Results
Issue paper
2019
Strengthening linkages between small actors and buyers in the roots and tubers sector in Ghana, Africa
Cassava is both a subsistence and commercial crop in Ghana. Due to the growing demand for cassava and its products, the Government has identified cassava as a priority crop. Nevertheless, cassava farmers and small processors faces challenges such as difficulty in marketing, lack of business management orientation and transportation issues that hinder the development of the sector. In order to improve the livelihood of those involved in the cassava value chain, the project aims at the following results: (i) existing national and regional strategies are aligned with initiatives supporting the development of improved regional market integration for the roots and [...]
Issue paper
2018
High-Level Expert Seminar on Indigenous Food Systems. Building on traditional knowledge to achieve Zero Hunger
In December 2017, FAO and Bioversity International entered into an agreement to contribute to the overall food systems and climate change adaptation debate through analytical and field activities on indigenous food systems. Thanks to this agreement, and through a task force thatincluded, FAO and Bioversity, the Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), the Indigenous Partnership for Agrobiodiversity and Food Sovereignty, the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD) and local indigenous organizations, different food systems across the world were profiled.
To present the first results of these studies and to identify strategies to safeguard the preservation and transmission of ancestral [...]
Brochure
2018
The 10 Elements of Agroecology
Today’s food and agricultural systems have succeeded in supplying large volumes of food to global markets. However, high-external input, resource-intensive agricultural systems have caused massive deforestation, water scarcities, biodiversity loss, soil depletion and high levels of greenhouse gas emissions. Despite significant progress in recent times, hunger and extreme poverty persist as critical global challenges. Even where poverty has been reduced, pervasive inequalities remain, hindering poverty eradication.
Integral to FAO’s Common Vision for Sustainable Food and Agriculture, agroecology is a key part of the global response to this climate of instability, offering a unique approach to meeting significant increases in our food [...]
Brochure
2018
FAO Biodiversity Mainstreaming Platform
The brochure provides an overview of FAO's Biodiversity Mainstreaming Platform. This includes highlighting the importance of biodiversity mainstreaming across the agricultural sectors, fostering dialogue between the environment sector and the agricultural sectors, the development of a biodiversity strategy of FAO and shaping the global agenda on biodiversity.
Forums and community of practice
2018
Addressing water scarcity in agriculture. How can indigenous or traditional practices help? Report of activity No. 149
This document summarizes the online consultation Mainstreaming biodiversity in agriculture, fisheries and forestry for improved food security and better nutrition held on the FAO Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum) from 7 May to 1 June 2018.
The online consultation aimed at gathering experiences and examples from practitioners to define further the objectives and partnerships of the FAO Biodiversity Mainstreaming Platform and to advance the development of its work programme. Technical facilitation was provided by the following FAO staff: Irene Hoffmann, Secretary of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and Paulo Augusto Lourenço Dias Nunes, Natural Resources Officer in the Climate, [...]
Case study
2018
The institutional construction of family farming in the CPLP member states
Family Farming, represented by more than 500 million farms, produced about 80% of the World´s food in value terms, using reduced resources. It is fundamental to Food Security and Nutrition (FSN), fighting poverty, mitigating the impacts of climate change and preserving biodiversity and landscape. Family agriculture contributes directly to ten of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and will be on the international political agenda for the next ten years in the face of the recent adoption of Resolution 72/239 on the Decade of Family Agriculture (2019-2028), by the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
This importance can also be [...]
Report
2018
The FAO Blue Growth Initiative: strategy for the development of fisheries and aquaculture in Eastern Africa. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Circular FIAA/C1161
As part of FAO’s Blue Growth Initiative (BGI) the FAO Member Countries of the Eastern Africa Sub-Region met to agree on a strategy for the Development of Fisheries and Aquaculture within the Blue Growth Initiative in Eastern Africa (BGI Strategy). The BGI is an FAO flagship initiative that aims at supporting more productive, responsible and sustainable fisheries and aquaculture sectors by improving the governance and management of the aquatic ecosystems, by conserving biodiversity and habitats, and by empowering communities. The BGI is the sustainable growth and development emanating from economic activities in the oceans, wetlands and coastal zones that minimize [...]
Brochure
2018
Increase the use of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure among CSOs and Grassroots Organizations – Philippines
Increase the use of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure among CSOs and Grassroots Organizations – Philippines is a country factsheet that provides information on the project “Increase the use of the VGGT among CSOs and Grassroots Organizations”, a general overview of governance of natural resources in the country, and information on activities undertaken in the country in collaboration with local CSOs and grassroots organizations.
See the here the complete learning guide for civil society organizations.
See more country factsheets here.
Case study
2018
Feeding People, Protecting the Planet. FAO and the GEF
Aligned with the GEF cross-cutting corporate strategy on capacity development (CD) FAO believes that robust and systemwide CD approaches are essential to enhance the impact, sustainability and scale of GEF projects through deepening country ownership, commitment and mutual accountability for results. Supporting countries through system-wide CD interdependently empowers people, strengthens organizations and enhances the enabling policy and institutional framework based on assessed needs. For GEF, 15 country projects have benefited from incorporating a step-by-step CD approach with innovative methodologies2 during project formulation and implementation. Findings reveal that the project quality increased substantially through complementing the biophysical with socio-economic and institutional elements, more effective and needs-based CD interventions across [...]
Brochure
2018
Sustainable Agriculture for Biodiversity. Biodiversity for Sustainable Agriculture
This brochure presents FAO’s work on mainstreaming biodiversity as a cross-cutting theme in the agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors. It provides examples of on-the-ground activities and highlights relevant international mechanisms. It shows how biodiversity and ecosystems benefit people in countless ways by providing food, clean water, shelter and raw materials for our basic needs.
Agriculture is a major user of biodiversity but also has the potential to contribute to the protection of biodiversity. Occupying more than one-third of land in most countries of the world, if managed sustainably, agriculture can contribute to important ecosystem functions. These include maintenance of water quality, erosion control, biological pest control [...]