Even in the International Year of Family Farming there is confusion about family farming. What is it, and what distinguishes it from entrepreneurial farming or family agribusiness? Read more

La Durette is a pilot farm in agroecology located in Avignon, France. Its aim is to set up innovative mediterranean agricultural systems, mixing crops under agroforestry in various designs – mainly fruits and vegetables, and integrating animals into the systems. 

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Whoever thought that agroecology is only gaining momentum as an agricultural practice, science and movement in Latin America, is wrong. A two day conference in June 2013 clearly depicted the richness of agroecology in Europe- as well as the challenges and opportunities. Read more

A great variety of rural development initiatives are taking place in the Republic of Sudan. In this book, the outcome of a documentation and communication training in Khartoum in 2013, practitioners describe and analyse some of the most promising experiences. Read more

Bioversity and CCAFS recently conducted a systematic review to explore the role of diversification in agricultural systems for increasing the resilience of smallholder farmers in confronting the risks associated with changing climates.
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In addition to severe losses in the mountain soil’s fertility, climate change is easily visible in the Peruvian Andes: the glaciers which feed all the rivers, and the snow on the mountaintops, are noticeably getting smaller, less and less water is flowing down into the valleys. The water harvesting approach is proving susccessful to cope with this problem and strenghthen local organizations.

The paper contains 12 different case studies and chapters on agroecology; other sustainable farming methods;  agroecology and resilience to climatic changes; evidence of the food security potential of agroecological systems; the scaling up of agroecological innovations, with challenges and opportunities; the approaches that can be used for scaling up agroecology ; conclusions and way forward.

This case study presents the status of conservation agriculture in Uganda. It is one in a series of eight case studies about conservation agriculture in Africa, which were developed within the framework of a collaboration between CIRAD French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development,FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), RELMA-in-ICRAF (Regional Land Management Unit of the World Agroforestry Centre)and ACT (African
Conservation Tillage Network)

For families living in Nepal’s remote highland regions, chronic food insecurity and hunger are part of daily life. Their own agricultural production is low; imported food is expensive; and as men migrate to find work elsewhere, women are left to manage farms and households alone. Climate change is making the situation worse.

This case study explores the reasons why Nepal is so vulnerable to food insecurity, and describes what Oxfam and its partners are doing to help improve food security for women and men living in remote parts of highland Nepal. It explores some of the innovative program activities that have been developed with these communities.