform investment options and policy actions. Section 1 describes the evolution of the concept [...]

Increasing agricultural productivity and supporting people to make the most of natural and other resources through sustainable forestry, fisheries, aquaculture, crop and livestock practices. Given that the global population is expected to grow from 7 to 9 billion by 2050, there will be rapidly increasing demand for food, fibre, wood and other agricultural products. Doing more with less is imperative. This area of work will assist countries in identifying options and solutions to increased productivity and saving on external resources. Investing in this area of work means promoting increased sustainable production, enhanced environmental and social performance, and ensured resilience of communities and ecosystems to climate change and [...]

A timely publication as world leaders deliberate the causes of the latest bouts of food price volatility and search for solutions that address the recent velocity of financial, economic, political, demographic, and climatic change. As a collection compiled from a diverse group of economists, analysts, traders, institutions and policy formulators – comprising multiple methodologies and viewpoints - the book exposes the impact of volatility on global food security, with particular focus on the world’s most vulnerable. A provocative read.