Farming Mattters | 28.2| June 2012 This special issue of Farming Matters provides an overview of the importance of small-scale farming and of an agro-ecological approach to agriculture, looking in detail at four key areas: food security, poverty alleviation, energy and climate change. We do not know yet what the outcome of Rio+20 will be. But … Read more

Farming Mattters | 28.1 | March 2012This issue of Farming Matters pays special attention to farmers’ organisations. In what different ways do farmers organise? What problems exist in farmers’ organisations and how are these dealt with?Farmers’ organisations can play important roles in developing supply management schemes and various income insurance programmes. Farmers can learn from … Read more

Farming Mattters | 27.4 | December 2011 This issue of Farming Matters on a topic that is central to all small-scale farmers: land. Competition for land and power, and particularly the global increase of large scale land acquisitions, cause contestations about which land is rightfully owned and used by whom. This edition explores a range … Read more

Farming Matters | 27.3 | September 2011 There are strong arguments in favour of regional food systems. There are fewer intermediaries involved, with lower transportation costs and less risky transactions. Producers and consumers can exert a greater degree of control. As the articles in this issue show, regional food systems can contribute to increasing food security, … Read more

Farming Mattters | 27.2 | June 2011 This issue of Farming Matters provides an in-depth understanding of the overall advantages that trees bring and looks at the policy issues that influence the adoption of agroforestry. While the size of the world’s forests is declining, the number of trees on farms is increasing substantially. This reflects the … Read more

Farming Matters | 27.1 |March 2011 Did you know that we are in the International Year of Youth? We are, since 12 August 2010. This issue of Farming Matters shows that young people are, and have, the future in agriculture worldwide. It considers the roles, priorities and responsibilities of young generations. Read how they can contribute … Read more

Farming Mattters | 26.4 | December 2010 This issue of the global edition of the magazine is focused on partnerships for learning. All “stakeholders” in agriculture have personal but also joint interests. What and in what way do they learn from each other? And how do they learn to work together to create more sustainable … Read more

Farming Matters | 26.3 |September 2010 Water is a scarce resource, and it will be even scarcer in the future. We drink it, use it to process and cook food, or to cool things down. It is essential in terms of sanitation and hygiene, and even has cultural and ceremonial uses. But agriculture is the biggest … Read more

Farming Matters | 26.2 |June 2010Over the past decade, microcredit facilities have mushroomed and many groups of small farmers and landless people, notably women have benefited. Microcredit however is often not enough to help farmers build viable and sustainable farms.Farmers who want to invest in making their farm sustainable are faced with the challenge of transition … Read more

Farming Mattters | 26.1 | March 2010 Animals play an important role in rural life: besides milk, meat, eggs and wool, they provide manure for growing crops, and they also serve as a savings account for people. In this issue we were interested in showing how small-scale farmers manage their animals in their farming systems … Read more