Summer mountain dairy farming has a long tradition in Norway. At the same time it seems to be more interest in seasonal mountain processing expected due to: Health aspects of mountain products may be important for demand Grazing is to be promoted due to animal welfare concerns The risks are probably related to...

The video describes the activities of a project funded by the Benefit-sharing Fund in Iran and, in particular, the methodology used to bring together researchers and farmers in plant breeding.

The typically rich and well adapted crop diversity of Albania is facing an unprecedented threat. A two-year FAO project set to conclude with a national workshop here tomorrow has responded to that threat – by developing a resilient new system for documenting and monitoring this priceless resource. Albania’s rich crop diversity...

Family farming is the predominant business model in European agriculture. The key challenges faced by family farms are considered in this briefing note and the effectiveness of policy measures in the EU, both the current measures and those agreed for the 2014 to 2020 period, in tackling these challenges is...

ANNUAL REPORT 2014 MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE OF GEORGIA 

The sea "in the middle of the land" is a geographical peculiarity: it is located between three continents and is almost entirely enclosed by land. This proximity has both united and divided nations and civilizations since the beginning of mankind, making the Mediterranean, a mere 1% of the planet's oceans,...

In the Mediterranean area, precise and accurate data regarding food waste and losses should be enhanced, especially in a context where the food security of the region’s countries is fragile and the sustainability of development is threatened. During the 10th meeting of the CIHEAM member states agriculture ministers, the food...

Overview of Family Farming in Georgia

Hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) produces a huge biomass also under dry conditions and is therefore an ideal green manure for Mediterranean cropping systems. However, the incorporation of this green manure into the soil is challenging. This video presents three different machines – disk harrow, stone burier, and crimper roller...

Agriculture is one of the most important sectors in The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. In the transition period, agricultural policy experienced turbulent development. Although the Stabilization and Association Agreement was signed in 2001, gradual consolidation of agricultural policy and adjustment toward the CAP of the EU has been noted...

Montenegro is a candidate country for EU membership. In October 2007, Montenegro signed the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) that entered into force in January 2008 as the Interim Agreement on Trade and Trade-related Issues. The SAA entered into force in May 2010. Also in 2010, the European Commission issued...

The German organic farmer Friedrich Wenz is one of the pioneers of reduced tillage. He has developed the so-called WEco-Dyn system. In this video, he explains how the WEco-Dyn system works and underlines the role of soil fertility as a prerequisite for successful reduced tillage systems. Farmers participating at this...

Since the beginning of the 2000s, Serbia has been going through profound economic and institutional shifts, with significant consequences for structural changes in the agricultural sector, its output and productivity, as well as agricultural policy. By the early 1980s Serbia had experienced significant growth in agricultural production, which stagnated in the...

Serbia is still a mainly rural country. 65% of its national territory is in farmland, a further 30% in forestry. Of its 7.2 million people, 58% live in rural areas, and about two thirds of these rely wholly or partly on agriculture or forestry for their livelihood. These industries produce...

The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia gained its independence in 1991 when it peacefully seceded from Yugoslavia. In 2005, the EU recognized it as a Candidate country. Formal negotiations for the country’s accession to the Union were recommended by the European Commission every year since 2009, but have been delayed...

Agriculture dominates the rural economy. Pastures and meadows occupy 90% of the farmland and the remaining 10% is mainly devoted to horticulture, vineyards and orchards. The structure of farming is dominated by small family farms, which provide all or most of their income for over 50,000 rural households, many of...

Taking part in the traveling workshops in Serbia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Montenegro were a number of officials and NGO representatives from four other countries –  Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Turkey. Ministers or their representatives from these countries attended the Concluding Conference in Brussels on...

From a bottom-up perspective, the field visits in Serbia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Montenegro showed that rural entrepreneurs, and some rural communities, can make good things happen, and that in some cases they do so without much help from government. However, it was also clear that farmers...

Taking into account the challenges in agriculture, and the responsibility that agricultural researchers and other stakeholders should take to improve the impact of agricultural innovations, the urgency to strengthen the cooperation and innovation partnership, the members of CACAARI and its partners encouraged the initiative of transforming the Association into the...

The role of different levels of governance is not fully clear. Action at village level is very limited. Mechanisms for connecting governments and stakeholders are emerging. Governments are committed to the further involvement of stakeholders. The groundwork for LEADER-type partnerships is being laid. Rural development networks are in place or...