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These recommendations draw on the outcomes of the CFS High-Level Forum on Connecting Smallholders to Markets held in June 2015, are based on existing evidence and aim to encourage good policies and practices. The recommendations are intended to contribute to meeting the mandate of the Committee to strive for a world free from hunger where countries implement the Voluntary Guidelines for the Progressive Realization of the Right to Adequate Food in the Context of National Food Security. They complement but do not restate recommendations and relevant guidance previously provided in other CFS products.  

In the aftermath of the devastating Cyclone Pam in 2015, the Government of Vanuatu intensified its support to the fruit and vegetable sector. Pineapple was identified as being particularly resilient to severe weather and as having excellent production and market potential. However, the lack of knowledge among farmers and agribusinesses on how to grow sustainably and profitably and how to add value to pineapples made it necessary to strengthen capacity in the sector. The project targeted both the public and private sectors, with a view to helping farmers to produce and sell fresh and processed pineapple products on Vanuatu’s domestic market. Find [...]

The nature of challenges faced by smallholder farmers and pastoralists in Eastern Africa today necessitates a high level of coordinated action and cooperation, if they are to gain voice and access markets for their products. Against this background, the Field School (FS) approach has emerged as a tool to address current gaps and needs in the agricultural sector in a holistic manner. Despite the positive impacts being reported on food security and livelihood improvement, as well as the progress made towards institutionalization in some countries, FS impact assessments and reviews have repeatedly pointed out a large number of challenges and [...]

With 80 percent of the population living in rural areas, agriculture remains the main source of employment in Cambodia. However, poor and very poor rural households, which include the large majority of female-headed households, generally have little land and livestock, and food insecurity remains a reality. Improving the production techniques of these households in rice and other crops, and boosting commercial linkages between smallholder farmers and buyers both require enhanced agricultural and business support services, an initial capital base, and sustainable access to financial services. Illiteracy, poor financial literacy, the lack of assets and high transaction costs impede the access [...]

Despite significant recent improvements in measuring resilience, there are still relevant gaps in the analysis. One of the relatively unexplored aspects of resilience is whether a genderspecific analysis of resilience capacity can become relevant for policy use. This paper contributes to the literature on resilience by analysing a data set with one of the most adopted resilience indicators and highlighting the emerging gaps. See more FAO Agricultural Development Economics Working Papers here  

This publication provides an in-depth analysis of the applications of blockchain and distributed ledger technologies in the agriculture sector. It aims to facilitate a better understanding of the opportunities and benefits of blockchain in agriculture, as well as the technical and institutional barriers to its adoption. The paper analyses how blockchain and smart contracts can increase efficiency, transparency and traceability in agricultural supply chains and improve rural development interventions; as well as be an impetus to achieve the SDGs. Blockchain-based technologies have the potential to promote more sustainable agriculture supply chains, better facilitate trade and provide a more inclusive trading [...]

This brochure presents FAO ’s work on agricultural innovation. FAO advocates a shift from interventions focusing on single components of agricultural innovation towards a system-approach aimed at strengthening institutions and stakeholders’ networks that better respond to the needs of smallholder farmers. Agricultural innovation is the process whereby individuals or organizations bring new or existing products, processes or ways of organization into use for the first time in a specific context in order to increase effectiveness, competitiveness, resilience to shocks or environmental sustainability and thereby contribute to food security and nutrition, economic development or sustainable natural resource management. Innovation is central to [...]

Latin America and the Caribbean is falling short of the Sustainable Development Goal 1: Ending poverty. After two and a half decades of progress, poverty and extreme rural poverty increased by two percentage points each between 2014 and 2016. By 2017, there were an estimated 59 million poor and 27 million extreme poor in rural areas of the region. During the last 20 years, Latin America and the Caribbean has been at the forefront of global experiences in the reduction of rural poverty. The new regional context implies that the countries of the region must not only protect the progress made [...]

Fisheries and aquaculture support the livelihoods of millions of people around the world. In rural and coastal communities they often play a key role for a society’s culture and identity. As these communities know well, fish is also a healthy and nutritious food, with the potential to feed our growing planet. But as the population grows, the demand for fish increases, and our natural resources are increasingly stressed. Sustainable management and development is crucial to preserving these resources for future generations.  Like the Green Economy principles that preceded it, FAO’s Blue Growth Initiative emphasizes the three pillars of sustainable development – [...]

This rapid capacity assessment tool aims to help practitioners (such as government agencies, youth organizations, or development partners) to carry out a multi-stakeholder assessment of existing and needed capacities to engage and empower youth to carry out and benefit from responsible investment in agriculture and food systems. It is designed to support the application of the CFS Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems (CFS-RAI), with a particular focus on principle four (“Engage and Empower Youth”). The tool addresses the different systemic dimensions of capacity development and focuses on: the institutional set-up for agricultural investment related policy processes; policies, [...]