In what ways is agroecology a means to food sovereignty? In Brazil, claiming land rights was the first step along one group of farmers’ pathway to autonomy. The next was to develop and maintain agroecological practices. To achieve this goal, these farmers never worked alone. Strong self-organisation and long-lasting partnerships enabled them to redesign their … Read more

Heitor Teixeira asks whether we can combine farming and forest conservation? And working with farmers in Brazil, he thinks that by involving them integrally, we can. The city of Viçosa is located in the Zona da Mata region, Minas Gerais, Brazil, surrounded by mountains and poor soils that favour family farming rather than industrial agriculture. … Read more

Family farmers play a very important role in Brazil, and not only in terms of food production. Yet, in spite of their enormous contribution, the knowledge that is developed and shared in educational institutes is rarely connected to their traditional knowledge. Most higher education institutions are highly theoretical and often oriented towards large-scale industrial agriculture, … Read more

As in many other parts of the world, farmers in the Zona da Mata region, in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, were encouraged to take up the Green Revolution package. This model also prescribed integration with the international markets. Family farmers, however, have found that this model has not brought the promised benefits. Many … Read more

Geraldo Cândido da Silva, known as Dadin, lives with his wife Cida and their two children as farmers in the mountainous region of Zona da Mata, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The diversity of species on their farm not only benefits the environment but also contributes significantly to the family’s income. Dadin played … Read more