Social farming, or care farming as it is also called, defines short or long-term activities that use agricultural resources such as animals and plants to promote and generate social services in rural areas. Examples of these services include rehabilitation, therapy, sheltered employment, life-long education and other activities that contribute to...

“Mountain regions, territories of innovation” was the title of an international conference held on January 11-13, 2017 in Grenoble, France. The conference was organised by Labex Item, the platform for mountain research and territorial action in the French Northern Alps; it regroups academic and public institutions and other local stakeholders...

At SIMRA’s first General Assembly, celebrated in Barcelona last May at the Mediterranean European Forest Institute (EFIMED), we got the chance to see first-hand how inhabitants of the Comarca of Bages are minimizing the impact of forest fires in their area. This location was a very fitting place to learn about...

The Centrales Villageoises (“Village Centers”, in English) are local companies aiming at developing renewable and sustainable energies in rural and mountain territories in France by involving citizens, local communities and businesses.

The project was born with the aim of decoding and explaining what makes a good idea or project successful in often under populated, isolated or challenged geographical areas. It aims to drive innovative solutions through reconfiguring social practices and implementing proven and successful civil society actions. The SIMRA project is...

Wherever you go, whatever you produce, whatever you believe in, Women of the mountains are determined to lead their societies for survival.

The project “Adotta un terrazzamento” [“Adopt a terrace” in English] aims at regulating and expanding mountain farming activities by giving any interested person the opportunity to adopt a terrace and provide direct or long-term support to the mountains of the Brenta Valley, in the Alps region in Italy.

Extensive livestock farming is the most important population-fixing activity in Iberian rural areas. This is so because, unlike other activities, it requires people to take care of the animals every day. Furthermore, in many marginal rural areas, extensive livestock farming is often the only possibility that the territory has to...

“Adotta una mucca”, (“Adopt a cow” in English) is an Italian initiative from the Valsugana Valley in the Trentino province. Its objective is to introduce tourists, children and families to mountain life and culture. Adopters can visit various Alpine huts, learn how mountain products are made faithfully following old recipes...

During the event, participants will explore the richness and the dynamism of mountainous territories, and their innovative initiatives for building sustainable food systems.

A year ago this week, I adopted an olive tree. I called it Carmen, after my grandmother. Whenever I want to know about my tree I just need to open an app that I have installed on my mobile phone. I can see pictures of it and whether it has...

Urgenci, the international network of Local Solidarity Partnerships for Agroecology between producers and consumers (LSPA) and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). As part of the 3-year mutual commitment, the Mediterranean network, including members...

Between November 22 - 25, 2017 Lebanon hosted the 2nd Learning Journey on LSPA: Local Solidarity Partnerships for Agro-ecology between producers and consumers. Around 20 facilitators from 11 Mediterranean countries (Algeria, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Tunisia, Turkey, Syria) participated and shared their experiences through meetings and site...

How to strengthen producers-consumers relationships ? This activity is one of the numerous exercises to be tried out during Urgenci's learning journeys. The latest of these journeys took place in Turkey 4-8 October, thanks to the support from the Civil Society Team of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Some tasks...

Ecologistas en Acción finally published the e-book : Compartiendo la cosecha: Agricultura Apoyada por la Comunidad, una guía ciudadana, a Spanish version of Sharing the Harvest, by Elizabeth Henderson y Robyn Van En. In this Spanish translation of the thoroughly revised and expanded classic, Elizabeth Henderson provides us with valuable...

The two women in this story are among 8,000 Afghan milk farmers, mostly women, who were introduced to the business through the dairy cooperative movement. Founded by FAO in 2002, the movement is expanding steadily and is now based on thriving co-operative-managed enterprises, thanks to the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation...

Mountain people learn, live, love and unite for life – to awaken and search for the treasure within the mountain. By combining our wisdom, we can co-exist and develop to our fullest potential, working towards holistic dignity and sustainability. This initiative involves 1,144 families, mainly concentrated in Mae Win, Mae...

The Omnibus Regulation for agriculture has been adopted on the 13th December 2017, as a separate act from the rest of the proposed Omnibus regulation. It brings several changes in the implementation of the current CAP for the first and second pillars, aiming to simplify the implementation of the policy. New...

Adelaide.Farm is a project that built up an online market for small farmers to connect with the urban consumers in south Portugal. Through the website, the consumers can buy products (from a responsible agriculture) and even have an online vegetable garden, while the farmers can sell their products at fair...

A trilogy of books has been designed as a sequel to the highly-acclaimed publication "Voices from the Forest: Integrating Indigenous Knowledge into Sustainable Upland Farming" (RFF Press, 2007) that brought scientific attention to indigenous innovations in improved fallow management. A third and final volume, edited by Malcolm F. Cairns and with the continued assistance...