Public consultations for the post-2015 development agenda on growth and employment
One of the themes on which the United Nations Development Group (UNDG) is convening public consultations for the post-2015 development agenda is growth and employment. Three e-discussions are currently taking place, on 1) growth, diversification and structural change, 2) development-led globalization and 3) sustainability and growth. Please browse the space http://www.worldwewant2015.org/employment to register and join.
Consultation
Payments for environmental services (PES) in theory and practice: Lessons learned and way forward
The concept of paying farmers and rural dwellers for the environmental services they provide has gained prominence as a tool for achieving ecosystem conservation and, at the same time, improving the livelihoods of farmers as environmental service providers. There are however many open questions with regard to the scope of PES, their cost-effectiveness in addressing the growing global challenges of climate change and food security, and its underlying economic assumptions. In this online discussion we hope to find answers on how best to address the challenges and opportunities based on prior practical experience and research.
Consultation
Forests and trees provide benefits for food security and nutrition – what is your say?
Forests, trees on farms and agroforestry systems contribute to food security, nutrition and livelihoods in several ways, including as a direct source of food, fuel, employment and cash income. Such contributions are often under-estimated in policy decisions. What are the bottlenecks hindering a greater contribution of forests, trees on farms and agroforestry systems to food security? Are there examples of innovative approaches or good practices? How can forests and trees feature more prominently in food security policies?
Reports and briefs
How Rainfall Variability, Food Security and Migration Interact
The world faces a serious water crisis, warned former heads of government and experts recently in a book that identifies a multitude of associated security, development and social risks, including food, health, energy and equity issues. “Water security requires long-term political ownership and...
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Consultation
HLPE consultation on the V0 draft of the Report: Investing in smallholder agriculture for food and nutrition security
The High Level Panel of Experts for Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE) seeks input on the V0 draft of its report on smallholder investment in agriculture. This study focuses on the policy options for addressing constraints to investments, taking into consideration the work done on this topic by IFAD, and by FAO in the context of COAG, and the work of other key partners. It includes a comparative assessment of strategies for linking smallholders to food value chains as well as an assessment of the impacts on smallholders of different forms of partnership models.
The State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA 2012) - Investing in Agriculture for a better future
The 2012 edition of The State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA 2012) - Investing in Agriculture for a better future was just released.
Investing in agriculture is essential for reducing hunger and promoting sustainable agricultural production. Those parts of the world where investments in agriculture have stagnated are the epicentres of poverty and hunger today. Demand growth over the coming decades will place increasing pressure on the natural resource base. Eradicating hunger sustainably will require a significant increase in agricultural investments, and an improvement in their effectiveness.
Farmers are the largest investors in developing country agriculture and must be central to any strategy for increasing investment in the sector. If they are to invest more in agriculture they need economic incentives and an enabling environment. Governments have a special responsibility to help smallholders overcome the constraints they face. Government investment in agriculture is crucial for providing an enabling environment for private investments in the sector.
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New FAO report focuses on investments in developing countries
Large-scale international investments in developing country agriculture, especially acquisitions of agricultural land, continue to raise international concern. Certainly, complex and controversial issues – economic, political, institutional, legal and ethical – are raised in relation to food security, poverty reduction, rural development, technology and access to land and water resources. Yet at the same time, some developing countries are making strenuous efforts to attract foreign investment into their agricultural sectors. They see an important role for such investments in filling the gap left by dwindling official development assistance and the limitations of their own domestic budgetary resources, creating employment and incomes and promoting technology transfer. More investment is certainly needed – more than US$80 billion per year according to FAO analysis. But can foreign direct investment be compatible with the needs of local stakeholders as well as those of the international investor? And can these investments yield more general development benefits?
Reports and briefs
The Fome Zero (Zero Hunger) Program: The Brazilian experience
The launching of the “Zero Hunger Project – a proposal for a food security policy for Brazil” in October 2001 by the then candidate for the presidency Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva reflected the maturing of discussions and proposals on food security and fighting hunger, which became national priorities...
Trainings, tools and databases
On-farm practices for the safe use of wastewater in urban and peri-urban horticulture
This training handbook is a field guide for training urban and peri-urban vegetable farmers in safe practices when using wastewater in vegetable production. It is designed to provide complete information, knowledge and skills for safer and successful production of vegetables in urban and peri-urban...
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Reports and briefs
Rural Development and Poverty Reduction: Is Agriculture Still the Key?
This paper examines the relationship between rurality and poverty, and the role the agricultural sector can play in rural development, poverty reduction, and overall development. The historical views regarding the role of the primary sector in development are presented, and then using original data...
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