LEISA Magazine | 23.1 | March 2007
The vast majority of articles published in the LEISA Magazines describe situations where communities working together formally or informally are a key part of the experience.
The benefit of strength in numbers is not a new concept, and for many farmers and communities in rural areas, working together is an obvious, time-tested and often necessary idea. Working together can take many forms, and a variety of terms are used to cover the scope of this idea – collective action, farmers’ organisations, womens’ groups, unions, co-operatives, self-help groups, networks, alliances, associations, committees, clubs, partnerships. These terms imply a range of methods for joining forces, at different levels, in a variety of sizes and scopes, with different aims, or with different legal status.
In this issue of the LEISA Magazine we present articles which discuss and analyse the experiences of some of these types of groups, looking especially at how, where and why farmers organise themselves, and drawing out some lessons.