Hans Herren – Hans Herren is president of the Millennium Institute, an international NGO providing tools and methods worldwide that facilitate decision making for sustainable development. The driving force in all his activities and professional choices is the concern for a more sustainable world where there is a future for everybody. Next to his work … Read more

Young professionals need to be engaged in shaping the future of agriculture, says Courtney Paisley, at YPARD. The first step in attracting future young professionals is nurturing the ones we have now. Furthermore, we need to provide more young role models for future agriculturalists to look up to and so change their perceptions of agriculture. … Read more

This is Zeinab Awad el Karim Ahmed. She lives in Barankawa, a village in the state of Sinnar, in the Blue Nile region of Sudan. Notwithstanding her young age she plays an active role in the household and farm chores. One of her tasks consists in bringing the food that her mother prepares to her … Read more

Just before our previous issue was distributed, the World Bank published the results of its “multi-country study on large scale agricultural land acquisition and investment”. This study responded to a “lack of reliable information”, and to “the need for good empirical evidence to inform decision makers”. What is the evidence they provide? Is this report … Read more

Agro-meteorological learning in Indonesia. Unusual wheather patterns helped farmers see the relationship between rainfall quantities, soil moisture and the growth of their crops. Photos: Yunita Winarto Local knowledge systems are always developing, especially in times of change. The meteorological effects of El Niño, and climate change in general, motivated farmers and researchers in Indonesia to … Read more

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

Certification is not a “silver bullet” that automatically guarantees sustainable agriculture, although it does bring many positive results. These benefits can be multiplied by paying more attention to the development of skills and knowledge, and to the learning processes in which farmers, extension agents and company representatives are involved. “Proof” vs “Improve” Many small-scale farmers … Read more

A group of university researchers has been working on an agricultural education model designed to meet the many challenges facing Argentinean agriculture. Rather than just adding “green content” to the existing curriculum, working with the teachers in rural schools in the province of Buenos Aires is showing very promising results. Agriculture makes a significant contribution … Read more

Highland barley is the main crop grown in the village of Hongpo, in the Yunling township (part of the Deqin Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, in the Chinese province of Yunan). Like most villagers, Mrs Ren Zang has been recently very busy with the harvest from her two-acre field. Growing high quality barley is her responsibility, as … Read more

Using ram pumps is a simple way of getting water uphill. But, as AIDFI’s work in the Philippines shows, it is crucial to involve all stakeholders in the process of building and installing such pumps. By working closely with villagers and professionals, AIDFI has helped to increase the availability of water in many villages, and … Read more