Many of the benefits of organic agriculture depend on establishing an ecological balance among soil, plants and animals, not just on substituting organic pesticides and fertilizers for synthetic ones. This fundamental difference is particularly important for farmers who have little experience in organic agriculture. Inadequate advice jeopardizes not just the...

Food availability, access, stability and utilization are all part of the multi-dimensional nature of food security. The “availability” aspect, discussed here, refers to the availability of sufficient quantities of food of appropriate quality, supplied through domestic production or inputs. However, measurement of productivity alone is not sufficient to evaluate the performance...

The paper compares the organizational structure and marketing strategies in organic supply chains operating under three certification schemes in developing and transition economies. A value chain management approach needs to be considered when analysing the requirements associated with supplying certified organic products. Regardless of the scheme, complying with organic standards...

Agroecology will only materialize as a scientific and development paradigm when professionals trained exist in the same logic. The Federal Institutes (IFs) were created in 2008. It proposes a new institutional framework capable of promoting an educational policy committed to local and regional sustainable development, besides outlining strategies for social...

Across the globe, the countryside faces the " generation problem " : Who will grow food when the current generation of aging small farmers and peasants disappears? A combination of objective and subjective factors effectively discourages young people from assuming the continuity of peasant and family farming, especially in countries...

Promouvoir et soutenir l’agroécologie paysanne implique une mise en cohérence des politiques publiques. Il n’est pas possible de soutenir parallèlement des modèles qui lui nuisent. L’agroécologie est un modèle qui s’inscrit dans son territoire et se construit en fonction de l’environnement et des savoirs des populations. Cette dépendance au milieu...