Soil may be the basis of farming, and therefore of almost all of our food, but farmers and soil scientists see the soil in completely different, if equally valid ways. In Bolivia, I was recently making a video with Paul and Marcella on soil tests that extension agents can do...

CSA as a LifeCOACH, a film developed by filmmakers Ondrej Sovik and Martin Matej, explores the value of mentorship and apprenticeship in small-scale, agroecological farming in the beating world of community-supported agriculture (CSA). To resist the loss of agroecological knowledge, to combat the devastating consequences of climate change, and to...

Improved feed diversity and more resilient feed production, less dependent on soybean imports. This strategy helps to mitigate droughts effects, through an “avoidance strategy”, with production of forage during seasons less likely to be affected by such phenomenon. Other benefits include improved soil biodiversity and soil health, reduced leaching during...

State of the World's Plants and Fungi 2023 Our fifth report in the State of the World’s series lays out the current condition of the world’s plants and fungi globally, and is titled 'Tackling the Nature Emergency: Evidence, gaps and priorities' It is the second report that is accompanied by a full volume of expert-reviewed scientific...

Farmers are frequently facing agricultural waste production problems (which incorrect disposal may determine a damaging environmental impact) and soil fertility depletion. Sustainable valorization of crop residues could allow recovering valuable components as substrates and nutrients in microbial/enzymatic controlled processes, such as composting.

Millets have finally arrived on the global scene. With 2023 being declared as the International Year of Millets, by the United Nations, the spotlight is on millets. While half a billion people across the globe consume millets as a traditional food, it has taken decades, for it to get its...

his first book volume collects country reports produced by the AE4EU Horizon 2020 project and the European Association Agroecology Europe which involved a large number of organisations, as well as more than 25 "mappers" who conducted the work in different European countries. Among them were many members of the Agroecology...

En el artículo, el Dr. Alejandro Espinosa de Cibiogem habla de la necesidad de preservar los maíces nativos mexicanos para cuidar la diversidad biológica y nuestras tortillas, alimento principal de México.

The Executive Managing Director of CGIAR, a global agricultural research network, Dr Ismahane Elouafi, has praised the achievements of Access Agriculture in reaching farmers, including women and youth, in remote rural areas of Egypt.  Access Agriculture worked with the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) and...

Esta cartilla, producida de manera conjunta por la FAO y la Agencia Brasileña de Cooperación en el ámbito del proyecto +Algodón, busca contribuir a fortalecer las capacidades de representantes de los gobiernos, de agricultores y agricultoras, organizaciones, estudiantes y equipos técnicos para que puedan enfrentar los desafíos de lograr una...

A la Une – Retour sur la journée d’études IRAM : Enjeux et défis de la cohésion sociale et du développement économique en République centrafricaine Le 8 février 2023, l’Iram a organisé en partenariat avec l’ONG Echelle – Appui au développement et l’Université de Bangui une journée d’études consacrée aux enjeux...

Agroecology is rooted in agricultural heritage systems based on small-scale food producers from all food sectors (pastoralism, fisheries, forestry and agriculture). It contributes to building resilient food systems, starting with greater integration of biodiversity into agricultural production systems and landscapes. By diversifying production, agroecology also contributes to diversified and healthy...

Berlin International Green Week opened its doors on the twentieth of January, and for Food for Europe it’s a great opportunity to discuss the European Union’s new Common Agricultural Policy, or CAP, with farmers, interest groups, and representatives of the EU institutions including the Commission and the Parliament – in...

Free school meals are a strategic lever to implement the right to food and nutrition in the EU, by ensuring all children have access to healthy and nutritious food, daily. Free school meals can also support the transition to sustainable food systems by linking school meals to small-scale farmers using...

Fifteen participants from four development agencies in the Philippines took part recently in a two-week training course to learn the essential skills required to develop high-quality farmer-to-farmer training videos that adhere to Access Agriculture’s strict standards for quality, content and format.

Le second numéro du bulletin réalisé dans le cadre du Programme Agroécologie en Afrique de l’Ouest (PAE) mis en œuvre par AVSF, l’Iram et Inades Formation est disponible. Il contient notamment desarticles sur les acquis et enseignements du projet, ainsi que les der-nières publications réalisées.

Good public policies can ensure producers really benefit from Short Food Supply Chains Producers within Short Food Supply Chains (SFSCs) often achieve higher economic benefits and better social relations, while reducing negative impacts on the environment. Yet, the use of SFSCs does not guarantee better economic performance per se, as...

Access Agriculture’s innovative model of working with young Entrepreneurs for Rural Access (ERAs) to help scale agroecology knowledge among smallholder farmers has been recognised by several international awards. At a recent workshop held in Kampala, Uganda, Ezra Masolaki, Access Agriculture Entrepreneur coach for East Africa, was invited to throw light...

In the 1500s, when men on sailing ships were casually spreading crop plants from one continent to the next, maize came to Africa. Fortunately, many of the maize pests stayed behind, in the Americas. But slowly, trade and travel are re-uniting maize with its pests. A caterpillar called the fall...

CONTEXT: Integration of farms into markets with adoption of maize as a cash crop can significantly increase income of farms of the developing world. However, in some cases, the income generated may still be very low and maize production may also have strong negative environmental and social impacts. OBJECTIVE: Maize...