Only a small number of governments have established meaningful and effective farmer-centred measures for the implementation of access and benefit sharing of genetic resources. One reason is the highly complex nature of the international regulatory system. This special issue of Farming Matters magazine presents practical ways in which access and...

Populations in Africa are increasingly exposed to the negative impact of natural and human-induced disasters such as drought, floods, disease epidemics and conflicts which threaten the agriculture production systems and livelihoods of vulnerable communities. The initiative on “Building Resilience in Africa’s Drylands” was developed to enhance the capacity of these...

The experience of the Shashe community in Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe, is a microcosm of the broader vision of La Via Campesina (LVC). Shashe is a community of peasant farmers who gained their land first through a land occupation, and were then benefitted by the Fast Track Land Reform Program implemented...

Speaking on the e occasion of the official nomination ceremony on behalf of the FAO Director-General, FAO Subregional Coordinator for Southern Africa, David Phiri, said Sustainable Development Goal 2 had established food and nutrition security as a key international development objective. As such, IYP successfully linked the contribution of pulses...

The SADC Consultative Meeting on Preparedness and Response to the Impact of the 2015/16 El Niño on Agriculture and Food and Nutrition Security in Southern Africa was held from 25th to 26th February 2016 in Johannesburg, South Africa, with support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations...

Against a background of resurgent land grabs, penetration of capital in the rural landscape and the expulsion of small producers from their pieces of land in most African countries, the Sam Moyo African Institute for Agrarian Studies (SMAIAS) working in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Land and Agrarian Network (ZiLAN) announces...

This article presents findings on the local economy impacts of seven African country SCT programmes evaluated as part of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) “From Protection to Production” (PtoP) project. The countries are Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The PtoP project has facilitated expansion of...

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ (FAO’s) cash and voucher programmes benefit smallholder farmers who are particularly vulnerable to natural hazards, market volatility, conflicts and protracted crises. Cash and vouchers play a critical role in response to crises or shocks when farmers and pastoralists no longer have...

Small ruminants, such as sheep and goats, play a significant role in the global livestock sector, particularly within developing countries where they are critical for livelihoods and food security. Sheep and goats have a direct impact on the economy and well-being of the population. However, the presence of infectious diseases...

The 88 page illustrated book showcases 15 case studies, showing how agroecology benefits Africa in terms of food and nutrition, livelihoods, restoration of biodiversity, knowledge and innovation, and climate change resilience. Leading experts in their fields explain how agroecology reforms food systems to promote better nutrition and health, especially among poor...

What is successful access and benefit sharing’ for smallholder family farmers? This contribution argues it is not about legal contracts or mechanisms that regulate the international transfer of plant genetic resources. It is about farmers’ access to seed diversity and the ability to share in the benefits of the continuing...

Building an enterprise takes many different tasks, from stepping into the shoes of potential customers to designing products or services, to running a marketing campaign. This was one of the key messages for women farmers at SACAU’s Agro-preneurship training in Johannesburg this month. The three-day training from 27th – 29th September...

El Niño is the warming of sea surface temperature in the tropical Pacific, which occurs roughly every 2 to 7 years, lasting from 6 to 24 months. While the main threat to food production is reduced rainfall and drought in some regions, El Niño can also cause heavy rains and...

In Zimbabwe, small-scale farmers are contributing immensely to the agricultural production of the country. Since Independence, they have been the main players in the production of crops like cotton and maize and have lately even taken over tobacco production. They are not only growing food to feed themselves; they also...

  The main cause of food insecurity for many communal households in Zimbabwe is their reliance upon a form of subsistence-based agriculture which is dependent on a limited range of inputs often poorly suited to local conditions. The current agricultural system prioritizes monocropping and grain yield over other factors of food...

  Learning is a lifetime activity. Nowhere is this clearer than in agriculture, and especially among women farmers. Being responsible for over 70% of agricultural production on our continent, we farm through knowledge sharing. In complex and closely knit social groups, starting in early childhood, knowledge is birthed, nurtured and passed...

This edition of the UN in Zimbabwe newsletter is dedicated to shed light on the partnerships, progress and challenges in the collective humanitarian response in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe is one of a number of countries in southern Africa that has declared a drought disaster this year due to the impact of a strong El Nino weather event which meant reduced rainfall for much of southern Africa late last year and during the early months of this year - the same period...

The experience of the Shashe community in Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe, is a microcosm of the broader vision of La Via Campesina (LVC). Shashe is a community of peasant farmers who gained their land first through a land occupation, and were then benefitted by the Fast Track Land Reform Program implemented...

 “Just the thought of a drought and its effects made me shudder as the one we experienced during the 2014-2015 season left a trail of destruction among farmers. How were we expected to cope with another drought, made worse by the El Niño, as we were still reeling from the...