In 2004 the province of Aceh in Indonesia was affected by a devastating earthquake and tsunami. The impact on rural communities was particularly harsh, exacerbating the existing poverty and poor living conditions caused by a long separatist conflict. A network of women farmers established under these difficult circumstances is not only benefitting its participants, but also their families and communities.

Farming Matters | 28.3 | September 2012
Photo: R. Lines-Kelly

Kaluchi Thakarwadi is a small, remote settlement in the district of Ahmednagar, in Maharashtra, in the semi-arid zone in the rain shadow of India’s western mountains. Rainfall is unreliable, so there is chronic water scarcity, with recurring shortages of food and fodder. Six years ago a broad watershed management programme was established, which has already had an enormous impact: a transformation from desert to a replenished watershed.

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.

In the Nile watershed, the home of ancient dynasties, 21st century farmers struggle to find better ways to irrigate their crops. Technical solutions help, but can farmers work together to improve their livelihoods in the long term? Research support from Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) provides some critical analysis. The document is also available in French and Arabic