This Ph.D. work aims at exposing, and giving sense to the dynamics of agrarian change in Southern Thailand where rubber is a major crop. It intends to provide elements for decision makers to reflect on the future directions of the Thai rubber economy. I applied a sequence of multivariate analysis...

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 13 September 2007. Since then, the importance of the role that indigenous peoples play in economic, social and environmental conservation through traditional sustainable agricultural practices has been gradually recognized. Consistent with the...

Formed in 2007, Food Plant Solutions Rotary Action Group (FPS) creates science-based educational materials, which: identify highly nutritious local food plants, explain how to grow them in a sustainable, agroecological way, detail the nutritional value of the plants and describe why human bodies require those nutrients. The resources created by FPS allows people to better...

The UN General Assembly at its 68th session declared 2016 as the International Year of Pulses (IYP). To assist member countries roll out appropriate programmes and action plans on pulses R&D in tune with the goals of IYP, the FAO-RAP organized a Regional Consultation on pulses during 29–30 June 2015...

Forests are home to 1.3 billion people, they have to cater to the multiple needs for local goods (access to income, food, clean water, wood energy, construction materials, fertile soils, medicinal and cosmetic products, and recreation) and global goods (climate change mitigation, biodiversity conservation, hydrological and mineral cycles). Reconciling competing...

Women play a critical role in every link of the value chain in small-scale fisheries, although their best-known roles are in processing and marketing of fish and other fishery products. This perception of the highly gender-segregated division of labour (men fishing / women processing) has shaped the generalized approach in...

This report on the “Sub-regional Dialogue on Labour, Migration and Fisheries Management”, held at, Thailand, from 11 to 13 December 2013, highlights the issue of migrant labour on board fishing vessels and the problems migrant workers face in their daily life.  This report will be useful for students, researchers, activists...

The International Year of Family Farming (IYFF) has uncovered well-grounded resolve to place family farmers as protagonists in addressing a number of challenges we face, from eradicating hunger and poverty to conserving natural resources. Nothing comes closer to the sustainable food production paradigm than family farming. The diverse set of...

It is important that any international investment should bring development benefits to the receiving country in terms of technology transfer, employment creation, upstream and downstream linkages and so on if these investments are to be “win-win” rather than “neo-colonialism”. These beneficial flows are not automatic: care must be taken in...

Agricultural Research for Development (ARD) in the Asia-Pacific region is effectively promoted and facilitated through novel partnerships among NARS and other related organizations so that it contributes to sustainable improvements in the productivity of agricultural systems and to the quality of the natural resource base that underpins agriculture, thereby enhancing...

About 70–80 percent of all those actors involved in fish farming worldwide are considered small-scale. The small-scale aquaculture (SSA) sector, is recognized as making an important contribution to food security, poverty alleviation and socio- economic development. However, assessing its contribution in a systematic way has been an uphill task. An...

FAO’s Bioenergy and Food Security Criteria and Indicators (BEFSCI) project has conducted three case studies to examine the opportunities and challenges for smallholders presented by: 1) bioenergy as a new type of value chain, and by 2) bioenergy certification schemes. Understanding the specific challenges and opportunities for smallholder inclusion in...

Strong rural organizations like producer groups and cooperatives are crucial to hunger and poverty reduction. They allow small producers toplay a greater role in meeting growing food demand on local, national and international markets, while improving their own economic, social and political opportunities. This thinking connects a series of case...

I n the recently completed CFC/FAO Organic Aquaculture Project, INFOFISH helped fish farmers in the Asia-Pacific region adapt to the new market niche for organic aquaculture products.

In recognition of the important role played by the shrimp farming industry to the Thai economy, the Department of Fisheries of Thailand and FAO conducted a joint workshop to provide stakeholders with a detailed overview of the benefits of, and requirements for, a successful establishment of a mutual insurance scheme that responds to...

This study examines how Thailand’s biodiversity conservation measures affect fishing communities, especially in the marine protected areas (MPAs) on the Andaman Sea coastline. It documents the various efforts of the local fishing communities to protect the resources in the area. Also included are recommendations for government agencies, civil society and...

There is barrier among farmers in developing countries to convert to organic farming. This study examines factors affecting the decision of Thai vegetable farmers to convert and suggests possible measures to improve conversion

The paper compares the organizational structure and marketing strategies in organic supply chains operating under three certification schemes in developing and transition economies. A value chain management approach needs to be considered when analysing the requirements associated with supplying certified organic products. Regardless of the scheme, complying with organic standards...

This publication provides an overview of recent literature on the potential of the informal food sector (IFS) to facilitate an affordable supply of food to urban areas and generate income for low-income households. The goal is to identify global patterns, topics for further research, and policy suggestions. It also draws...

These guidelines provide general principles and basic considerations for those involved in providing microfinance services to fisheries and aquaculture and for those who intend to include fishing and fish farming communities as part of the client base of their operation. The guidelines further elaborate on lending models, methodologies and policies...