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An Ethiopian watershed evolving
September 22nd, 2015

Intense watershed management and water harvesting in the state of Tigray, northern Ethiopia, have transformed the area beyond recognition and increased food security and enhanced resilience to floods and droughts. A new way of thinking about watershed management and the efforts of local farmers have contributed to the success of a number of initiatives. The … Read more

Roles and regulations for trees on farmland
December 23rd, 2012

Since the 1980s, some 6 million hectares of agriculture land in the Sahel have been covered with trees. Yet, this area could be much larger. The support provided to the rural areas of most Sahelian countries depends on public funding and on the contributions of international donor agencies, so the number of projects, or the … Read more

“Where there are no trees…”
June 20th, 2011

Interview > Djibo Bagna – ROPPA, the West African Network of Peasant and Farmer Organisations, was founded in 2000 as a representative body that would help “make the voices of family farmers heard”. Having been involved with farmer organisations for decades, Djibo Bagna serves now as its President. Farming Matters | 27.2 | June 2011 … Read more

Farmer Field Schools take root in Egypt
December 22nd, 2010

Update from the field – Previous articles in this magazine have reported on the Fayoum Farmer Field School (FFS) project in Egypt. In March 2003, Jaap van der Pol showed how the Asian FFS-model needed adaptation in Egypt as local extensionists were used to working with individual farmers (not with groups) and to discussing rather … Read more

The GMO invasions: We’re losing our local breeds
December 22nd, 2010

Interview > Percy Schmeiser – Small groups of genetic engineers working for multinational companies, with little or no democratic control, determine the genetic composition of crops all over the world. Is this a science fiction movie scenario? No. Two Canadian farmers, Percy and Louise Schmeiser, have had a long fight in court to defend their … Read more

Modern Holland: built on centuries-old system
September 22nd, 2010

A large percentage of the country is below sea level. Keeping the land dry requires a comprehensive system of dykes and dams, which have made Holland famous. But water management is also based on traditional governance structures. While the Dutch water boards are centuries old, they still have the responsibility for preventing floods. Holland is … Read more