Par un souci d’autonomie et de meilleure valorisation des récoltes, Alain Chabloz nous explique pourquoi il a décidé de produire lui-même des protéines pour ses vaches laitières. Les trois raisons principales sont : il fabriquait déjà une partie de ses concentrés à la ferme, mais surtout à base de céréales,...

Greenhouses are opening in rural schools in Armenia’s Ararat region today with the goal of increasing schoolchildren’s dietary diversity and improving their nutrition. All three greenhouses – in the public schools of Vedi, Verin Artashat and Surenavan – are equipped with modern heating, ventilation and drip irrigation systems. This activity is...

gronomic practices and management decisions can have a significant impact on the type and number of weeds on a farm. Understanding this relationship can help organic producers manage weeds through avoidance, and various cultural management practices. The most important steps of non-chemical weed management are prevention, diagnosis, and a number of...

Small-scale agroecological and organic farming systems require appropriate machinery and technologies, and a change of paradigm in the way they are conceived, produced, sold and patented. The mainstream agricultural model has led to machines that are getting increasingly bigger and more expensive and complicated, and thus inaccessible for many farmers...

Increasing agricultural productivity by over 20 percent just by using a negligible percent of arable land for creating forest areas sounds like a good deal. As practice shows, this is achievable with agroforestry – the practice of integrating woody vegetation with crops or animal systems. And the real bonus is...

For refugees from Syria who have been in Turkey for years already with no income, a job can mean the world. It means buying winter clothes for your children, getting them to school and even just being able to feed the family. It means no more endless days of wandering...

Turkey is moving closer to having its Bursa black figs and Bursa peaches protected and promoted through geographical indications (GI) – a move that could raise producers’ incomes and open up market opportunities.

The Norwegian experience shows that learning about sustainable small-scale fisheries development should not be a one-way traffic from the North to the South

Rail Baltica, the largest infrastructure project of the century in the Baltic region, plans to integrate the Baltic States with the European rail network. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2019. Crossing through farmlands, the project challenges rural livelihoods and puts the competitive agriculture of the Baltics at risk. Organized by...

Fish is an excellent source of protein and essential micronutrients, with global average per capita fish consumption now topping 20 kilograms a year. In Central Asia and certain landlocked countries, though, average consumption is closer to 2 kilos, according to FAO data. Fisheries experts and national decision makers from Central Asia...

Co-published by the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the CIHEAM, the Watch letter n ° 40 "Strengthening the role of women in rural and agricultural areas - Obstacles and opportunities" aims to show different perspectives of the situation in the Mediterranean region by analyzing the challenges and opportunities in the socio-economic, social, environmental,...

Given the many threats to the Earth’s water supply, the role of forests has never been more important. The role of forest ecosystems in preserving water quality is largely underestimated. To ensure healthy water, strategies for optimizing purification, regulating surface flows and controlling erosion will increasingly need to be a part...

An FAO workshop on 19 November in Yerevan, Armenia, provided an opportunity for the country to kickstart its efforts towards developing a national e-agriculture strategy. Nowadays, agriculture is much more than farming; it has become more and more integrated with other sectors, and this integration requires optimization through digitalization. E-agriculture is the...

Moldovan authorities and FAO have successfully implemented a four-year project to increase drought resilience amongst small-scale farmers by helping them adopt modern irrigation technologies and best practices. At the closing event, held today in Chisinau, FAO and the minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment brought together a variegated set of...

A number of positive changes – including improved rural policies, strengthened value chains, sustainable management of natural resources and environmentally friendly agricultural practices – are expected to help Georgia’s agricultural producers become more competitive while reducing the contributions of agricultural production to climate change. These are among the objectives of a...

Freshwater ecosystems accommodate 40 percent of the world’s fish species and contribute directly to the food security of rural households. With 11.47 million tonnes per year, inland fisheries account for 12 percent of the global fish catch, according to the latest numbers from the FAO. Still, the sector has not unleashed...

A one-week training workshop on organic production, certification and marketing starts today in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, for selected extension specialists. It is part of an FAO project begun in April 2018 that helps public and private extension service providers in Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan improve technical skills and enhance knowledge...

Social media networks are increasing in popularity and have been integrated into many aspects of daily life. Analysis of the ways in which individuals use social media is important for understanding social, cultural, and environmental issues. This study examines experiences of farmers’ market customers through their self-expression on social networks....

At the proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovna  adopted in January 2018 a Proposal of the Strategic Plan for Rural Development of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2018-2021), which created  conditions for domestic agricultural producers to receive funds from the...

At the proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovna  adopted in January 2018 a Proposal of the Strategic Plan for Rural Development of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2018-2021), which created  conditions for domestic agricultural producers to receive funds from the...