The livestock subsector has contributed little to the remarkable economic growth recorded in Ethiopia in the last decade. In an effort to stimulate livestock production, the Ethiopian government has recently recognized livestock as an important strategic subsector in which to invest. Unlike most studies that focus purely on aspects of...

Since the start of the FAO program in 2015 in Kenya, more than 26,000 farmers adopted conservation agriculture in the eight counties; 3,500 of them have now market linkages with contracts and are developing cottage industries.

What is the optimal size and composition of Rural Financial Cooperatives (RFCs)? With this broad question in mind, we characterize alternative formation of RFCs and their implications in improving the access of rural households to financial services, including savings, credit, and insurance services. We find that some features of RFCs...

In the framework of the project “Adapting small-scale irrigation to climate change in West and Central Africa”, farmers from Gambia talk about the devastating impacts of climate change on their farming activities and crops, leading to crop failure and food insecurity. They also describe the measures they adopted to build...

This report consolidates findings from previous activities by FAO and other stakeholders, and identifies in the four focus countries (Ethiopia, Sudan, Djibouti & Somalia): - the location and direction of the main livestock trade routes, - appropriate sites for rehabilitation & development of strategic livestock water sources, - good practices...

Rwanda has targeted the transformation of the agricultural sector with significant public investments in land use consolidation, irrigation, land improvement, soil and water conservation, access to inputs, increasing livestock herds, and capital-building through support to cooperative development. Smallholders farm an average of four to five plots that make up an...

Each year, rural areas lose a promising share of their workforce, as youth leave their homes and migrate to cities or move abroad in search of a better future. By addressing the links between distress migration and rural development, FAO is making a difference in Ethiopia.

For over a decade ActionAid Mozambique (AAMoz) has worked with strategic partner organisations in the south and north-east of the country to promote agroecology initiatives with 80 farmers’ associations consisting of over 8000 farmers. 96% of the members are women and 30% of them young people, cultivating an average of...

Based on two case studies (dairy value chain in Kenya and Morocco), the study provides a methodological framework and analyze the enabling institutional factors for the development and thriving of producer organizations.

To amplify the development impact of the African Agriculture Fund, the International Fund for Agricultural Development actively promoted a Technical Assistance Facility to work alongside its investments. Blending development finance with technical assistance can be a powerful tool to achieve business growth and development outcomes. After five years of implementation,...

Ce film montre un mode d'organisation spécifique autour des espaces pastoraux, visant une meilleure gestion des ressources et une plus grande durabilité: les unités pastorales. Les Unités Pastorales ont été mises en place sur plusieurs communes du Sénégal et montrent des résultats variables. La question du financement de ces UP...

The project aims at improving food security and reducing rural poverty of smallholder farmers through providing guidance and technical support to enhance the quality, impact and sustainability of Agricultural Water Management (AWM) investments. Water is crucial to economies and to livelihoods and is central for poverty reduction. Sufficient availability and...

This study used cross sectional data from the government of Malawi’s Farm Income Diversification Programme (FIDP) to examine the impact of FIDP on household welfare. Total annual household income, food security, and the wealth status of households were used as measures of household welfare. A propensity score matching procedure was...

A fall armyworm outbreak, the first emergence of the pest in southern Africa, is causing considerable crop damage in some countries. If the pest damage aggravates, it could dampen prospects for good crop harvests that is anticipated in the current farming season. Maize, a staple food in the region has...

FAO RAF Quarterly Newsletter is an information resource platform designated for broader audience in Africa and published every quarter of the year. This newsletter mostly contains news stories, articles, reports and up-to date events from FAO’s representatives, policy makers and other stakeholders in the sub region of Africa. The aim...

The present study is a gender assessment of the dairy value chain in selected sites in Ethiopia: North Shoa Shewa (Degem woreda), East Gojam (Dejen woreda) and Gamu Gofa Arba Minch (Arba Minch Zuria woreda). It relies on evidence gathered through fieldwork complemented by a review of specialized background documentation....

The present resilience analysis is focused on the Isiolo, Marsabit and Meru couties in the Republic of Kenya. It relates to the baseline survey that is part of the Impact Evaluation strategy designed by the FAO Representation in Kenya in order to assess the effects of specific FAO interventions. In...

Since the establishment of the FAO Representation in the Republic of the Gambia in 1979, FAO has provided vital support to the development of agriculture and natural resource sectors in the country. The Organization has implemented more than 120 projects, also facilitating policy formulation and the development of programmes and...

This document elaborates the outcomes of the Addis Ababa Conference on “Changing Food Systems in Africa: Agroecology and Food Sovereignty and their Role in Nutrition and Health”. The three-day conference brought together representatives of civil society organizations, farmers, fisherfolk, pastoralists, indigenous peoples, consumers, youth networks, women’s networks, food processors, practitioners,...

This video tells the story of Mehaou, an inspiring Nigerien farmer and grandmother who has overcome many challenges to provide for her family - including rearing, breeding and selling goats.