A publication launched by the African Alliance for Food Sovereignty, showcasing the huge potential of Agroecology to feed Africa, fix broken food systems and repair damaged landscapes, providing abundant healthy and nutritious food sustainably while increasing incomes and improving climate resilience. The publication also illustrates 15 case studies.

Manor House Agricultural Center provides training in low input farming as an alternative to conventional methods, which are heavily reliant on external inputs. Farmers practicing biointensive farming techniques experience significant yield increases and improved soil fertility and grow more nutritious crops. Since 1984, over 100,000 farmers have received this training, and an estimated 200,000 households now use methods of biointensive agriculture.

Recurring drought and crop failure in many parts of the world have led to food and nutrition insecurity, and a dependence on food aid. But recently, some farmers in Kenya have been developing their own sustainable way to secure enough nutritious food along with extra income so that they can send their children to school. Traditional drought tolerant, nutritious crops such as cassava, sorghum and millet that were losing popularity due to a surge in maize production are again becoming commonplace, with reliable harvests improving diets and income.

Family farmers and the many ways in which they contribute to food security, healthy landscapes and thriving rural communities can be supported in a number of ways. These are some initiatives from around the world.

Steven Kiranga Gichanga is a family farmer in Mugaari, a village in Kenya. He was trained in goat rearing but could not afford a goat to get started. He was also trained in bee keeping but could not afford a bee hive either. After a community reflection Read more

In Uganda’s Kabale district, too many people had been trying to make a living from too little land. Because of overpopulation and exhaustion of the soil by intense cultivation, the area had gone into decline. Then, researchers and farmers — supported by the International Development Research Centre — joined forces to revitalize the region.
See: http://hdl.handle.net/10625/34762

It is based on the identification of the major risks and challenges local communities face, and/or are likely to face in the near future, and on the design and implementation of site-specific adaptation strategies aimed at reducing vulnerabilities and increasing the resilience of the smallholder production systems. SEE ALSO http://www.actionaid.org/publications

Building resilience while adapting for climate change in the Horn of Africa.

Biological control of stemborers in Africa provides a sustainable solution for crop damaged crops.

Push-pull method is a method for maize cultivation. It was developed by icipe in Nairobi and is currently disseminated widely. The impact assessment demonstrates the transformation from non-sustainable to more sustainable forms of maize cultivation and illustrates it by drawing from specific examples from farmers.