Agroecology and the right to food

Olivier De Schutter – “Agroecology is really common sense. It means understanding how nature works, to replicate the natural workings of nature on farms in order to reduce dependency on external inputs. Agroecology preserves the ability for future generations to feed themselves. I believe we should teach more about agroecology and encourage exchanges between farmers. … Read more

Opinion: Food justice moving forward in the USA

Navina Khanna introduces the food justice movement in the USA, and how from the corner shop to Capitol Hill, communities are making waves, and fighting for fairer policies in both corporate and governmental sectors. The food system in the United States is deeply racial. Historically built on slavery, dispossession and the exploitation of people of … Read more

Turning vicious circles into virtuous cycles

We have read about poverty, vulnerability and resilience of family farming. The articles in this issue of Farming Matters have shown that there is an urgent need for a change in mindset regarding family farming, agriculture and food systems. And resilience must be the central concept in this new thinking. Resilience The term ‘resilience’ has … Read more

Globally connected: News from the AgriCultures Network

Members of the AgriCultures Network are working together to advance family farming and agroecology by drawing lessons from farmers’ fields, sharing knowledge and working with social movements for policy change. Read our latest news. Cultivating diversity in advocacy Using the last edition of the magazine as a vehicle, many network members engaged policy makers and … Read more

Subsistence is resistance: Local food systems in times of economic crisis –

The Alentejo is the largest and poorest region of Portugal. Cooperatives and other social initiatives that arose after the Carnation Revolution in 1974 were later closed under pressure from the European Union. It was hoped that massive investments would make Portugal a role model for economic development, but the financial crisis has revealed the flaws … Read more

Bees bring a new buzz to family farming in Zimbabwe

One way that family farmers improve their resilience to both climatic and economic shocks is to diversify what is produced. More and different crops and livestock, particularly local varieties and breeds are being promoted. Two other options stand out too – bees and trees. These have the added advantages of complementing the production of agricultural … Read more

“A revolution of thought is necessary”

Cantave Jean-Baptiste is a Haitian agronomist and rural development practitioner with more than three decades of experience supporting sustainable agriculture and strengthening peasant organisations. He is Executive Director of Partenariat pour le Développement Local (PDL) in Haiti, and a founding member of Groundswell International. Farming Matters asked Mr Jean-Baptiste how family farmers can build resilience … Read more

Home nurseries: Viable businesses with environmental awareness

Butana is a dry plateau in northern Sudan, east of the river Nile. Covering 65,000 square kilometres, less than 10% can be described as ‘woodland’ in the vaguest sense of the word, and even these trees are disappearing rapidly. The Butana Integrated Rural Development Project began in 2008 with the aim of supporting the livelihoods … Read more

Youth and agriculture: German youth struggle for land

‘Land grabbing’ has grabbed people’s attention in recent years, but this phenomenon is not restricted to developing countries. In the heart of Europe, young German farmers like Paula Giola are also struggling to retain and regain access to farmland. To make a stand and demand our rights as young people who want to go into … Read more

Farmers in focus: Better yields in the Sahel

Lower rainfall in Burkina Faso meant that Souobou Tiguidanla and his family could not produce enough food to feed themselves. Then they adopted agroecological practices, and now they have enough to share with their neighbours. “My name is Souobou Tiguidanla. I am 40 years old and live in Toumbenga village, Gayeri district in eastern Burkina … Read more