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Conservation agriculture (CA) aims to achieve sustainable and profitable agriculture and subsequently aimes at improved livelihoods of farmers through the application of the three CA principles: minimal soil disturbance, permanent soil cover and crop rotations. CA holds tremendous potential for all sizes of farms and agro-ecological systems, but its adoption is perhaps most urgently required by smallholder farmers, especially those facing acute labour shortages. It is a way to combine profitable agricultural production with environmental concerns and sustainability and it has been proven to work in a variety of agroecological zones and farming systems. It is been perceived by practitioners [...]

TECA is a platform where you can find practical information – agricultural technologies and practices – to help small producers in the field. In addition, you can interact with people with similar interests and discuss sustainable solutions for your work in our online forums – or Exchange Groups.

A sustainable agriculture and rural development strategy for Oman Oman’s recent economic growth still depends on hydrocarbon revenue and foreign labour. Sustainable development in the agriculture sector would increase agriculture’s contribution to the gross domestic product and employment, and enable the sector to improve Oman’s trade balance. The objective of the project was thus to support the government in analyzing the existing situation and formulating a sustainable agricultural development and rural development strategy to address the efficient and sustainable use of the scarce natural resources for the improved livelihoods of the Omani people. Duration: 01/01/2013 - 01/03/2017

The GreeNTD is based on a socio-ecological territorial development methodology that supports a wide stakeholder’s engagement in seeking progressive territorial consensus through a holistic, bottom-up and negotiated vision. The final objective is to get an agreed, socially legitimate and sustainable use and management of natural resources whilst safeguarding the ecosystem, current and future. The proposed methods and tools are thought to facilitate the potential users in the implementation of the approach and to facilitate the application of the agreement. The toolkit presents a set of tools to be used in various steps of the territorial development interventions within the GreeNTD [...]

These supplementary guidelines to the UNFCCC NAP Guidelines for "Addressing Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in National Adaptation Plans (NAP-Ag Guidelines)" aim to support developing countries in making sure agriculture is both included in national adaptation plans and made more adaptive and resilient to climate change.  The Guidelines aim to support developing countries in: reducing vulnerability of the agriculture sectors to the impacts of climate change by building adaptive capacities and resilience; addressing agriculture in the formulation and implementation of NAPs; and enhancing the integration of adaptation in agricultural development policies, programmes and plans. Chapter One provides background information on NAP formulation and implementation processes. Chapter Two focuses [...]

Forests have the potential to contribute to food security and nutrition in a number of ways. They are a source of food and they provide woodfuel for cooking, income, employment and ecosystem services that are essential to support agricultural and fishery production. Despite this potential, most often the existing forestry policies are focused on economic efficiency and do not consider the relevance of forests to sustainable food security and nutrition. Conversion of forests to other land uses, for example, is usually justified on an economic basis, with insufficient attention to the long-term environmental and livelihood impacts on local people. This [...]

In many regions of the world, sustainable and reliable delivery of water services has become increasingly complex and problematic. Complexities that are very likely to increase, considering the unprecedented confluence of pressures linked to demographic, economic, dietary trends, and climate change. Particularly if overall demand for freshwater exceeds supply, the delivery of water services is often less about engineering, although engineering is still required, and more about politics, governa nce, managing and protecting sources, resolving conflicts about water, ensuring rights to water are respected, and so on. It is also about understanding and monitoring the hydrological cycle at the appropriate scale [...]

The review was conducted with the aim to provide guidance for future engagement / investments, in particular in the context of recent AU declarations on agriculture and on land restoration by NEPAD, GEF, TerrAfrica, the Great Green Wall Initiative for the Sahel and Sahara (GGWISS), UN agencies and other donors. This paper provides an abridged summary of the findings for easier access by country policy / decision makers, agencies, development partners and donors, as a basis for informing future i nterventions for scaling- up sustainable land management (SLM). Also available in French.

The MENA region is known for its water scarcity situation and competition over the limited natural resources to grow grain in order to enhance domestic food supplies, or to grow high-value fruits and vegetables for export is intense and escalating. The choice between food security and lucrative exports is not simple because land and water continue to remain a fundamental part of people’s cultural identity, social relations, livelihood strategies and economic well-being. The trade-offs are critical and many aspects and may stakeholders need to be brought to the decision table. The proposed approach helps stakeholders to select and put into practice those land uses that will best meet [...]

Nearly three years ago, world leaders agreed to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – the central framework for guiding development policies throughout the world. This edition of The State of the World’s Forests is aimed at enhancing our understanding of how forests and their sustainable management contribute to achieving several of the SDGs. Time is running out for the world’s forests: we need to work across sectors, bring stakeholders together, and take urgent action. The State of the World’s Forests 2018 identifies actions that can be taken to increase the contributions [...]