New report by FAO and ILEIA synthesises main recommendations of the International Year of Family Farming. When 2014 was proclaimed the International Year of Family Farming (IYFF), the United Nations shone a spotlight on the essential contributions of family farmers to food security, community well being, the economy, conservation, biodiversity, sustainable resource use, and climate … Read more

Farming Matters |30.4 |December 2014 Nutrition has become one of the buzz words of the year, like resilience, and landscapes. What they have in common is that they refer to complex situations, where economic and political forces override the needs and aspirations of rural and urban communities. However, the nutrition challenge remains clear, with a billion … Read more

Ecuador is going through a substantial nutritional transition. This, coupled with the paradox that rural families that produce food are often those most affected by undernutrition, shows the ironies of ‘modern’ food systems. It also highlights the importance of rural-urban linkages around family nutrition which can help to address such contradictions. This is what we … Read more

We need to introduce the genes of multiple species to our own genes to help our bodies adapt and evolve within our changing world. We need dietary diversity, says Zayaan Khan. There used to be natural balance in the world. Indigenous peoples have always understood how their lives were part of a ‘bigger picture’, and … Read more

Improving family nutrition is the primary goal of family farmers, though how they strive to do so varies considerably. As we see here, increasing crop diversity on their farms and growing more traditional varieties are two ways, but increasing livestock production is another that can also have huge impacts. India: The rich diversity of forest … Read more

Food fairs are an important tool and space to promote food sovereignty as they take place in local public spaces and within people’s own socio-cultural settings. One excellent example was a food fair in Ghana, organised by the Centre for Indigenous Knowledge and Organisational Development (CIKOD). Women farmers exhibited traditional crops and foods, emphasising their … Read more

Peoples’ movements and civil society organisations have sent a powerful message to governments around the world during the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2) held in Rome on 19-21 November. For three days prior to the conference, close to 200 representatives from all walks of life met to prepare a civil society joint position that … Read more

Improving the situation of family farmers is a burning need. And as they produce an estimated 70% of the world’s food, it is an issue that affects us all. The 2014 International Year of Family Farming aimed to create a better understanding of family farming and support the development of pro-family farming policies. This article … Read more

I am a family farmer. I know my soil, my climate and how to make things grow, says Joan Brady. And as farmers, especially women and youth, we will deliver answers from our passions, our expertise and our resilience. I am a family farmer. I know my soil, my climate and how to make things … Read more

From a situation of widespread undernutrition, consuming fresh vegetables all year round has now become a reality for many Nepali households thanks to their expanding home gardens. But the stories they tell show that the benefits of home gardens are not limited to improving household nutrition. The gardens also help to empower women and conserve … Read more