The impacts of the climate and biodiversity crises on people’s livelihoods and opportunities differ greatly based on their gender and other intersecting identity factors. Populations that face systemic marginalization and discrimination are often disproportionately affected.  International actors and scientific bodies, such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the Intergovernmental...

The fungus Magnaporthe oryzae ravages rice and wheat crops and poses a formidable threat to human food on a global scale. Researchers from INRAE, CIRAD and the Université de Montpellier, together with the Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Centre (HHRRC) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) have discovered a gene...

In this 6th factsheet in the series on ultra-processed food (UPF) in Africa, the African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) briefly discuss how UPF is impacting ecological health and functioning, and driving the interconnected biodiversity, climate, and pollution crises on the continent. Over the last two decades, food systems have undergone massive transformations. It...

This set of briefs was produced as an easy-to-use guide to address the challenges surrounding land rights in Kyrgyzstan based on the Kyrgyz land, civil and family codes. Its primary goal is to offer Kyrgyz citizens a clear understanding of their rights, legal processes, and practical steps related to land...

Rural women in low- and middle-income countries face multiple constraints in accessing and benefiting from essential complementary resources, technologies, and services for agricultural production and participation in the agrifood system. This paper highlights recent thinking around these constraints and how to overcome them. The complementary factors we consider are: (1)...

This manual describes in detail the Global Biodiversity Standard (TGBS) methodology required for TGBS certification, including the application form, remote sensing and field survey, as well as the assessment process and scoring system. This manual is divided into nine sections, each of which addresses a different aspect of the TGBS...

In this series focusing on ultra-processed food (UPF) on the African continent, the African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) explore the impacts of shifting dietary patterns, with increasing reliance on low-cost, ultra-processed foods (UPFs) globally, and in Africa in particular, in the context of an urgent call for a just, agroecological...

The publication offers a rich diversity of perspectives and insights from real-life experiences of 42 inspiring teams of youths in Africa and India who are blazing a trail as private extension and advisory service providers promoting agroecology through farmer-to-farmer learning videos. Each of the deeply compelling stories presented in this...

Group-shared attributes, coded in cultural systems, heavily influence how land is used. Despite recent advances in behavioural theory, the central role of culture in land-use decision-making and linked sustainability outcomes is underexplored. We expanded on institutional analysis and system-dynamics frameworks to analyse 66 studies that causally link culture to land...

Small-scale fisheries (SSF), including fishers and fishworkers together with their communities and organizations, are among the world’s most effective contributors to safeguarding aquatic resources and environments. Living near to, and relying on, freshwater and marine aquatic species and environments, small-scale fisheries are at the heart of environmental conservation and stewardship...

The rapid and ongoing digital transformation of government, economic, and social sectors holds immense potential to improve outcomes across the SDGs for smallholder farmers and rural communities more generally. However, it is also widely recognized that digitalization alone does not guarantee inclusion. Rural residents and marginalized groups have the most...

Seed embodies life, power, and culture. From Africa’s deserts and drylands to its mighty river systems and tropical forests, from those growing a multiplicity of grains, legumes, and vegetables, to others struggling to produce enough to feed their families, seed provides the mainstay for the continent’s 500 million small-scale farmers...

Improving the gender-responsiveness of design and delivery of rural finance interventions through innovative approaches and mechanisms is important for promoting rural women’s economic empowerment. This document highlights practical and actionable approaches from the sector in order to guide the work of practitioners engaging at country level to pursue the above...

Research by the Center of International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) shows promising results from taking a jurisdictional approach to increasing the sustainability of palm oil plantations in four districts/regencies in Indonesia: Pulang Pisau (Central Kalimantan Province), Kutai Kartanegara (East Kalimantan Province), Pelalawan (Riau Province), and Sintang (West Kalimantan...

In the rugged terrain of Colombia’s Nariño department, where the Andes Mountains cast their shadows, lies a resilient community. Here, amidst the diverse geography and varied climate, coffee cultivation thrives, nurtured by the altitude, volcanic soils, and abundant precipitation. In the heart of this land, we find the Slow Food...

Providing an adequate, sustainable, and nutritious supply of protein remains an increasing challenge in the light of changing food systems and raised levels of food insecurity and malnutrition. A joint FAO and IAEA technical meeting was held in Vienna, in 2022, to discuss the development of a protein quality database...

Working towards sustainable soil protection and rehabilitation, the Global Programme Soil Protection and Soil Rehabilitation for Food Security (ProSoil) aims to promote sustainable land use in selected partner countries, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Madagascar, and Tunisia. The programme comprises several different areas of action, with correlated aims....

Saddle up and prepare for a journey through the picturesque northern mountains of Puebla, Mexico. After ascending 1,000 meters, you arrive at Rancho La Victoria, a historic coffee farm nestled amidst the mountains...

A comprehensive approach is needed Scientific studies and reports (cf. IAASTD+10 – Herren et al. 20201 ; HLPE 20192 ; STALLOR 20203 ; IPCC 20194 ; IPBES 20195 ; WBGU 20216 ) confirm that a holistic transformation of agriculture and food systems is necessary for sustainable development and to overcome...

Bees are known to vital pollinators essential for the growth of many plants, including the fruits and vegetables we rely on for food. According to Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA), honeybees play a crucial role in pollinating nearly 95 different kinds of fruits and nuts in North America which...