'Africa is for sale’ is how some characterise it: there is a ‘land grab’ underway. Others are more cautious, speaking of ‘large-scale land acquisitions’, while the World Bank notes euphemistically the ‘rising global interest in farmland’. Whatever the prevailing terminology and ideologies, there is now ample evidence that large swathes...

Linking farmers to markets is widely viewed as a milestone towards promoting economic growth and poverty reduction. However, market and institutional imperfections along the supply chain thwart perfect vertical and spatial price transmission and prevent farmers and market actors from getting access to information, identifying business opportunities and allocating their...

This is Volume 2 of the study ‘Strategies to Support South African Smallholders as a Contribution to Government’s Second Economy Strategy.’ It contains the accounts of the 16 case studies that comprised the main ‘data’ for the analysis presented in Volume 1. However, beyond their function of supporting the analytical...

Article décrivant comment , à Madagascar, l’association de coopération internationale Fert (Formation pour l’épanouissement et le renouveau de la terre), en partenariat avec l’Organisation Paysanne Fifata (Fikambanana Fampivoaranany Tantsaha – Association pour le Progrès des Paysans), développe depuis 2009 une formation pour les conseillers agricoles intervenant auprès des paysans, et comment,au cours de...

This paper provides an overview of agricultural and economic characteristics of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), in comparison with other developing regions and the opportunities which the medium term outlook holds for SSA’s small holder farmers. Seizing these opportunities will depend on shifting from extensive to intensive production systems. The paper reiterates...

Le projet encourage par des circuits courts intégrés un modèle d’interaction durable, entre l’agriculture familiale et l’activité urbaine dans le pays Sénoufo. L’objectif est de permettre une amélioration des conditions de vie des populations locales et une sécurisation de leur souveraineté alimentaire. Cela passe par l’amélioration des revenus des petits...

This publication summarizes the unique experience of the community listeners’ clubs set up in Niger and the Democratic Republic of Congo by FAO-Dimitra and its partners. These action based information and communication processes have proved so successful that Dimitra decided to share the experience. The first chapter offers a brief...

The status and characteristics of the 302 smallholder irrigation schemes found in South Africa are discussed and knowledge on South African smallholder irrigation schemes generated by the Water Research Commission (WRC) over a period of nearly 20 years is reviewed. Themes covered include planning, design and technology; plot-holders and their...

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L) is a major staple food in Burundi; thus increasing its production and marketing has the potential for raising incomes of the farming households. In the country, bean outputs have been declining for decades, yet demand for the crop in East Africa has surged considerably. This...

Despite heavy investment made by various organizations in Sub-Saharan Africa, to promote conservation farming, the adoption of this technology remained low. Therefore, this study was carried out to estimate the factors determining the adoption of conservation farming by smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe. The study was guided by theory of adoption....

S’appuyant sur l’expérience des producteurs en agroécologie et sur la capacité de mobilisation collective d’une organisation paysanne, le projet, implanté à Bamako et à Sanankoroba, vise à offrir une formation de qualité aux acteurs, de partenariats locaux et solidaires adaptés au contexte malien : les kiosques alimentaires locaux.

The year 2011 has been proclaimed the International Year of Forests (in brief “Forests 2011”) and it is being celebrated under the theme “Forests for People”. This is truly a remarkable theme. One cannot come close to covering all of it in a single edition of Nature & Faune as...

What is the future for Sub-Saharan African farms? What role can they play in the development of the subcontinent? These are crucial issues which require answers. The issue of feeding the planet has once again become crucial. The first challenge for these farms is consequently to produce more and better...

The sugar industry is the backbone of Swaziland's economy, with annual revenue exceeding E1440 million (US$ 160 million). As part of the agricultural as well as the manufacturing sector, industry, it a accounts for 18% of the country’s GDP. Therefore, the economy of Swaziland is to a great extent based...

This technology describes step by step how to install a top bar hive. It provides an overview of the advantages and use of different baits. Furthermore, it gives clear instructions on how to hang hives in trees and to install them on stands and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of...

The objective of this study was to estimate the cost of maize production in rural Zambia as well as to identify the factors causing these estimates to vary across households. This will inform current policy discussions and potentially identify unused policy levers that could increase Zambian smallholder farmer’s competitiveness in...

This edition of Nature & Faune magazine explores climate change implications for agricultural development and natural resources conservation in Africa. It provides a rich menu spanning many dimensions of climate change as it relates to the African rural farmer, fisher-folk and herdsman who are on the frontline of managing and...

Identifying an adequate site for an apiary is the first step to successful installation and colonization of a bee hive. This brief entry gives valuable advice on what to take into consideration when choosing a site for a bee hive.This technology is part of a series on hive management derived...

FAO has been working closely with NGOs and small-scale farmers in Zimbabwe to introduce conservation farming techniques and improve food production. The video provides a short overview of what this actually means for Zimbabwe's communal farmers, recounting some of their stories and including the perspectives of FAO staff, NGO staff...

This volume, Climate Change and Food Systems Resilience in Sub‑Saharan Africa, demonstrates the possibility of harmonizing agricultural production with the wellbeing of the biosphere – and that this can be achieved in Africa, our biosphere’s least developed continent, and the continent which is likely to suffer most from climate change....