Farmers from around the world explain how they assess the impacts of agroecology. “Agroecology produces food for all life forms” Ablacé Campaoré, peasant and activist in Burkina Faso “I was born a peasant. I grew up in the countryside and I have never stopped farming. Now I am also part of a peasant organisation. When … Read more

There is no recipe for practicing agroecology, and neither is there for estimating its impacts. From taste to yield – from counting species to feeling empowered – farmers, researchers and consumers each have unique ways of tracking changes brought about by agroecology. Indonesia Taste keeps the spirit of food sovereignty alive Back in 2012, Rumah … Read more

From uniformity to diversity Emile A. Frison (Lead coordinating author). 2016. IPES-Food. 96 pages. The current industrial agricultural system can provide great amounts of food, but at what price? This report, published by the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food), argues for a diversification of agricultural practices, as opposed to the industrialised … Read more

Deadline 1 december 2016 For many people, food sovereignty remains an abstract term. Therefore, Farming Matters believes the time has come to ‘unpack’ it. What does food sovereignty look like in practice? And how is it taking shape in Europe, specifically? How do efforts to gain food sovereignty in Europe influence the rest of the … Read more

Farming Matters | 32.3 | September 2016 This issue of Farming Matters explores innovative ways to demonstrate that agroecology provides critical solutions to the challenges of our time. Agroecology is gaining recognition for its potential to address climate change, biodiversity loss and malnutrition, and many successful examples exist. The experiences, opinions, and perspectives featured in this issue … Read more

For the fourth consecutive year, ILEIA is supporting a student-driven initiative in the Netherlands to connect agricultural students and farmers. The Farm Experience Internship is an initiative of a group of international students at Wageningen University inspired on a successful experience in Brazil. In it, students get to spend a couple of weeks at sustainable … Read more

In an effort to embed agroecology within local and regional realities, three regional meetings on agroecology were organised in 2015: one for Latin America and the Caribbean, one for Africa and one for Asia and the Pacific. ILEIA and the AgriCultures Network have documented the outcomes of the meeting in each region. The meetings were … Read more

Just as plants, humans will not survive without their roots. The experiences here highlight initiatives in which farmers, peasants,and educators have successfully organised themselves to rescue their traditional crops and revive their culinary traditions, thereby strengthening their cultural identity. India Crop diversity makes school kids proud Chandan’s grandmother is surprised to find her 10 year … Read more

Bread, wine, chocolate: The slow loss of foods we love Simran Sethi. 2015. HarperOne 352 pages. ISBN: 9780061581076 “The following is about food, but it’s really about love.” Over the past few decades, our diets have changed drastically. 95 % of the world’s calories now come from only thirty species of crops. Naturally, this has … Read more

In all countries of the Middle East, pastoralist communities, and Bedouins in particular, are some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in society. A new initiative, funded by the European Union, is helping to strengthen their voices through trainings on policy influencing, networking, documentation and communication for advocacy. Bedouins and herders, like this Palestinian … Read more