Preparations for Rio+20 are now in full swing. In a recent meeting in Paris with experts from all over the world (among them several farmer leaders), FAO and OECD discussed the roadmap towards a Green Economy with Agriculture. It was widely agreed that the lack of sustainability of current food and agriculture systems makes change … Read more

One of the greatest challenges facing the world is to ensure that everybody has access to adequate food that is healthy, safe and of high nutritional quality – and to do so in a manner that is environmentally sustainable. At present the current global food system is dramatically failing to deliver on this goal. It … Read more

Agroforestry is one of mankind’s best hopes to create a climate-smart agriculture, increase food security, alleviate rural poverty and achieve truly sustainable development”, write Dennis Garrity and Paul Stapleton in the theme overview for this issue. Agroforestry can produce impressive results, as several experiences confirm. In a recent (must-read) report, Olivier de Schutter, Special Rapporteur … Read more

Editorial: Agriculture is sustainable if it can attract future generations of young farmers. But the overwhelming tendency of young people is to move out of farming, in search of a more comfortable life and better income. Does it mean that within the next few decades farming as a livelihood will cease to exist, and that … Read more

Editorial – Kanthamma, a widow of approximately 70 years old, used to collect ladybird beetles from neighbouring fields and release them in her own: “These insects help me keep the aphids in my cotton crop under control. My neighbours did not believe me that it worked, so they did not mind me ‘stealing’ the beetles … Read more

As I am writing this editorial, Pakistan is being hit by the most serious floods in 180 years, while Russia suffers from an unprecedented drought. Unequal distribution of water is not new, but the ferocity of fluctuations and contrasts between situations is.   Water is being referred to as the new oil, even though there … Read more

Three hundred bright minds from business and industry, science, governments, NGOs and farmers’ organisations, recently met in Brussels at an international conference called “The Art of Farming”. They explored the potential of sustainable business models that include small-scale farmers. Is this too good to be true? Three hundred bright minds from business and industry, science, … Read more

The many reactions we received in response to our renewed magazine make one thing clear: family farming is very much alive. The conference on the future of family farming hosted by ileia last December 2009, in celebration of our 25th birthday, also affirmed this. Together with professionals from science, government, business, NGOs and partners from … Read more

The many reactions we received in response to our renewed magazine make one thing clear: family farming is very much alive. The conference on the future of family farming hosted by ileia last December 2009, in celebration of our 25th birthday, also affirmed this. Together with professionals from science, government, business, NGOs and partners from … Read more