The main message from the consultation is that family farming plays a crucial role in the region’s agriculture, fisheries and food security, and therefore measures to support family farming should be an integral part of all agriculture development and food security strategies. The consultation highlighted the importance of policy measures...

In November 2013, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) fielded an agriculture programme development mission to Jordan with the objectives of updating and expanding its “Agricultural Livelihoods and Food Security Impact Assessment and Response Plan for the Syria Crisis in the Neighbouring Countries of Egypt, Iraq,...

SOFI 2014 presents updated estimates of undernourishment and progress towards the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) and World Food Summit (WFS) hunger targets

Governments and international agencies frequently boast that small farmers control the largest share of the world's agricultural land. Inaugurating 2014 as the International Year of Family Farming, José Graziano da Silva, Director General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), sang the praises of family farmers but didn't...

In the Near East and North Africa, population growth, urbanization, a fragile resource base, climate change and low productivity exacerbate the fight against hunger and malnutrition. But the introduction of ‘Farmer Field Schools’ in the Jordan Valley and across the country has helped family farmers boost their production, income and...

This report is the second in a series of three publications that comprises an overview of the Iraq Salinity Assessment. This report documents solutions and impacts identified in the first report in this series. The third report in the Assessment proposes investment options and methods to analyze the investment options...

Agro-food chain is the only chain in the economy that can bring together and integrate numerous of economic activities, can connect hundreds of local enterprises with thousands consumers and producers, offering a unique opportunity to rural development, which consequently can reinvigorate the region’s economy and the whole national economy. Rural...

This working paper summarizes the findings of the socioeconomic component of the research project Improved livelihoods of small-scale farmers in Iraq through integrated pest management and use of organic fertilizer, that was managed by ICARDA and funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Ministry of Agriculture...

After screening several success cases within these two themes in different countries, Morocco (farmers’ organisations) and Egypt (water management) were chosen as the host countries for the Learning Routes. Six exemplary cases (three per route) were selected. As preparation for the Learning Route, Procasur and ILEIA, supported by local KariaNet...

Drought-like conditions coupled with chronic water shortages due to restricted access of Palestinians to their water resources has been threatening the livelihoods of thousands of poor farming families in the West Bank, especially those dependent on rain-fed crops and livestock as an indispensable supplementary source for their income and food...

Almost 73 million young people in the world are unemployed. This is especially a major challenge in the Arab world. For Hassan Abdul Rahman, the solution was to move to the desert and learn to farm.

This report presents the possibilities of ‘FIGS’, a new technique for searching agricultural genebanks, that helps crop breeders and their managers achieve faster and better targeted pinpointing of improved crops for the future. This approach helps genebank managers, crop breeders, development agencies and donors to improve the effectiveness of crop...

Spurred by the need to create more arable land and produce more food, Egypt's growing population is expanding into the desert. An IFAD-supported project is helping the new settlers reclaim the land and fulfil its productive potential. And by linking farmers to buyers through contract farming, a healthy local economy...

An IFAD supervision mission visited Egypt to supervise the West Noubaria Rural Development Project (WNRDP). The prime objective of the mission was to conduct an in depth assessment of WNRDP implementation progress; propose relevant changes in view of the project winding down phase, and; provide technical assistance and backstopping. The...

This book i is a kaleidoscopic view of a variety of agricultural initiatives taking place in the large country of Sudan. Many of the stories present lessons learnt in activities supported by IFAD, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and the Ministries of Agriculture and of Livestock in Sudan. The...

This report reviews a case study of farmers’ perceptions of policies and regulations to improve water security in the Jordanian Badia. The aim is to improve water management and conservation by engaging all stakeholders, in particular farmers and rural communities, in this common goal. The research forms part of the...

En Tunisie, l’explosion des besoins en eau (eau potable et irrigation) conduit aujourd’hui à de nombreuses incohérences dans les politiques publiques, principalement liées à la poursuite d’une stratégie de gestion de l’offre, qui génèrent des conflits accrus et une montée des revendications autour de l’eau, surtout depuis la révolution tunisienne...

L'actualité quotidienne nous rappelle en permanence que la situation économique, sociale et politique en Egypte et dans les pays du Maghreb demeure très fragile. L'avenir est lourd d'incertitudes. Les évènements du « printemps arabe » et leurs suites, qui se déroulent actuellement, ont de multiples dimensions et soulèvent de nombreuses...

In the mountainous and arid regions of northwest Syria, water and land resources are under pressure from natural and human-induced forms of land degradation. This has resulted in lower incomes for families dependent on olive farming. This study explores the impact of natural resource management, supported by a micro-credit system,...

The dairy sector in Afghanistan is thriving. Thousands of small farmers are benefiting from an FAO project funded by Italy that is improving the collection, processing and marketing of their milk. Women control almost 90 % of the profits. Milk producers are organized into cooperatives. Demand for milk products is...