Agricultural research programs in universities in sub-Saharan Africa generate technologies few of which are adopted by the smallholder farmers. A technology that demands significant additional inputs be they financial or physical is less likely to be adopted compared to one that generates significant socioeconomic benefits. In Zimbabwe, smallholders’ food security,...

Portuguese agriculture has undergone many changes, especially after joining the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1986. The application of the Community Agricultural Policy (CAP), and the National Strategy for Agricultural Development led to the facts summarized below: In what concerns the farm structure, between 1989 and 1999, the number of...

Based on farm panel data was empirically investigate the determinants of Polish farm households’ flexibility from 1994 to 2001. we focus on scale flexibility (adjustment in production volume) and scope flexibility (adjustment in product mix).The findings of our fixed-effects regression provide evidence that smaller farms are more flexible, both with regard to scale and scope...

Pollinating insects are crucial for many natural habitats and the production of the majority of food crops. However, the number of pollinating insects has declined significantly across Europe, and the rest of the world, which exacerbates an already insecure food supply. According to a EU-funded research project, pollination services provided...

The traditional polders in The Netherlands have been formed from the 12th century onwards, when people started creating arable land by draining delta swamps into nearby rivers. In the process, the drained peat started oxidizing, thus soil levels lowered, up to river water levels and lower. Throughout the centuries farmers...

Rural businesses are often aware that they receive a much smaller portion of their products’ final retail price than those further up the supply chain. Capturing more of this farm-to-retail price spread, is a goal of many producers and ‘value-added’ products offer a mechanism to increase rural incomes. Value-added means...

La red de organopónicos, huertos intensivos y organoponía semiprotegida se ha establecido en unas 10 000 ha en todos los territorios del país, lo que con rendimientos de más de 10 kg/m²/ año. Constituye la base fundamental para satisfacer la demanda alimentaria de la población en vegetales frescos (10 000 00)....

The Island of Bute on the west coast of Scotland is benefitting from a Leader project that provides affordable supplies of fresh food for local people in an environmentally-friendly manner, and also creates work and training opportunities for the small island community. Remote and isolated rural areas can experience relatively high...

"Capacity Challenges in Post-crisis and Transitional Situations . India and Sri Lanka"

This report, launched in the UK Parliament in July 2010, outlines why support for agriculture - and in particular for smallholder farmers - is critical to address hunger and poverty in Africa. The report showcases a range of approaches that have improved access for marginalised farmers, especially women, to decision-making,...

Este documento es resultado del trabajo de las iniciativas emblemáticas de estrategias territoriales que se realizan en el marco del Proyecto Desarrollo Territorial Rural con Identidad Cultural de Rimisp – Centro Latinoamericano para el Desarrollo Rural, auspiciado por la Fundación Ford.  El Mapa Colaborativo de Emprendimientos con Identidad Cultural del Valle...

The agricultural situation has gradually improved in most Western Balkan countries, but many steps on the way to European Union (EU) accession remain. This is the core message of the current report "Agriculture in the Western Balkan countries", which focuses on the EU candidate countries Croatia and Former Yugoslav Republic...

The junior farmer field and life school concept was introduced in four schools in the district in 2004. Then, as the fields prospered and participating students and facilitators became more confident, teachers and students from other schools were invited to visit the fields and learn about the method. As of...

The world’s agricultural system has become globalized, income distribution asymmetrical, and poorer and small-scale households in rural areas turned into net buyers of food, which has heightened the threat to food security and livelihoods, especially for the poorest people in developing countries. Yet, controversy still surrounds the extent to which...

La agricultura de Costa Rica: Situación al 2010, su evolución y prospectiva constituye tan solo un insumo para contribuir a la valoración del desempeño del sector agropecuario nacional, tanto desde la perspectiva de la actividad productiva primaria, como de la agroindustria y de los servicios vinculados a las mismas, en...

The programme was piloted in Mozambique in 2003-2004 and JFFLSchools have been implemented since then in: Burundi, Cameroon, DRC, Ghana, Gaza & West Bank, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nepal, Rwanda, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe (foreseen next: Burundi, Congo and Rwanda). Programme evaluations have been undertaken in various countries:...

Latvian farmers propose traditional farming practices, healthy living, and preventative health care values to locals and tourists in order to improve human and environment health. The Eco-Health Farms (EHF) model was created in the 90’s by Mara Bergmane, her husband Dainis Bergmanis and Latvian colleagues, in order to address three key...

The restoration of damaged agricultural systems, especially in the traditional agriculture is one of the challenges that impose the changing conditions of the planet in the last decades. The objective of the present work was to evaluate the sequels of these phenomena and to put into practice measures to mitigate...

The course explains the organization and operation of the Codex Alimentarius Commission and its subsidiary bodies and the process of developing international food standards. Information is also provided on strenghthening national Codex programmes and FAO/WHO scientific advice. 

The workshop was designed to address the main contributors to the lack of youth involvement in the sector and also to provide an enabling environment for the young and the not so young within the network to come together, exchange ideas, develop leaders and find common solutions to common problems....