Mind! New in print / More on markets for family farmers

Community biodiversity management / Fed up / Land concentration, land grabbing and people’s struggles in Europe / Our nutrient world / State of the World 2013 / The Committee on World Food Security (CFS) / More on markets Community biodiversity management: Promoting resilience and the conservation of plant genetic resources W.S. de Boef, A. Subedi, … Read more

Markets: From research to outcomes

The CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food was launched as an initiative to improve livelihoods and food security through better water management for food production (crops, fisheries and livestock). From an initial focus on productivity, the emphasis changed towards the adoption of innovations that improve livelihoods and address specific challenges in different river basins. … Read more

Locally rooted: Ideas and initiatives from the field

Throughout the world, small-scale farmers face different challenges when building a market for their products. Different strategies, involving different stakeholders, are proving to be beneficial, contributing to the generation of more sustainable livelihoods. Zimbabwe: Organic certification The Zimbabwe Organic Producers and Promoters Association (ZOPPA) helps organic producers to market their products through a certification process. … Read more

A new approach in fragile areas

The north of Uganda has seen havoc and terror for more than two decades. More than ninety per cent of the inhabitants of the Pader district have lived in camps for refugees for ten years or more. Only since 2005 have people dared to return to their land, where they are gradually rebuilding their lives. … Read more

Opinion: Breaking institutional barriers

Female entrepreneurs are a formidable force in Zimbabwe’s rural areas. Shiela Chikulo argues for public policies and private support. This will help them continue supporting their families, while simultaneously contributing to economic recovery and growth. Female entrepreneurs are a formidable force in Zimbabwe’s rural areas. Although often only seen as subsistence farmers, women are the … Read more

Local food systems: Tzimbuto and Canasta Utopia

In December 2012 Farming Matters ran an article about “Development 3.0”, highlighting the importance of showcasing peoples’ experiences as an inspiration for social change. The Canastas Comunitarias, a movement started by families to address their concerns over food prices (and presented in vol. 28.3 of our magazine) provides a clear example of this approach. Today, … Read more

Social learning to amplify agro-ecology

Using documentation for social learning, three female farmer leaders, a journalist and representatives from nongovernmental organisations across West Africa gathered together in May 2013 to analyse strategies to upscale sustainable farming. Faced with hunger and climate change, farmers in West Africa are experimenting with ways to let the vegetation on their soils regenerate, and with … Read more

NEW MARKETS, NEW VALUES

Farming Mattters | 29.2 | June 2013This issue of Farming Matters presents a small sample of the many experiences in (re)creating and (re)vitalising local markets. These experiences generate substantial employment, and also build local food security and food sovereignty. Yet, they are often overlooked by policymakers and mainstream development experts who view them as “niche” initiatives, … Read more