Mountain farming is family farming / Reclaiming food security / Scaling-up agroecological approaches / Smallholders, food security and the environment
Mountain farming is family farming: A contribution from mountain areas to the International Year of Family Farming 2014
S. Wymann von Dach, R. Romeo, A. Vita, M. Wurzinger and T. Kohler (eds.), 2013. FAO, CDE, BOKU. 100 pages.
Family farming is the main type of land use in mountain areas around the world. Yet mountain farming is rapidly transforming everywhere, due to population pressure, out-migration, urban encroachment, mining expansion and increasing claims on land for conservation.
A testament to the diversity and commonality of mountain farming, this report provides a collection of case studies from mountain areas across the world. It aims to raise awareness about mountain family farming and to encourage appropriate support for mountain areas. This report highlights opportunities for mountain family farmers to continue to develop organic farming practices, strengthen local and regional co-operation and seize niche marketing opportunities.
Reclaiming food security
M. Carolan, 2013. Routledge. 196 pages.
This book presents a critique of the dominant directions taken by public policy in the name of food security. He argues that food should not be treated in the same way as any other commodity and genuine food security should be firmly aligned with principles of food sovereignty, wellbeing, equity and ecological sustainability. He examines the history of pursuing increased agricultural production (at all costs), trade liberalisation, global market integration and increased marketing and why these approaches have failed to deliver food security. The author urges that we move towards a renewed conceptualisation of food security that embraces freedom for people and nations to lead happy, healthy and long lives.
Scaling-up agroecological approaches: what, why and how?
S. Parmentier, 2014. Oxfam-Solidarity. 92 pages.
Agro-ecology is a science, a social movement and a broad set of agricultural approaches. Scaling up agro-ecology requires a systematic search for combinations of techniques and strategies that fit specific ecological, social and political contexts. This discussion paper aims to support civil society and government actors by providing evidence of the centrality of agro-ecological approaches for sustainable agriculture.
The author also highlights the challenges (along with specific actions) to scaling up agro-ecological approaches. These include breaking down ideological barriers, supporting farmer-to-farmer networks, creating supportive policy environments, empowering women and democratising the policy making process.
Smallholders, food security and the environment
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), 2013. 54 pages.
This easy-to-read overview of family farming gets right to the point: smallholders form a vital part of the global agricultural community. This is one of the three key messages of the report. In Asia and sub-Saharan Africa smallholders are responsible for supplying 80% of local food. Yet they are often relegated to infertile soils, and face threats from large-scale land grabs and policies that are biased against them. The second message is that smallholder productivity depends on well-functioning ecosystems. Historically the two have always supported each other and understanding of these interactions and practices to strengthen them have been continuously refined.
The authors argue that intensification needs to focus on strengthening the natural processes responsible for ecosystem services such as pest control, nutrient cycling, and water retention. This requires a redefinition of the relationship between agriculture and the environment; the report’s final key message. An array of sustainable agriculture intensification approaches already exist: conservation agriculture, agroforestry and integrated pest management.
Sustainable intensification also requires the removal of policy barriers, more research and better provision of information to smallholders. What the report lacks is a reflection on the wealth of farmers’ own experiences: the practices they have devised, which include some of those mentioned above, and cases where farmers themselves have managed to transform research and policies to strengthen food security and the environment. Such examples could offer an important contribution to the authors’ call “to facilitate sustainable, autonomous smallholder livelihoods adapted to local conditions and to enable smallholders to develop their own futures.”
More on agrobiodiversity
The conservation of agrobiodiversity begs the questions, what have we lost and what have we saved? The Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) publication, “The second report on the state of the world’s plant genetic resources for food and agriculture” (2010) provides an impression of some trends in conservation and the use of plant genetic resources worldwide.
Family farmers have long understood the benefits of sustaining biodiversity, while scientists and policy makers are increasingly acknowledging the roles played by farmers. “Community biodiversity management promoting resilience and the conservation of plant genetic resources” (2013) presents some history and experiences from organisations supporting farmers and farming communities with in-situ management of biological resources. This book is part of a comprehensive series published by Bioversity International in association with Earthscan entitled “Issues in agricultural biodiversity”. This series deals with many issues, from legislation on access and benefi t sharing of genetic resources to crops’ wild relatives.
Many individuals and organisations are actively supporting the conservation of agrobiodiversity and helping family farmers to retain traditional practices and knowledge. The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) website on Biocultural Heritage provides tools, and shares research and review policies on indigenous people’s knowledge, practices and biological resources.
A report published by The European Learning Network on Functional Agrobiodiversity (ELN-FAB), “Functional agrobiodiversity nature serving Europe’s farmers” (2012), offers insights into European agricultural and biodiversity policies as well as some practical ways for farmers to increase their on-farm biodiversity.
A recent report released by the Gaia Foundation and the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance entitled “Seeds for life – scaling up agrobiodiversity” (2013), proposes urgent actions to revive seed diversity in the face of numerous threats. The Gaia Foundation’s website also features two films, “Seeds of freedom” (2012), which charts the history of seeds from traditional farming to the global food system and “Seeds of sovereignty” (2013), which journeys to Africa to see how farming communities and organisations are resurrecting traditional seed diversity.
