Results
Report
2009
The state of food and agriculture. Livestock in the balance
Livestock contribute 40 percent of the global value of agricultural output and support the livelihoods and food security of almost a billion people. Rapidly rising incomes and urbanization, combined with underlying population growth, are driving demand for meat and other animal products in many developing countries.
These changes and the speed with which they are occurring have created systemic risks for livelihoods, human and animal health and the environment. To meet the challenges and constraints of the twenty-first century, the livestock sector requires appropriate institutions, research, development interventions and governance that reflect the diversity within the sector and the multiple demands [...]
Issue paper
2009
Resilience of Rural Communities to Climatic Accidents. A Need to Scale Up Socio-Environmental Safety Nets (Madagascar, Haiti). Policy Brief. EASYPol Series 204
The rural sector’s lack of resilience to climatic accidents seems to be one of the main reasons for the transformation of climatic accidents into environmental, economic and social disasters for local communities. Thus, the integration of activities geared towards the improvement of community resilience seems to be of utmost priority. This can be achieved by integrating prevention and risk-management tools into already existing social safety-nets within the framework of food security and poverty reduction strategies.
“Social protection initiatives are as much at risk from climate change as other development approaches. They are unlikely to succeed in reducing poverty if they do [...]
Case study
2008
Socio-Economic and Livelihoods Analysis in Investment Planning. Key Principles and Methods. EASYPol Series 201
This paper introduces the key principles and methods related to socio-economic and livelihoods analysis in investment planning. It includes a discussion of the importance of understanding the constraints of the rural poor in identification and preparation of investment programmes. It explains the processes of identifying the constraints of the rural poor, the extent and nature of their vulnerability, and their coping strategies in times of food shortage. In addition, it provides an understanding of the roles/functions of rural institutions and presents some methods used in community analysis. Finally, it discusses the implications of socio-economic and livelihoods analysis for the design [...]
Case study
2008
Sharing JFFLS Junior Farmer Field and Life Schools experiences and challenges
The purpose of this report is to document some of the Junior Farmer Field and Life Schools (JFFLS) experiences to date, and allow readers to reflect on approaches used in the various JFFLS in the countries where they have been set up. The JFFLS approach, developed by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP), has been operational since 2003 and has been recently adapted to provide a response to emergency situations. The goal of the JFFLS is to empower vulnerable youths, giving them livelihood options and long-term food security while minimizing [...]
Tool
2007
Getting started! Running a junior farmer field and life school
Designed to empower orphans and other vulnerable children aged 12 to 18 years who live in communities where HIV/AIDS has had a strong impact on food security.
Issue paper
2003
Facing the Challenge of an HIV/AIDS epidemic: Agricultural Extension Services in Sub-Saharan Africa
The mandate of extension services, whether public or private, has always been rural human resources development with an aim to increase food production through the introduction of improved agricultural technology. The very survival of these human resources, both within the extension organization and among the clientele, however, is currently at stake due to the HIV/AIDS menace. Urgent and major efforts are needed by the extension services to prepare themselves for battle against the epidemic, to educate the farming population about the disease, and to develop new strategies, methodologies, materials, technology and equipment to serve the extension needs of thousands of [...]
Issue paper
2003
Mitigating the Impact of HIV/AIDS on Food Security and Rural Poverty
The AIDS epidemic is challenging all aspects of the development agenda. Many of the premises on which development interventions are based are no longer relevant. The disease has decimated sub-Saharan Africa's agricultural labour force and will continue to do so for generations, depleting the region of its food producers and farmers.
Not only is the epidemic causing severe reversals in development gains, but it is making ‘typical’ development interventions impractical. Communities’ livelihoods are being permanently eroded and assets depleted with the reoccurring periods of sickness and death that the epidemic brings. Labour, a much valued human asset and the foundation of [...]