In the Changthang region of Ladakh, India, pastoralism serves as the cornerstone of both the local economy and the local way of life. However, recent socioeconomic shifts and environmental constraints put this economic structure, which has been expertly adapted to the difficult trans-Himalayan geography, in danger of becoming unsustainable. To...

We analyze rural households’ purchases of food (cereals and non-cereals) in Sub-Saharan Africa using nationally representative data with 65,000 observations covering 7 countries over a decade. We distinguish between three strata of countries: lower stratum in income and urbanization, middle stratum, and upper stratum. The paper breaks ground by the...

Yemaya No. 66, dated March 2023, features articles on IYAFA Asia workshop, National level women in fisheries workshop in Chennai, India, article on gender and marine plastic pollution, report of a panel discussion during the 8th global symposium  on gender in aquaculture and fisheries. Kyoko Kusakabe write that gender responsive fisheries require not only...

The FAO's Global Agroforestry Capacity Needs Assessment (CNA) revealed persistent challenges which are hindering widespread adoption of agroforestry despite its recognised benefits. Three primary action areas were identified: transforming agroforestry into an economically viable production system; strengthening enabling environments through agroforestry policies and strategies; and improving agroforestry extension for more...

Chocolate production faces nutritional, environmental and socio-economic challenges present in the conventional cocoa value chain. Here we developed an approach that addresses these challenges by repurposing the often-discarded pectin-rich cocoa pod endocarp and converting it into a gel. This is done using cocoa pulp juice concentrate to replace traditional sugar...

FAO's Irrigation and Drainage Paper No. 63 introduced the MASSCOTE methodology in 2007, tailored for modernizing large-scale canal irrigation systems. With global interest shifting towards pressurized pipe systems, particularly in water-scarce regions, the need for a similar methodology became apparent. Pressurized systems offer advantages like on-demand irrigation, reduced water wastage,...

Topic outlineThe course explores effective practices for coping with soil salinity in the Asia-Pacific Region. Some practical examples and case studies of successful salinity management practices are introduced and analysed, to identify implementation features, benefits, challenges and applicability to similar contexts. You will learn about Irrigation and drainage practices for soil salinity...

Wild fish used as aquafeeds could be redirected towards human consumption to support sustainable marine resource use. Here we use mass-balance fish-in/fish-out ratio approaches to assess nutrient retention in salmon farming and identify scenarios that provide more nutrient-rich food to people. Using data on Norway’s salmon farms, our study revealed...

Farming externalities are believed to co-vary negatively, yet trade-offs have rarely been quantified systematically. Here we present data from UK and Brazilian pig production systems representative of most commercial systems across the world ranging from ‘intensive’ indoor systems through to extensive free range, Organic and woodland systems to explore co-variation...

The earth is warming, and the frequency of extreme weather events have been rapidly growing globally with unprecedented consequences to farming communities. In principle, weather and climate information services (WCIS) can help farmers better manage their activities and farm level outcomes by supporting their decision-making with relevant and usable information...

Product bundling is receiving increasing attention in sustainable agricultural development as a means to ensure access to and enhance the uptake of, agricultural technologies by smallholders. Yet, the how and why of bundling for smallholders are not well-understood. The current paper, therefore, brings bundling theory from the marketing literature to...

With global temperatures already 1.2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, climate change is having major impacts on agriculture that fall disproportionately on the Global South—from crops, to livestock, to aquaculture. Agricultural systems endure frequent heat waves, flooding, and drought—often all in one season. Climate-related extreme weather events such as intense...

The workshop “Promoting Water Tenure for Food Security, Climate Resilience, and Equity” was implemented by FAO and adelphi on 18 and 29 June in Berlin, Germany, with the support of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), and the German Corporation...

Food loss and waste within Indonesia's supply chains present significant challenges to both environmental sustainability and efficient natural resource utilization. This pervasive issue spans from food production to retail, affecting the ability of supply chain stakeholders to invest in essential infrastructure improvements. Food waste, in particular, accumulates at various stages,...

In Malaysia, farmers and communities across generations have engaged in the age-old practice of preserving seeds as a means of protecting traditional agricultural heritage. However, the practice of seed saving has slowly been fading in Malaysia over the years. For one, intellectual property protection regulations from trade agreements may pose more constraints...

Mexico’s contemporary cultivation of pineapple, the king of tropical fruits, depends on intensive monoculture which negatively impacts the environment and human health. This represents a regression in history, as pineapple was traditionally cultivated in agroforests, which preserve the structural characteristics and ecological processes and functions of natural ecosystems. Some of...

Forest and farm producer organisations offer immense potential for channelling vital climate and nature finance to rural communities, and funders and governments should do more to support them, according to new IIED research.IIED has published new research highlighting the potential for forest and farm producer organisations (FFPOs) to generate crucial...

The water-energy-food (WEF) nexus is a holistic concept used to understand the synergies and trade-offs of interdependent water, energy, and food resources. Despite its widespread use, this concept often overlooks environmental concerns. In addition, the lack of a systemic approach in the Aral Sea Basin (ASB) has resulted in serious...

En esta web encontrará todos los documentos de la 38ª Conferencia Regional de la FAO para América Latina y el Caribe.    

Slash-and-burn agriculture is a critical issue in Honduras and other tropical regions, as it causes deforestation, soil degradation, erosion, crop failure, food insecurity, and vulnerability to natural disasters - devasting the environment and adversely effecting communities. These calamities are further exacerbated by the climate crisis, forcing people to become climate...