The Future of Family Farming – The philosophy of slow growth

La Cabrita is a real family farm. Guicella Igreda Lix (40) and her father Don Manuel (80) manage the goat breeding and forage cultivation together.   Guicella’s mother, brother and two sisters are responsible for pigs, poultry and the dairy and cheese plant. La Cabrita’s products have gained international organic certification, a big success for … Read more

Update from the field: Guinea pigs, and more

Being the odd-one-out can be difficult, not least in agricultural production. This is why we were interested in hearing more about the state of HECOSAN, an ecologically managed farm found on the outskirts of Lima, in Peru, surrounded by conventional cotton farms. For more than ten years, HECOSAN has been producing guinea pigs, and making … Read more

Re-assessing the fodder problem

Small-scale farmers depend largely on their animals and need to feed them well. Technology based innovations have been the mainstream solution to improve the fodder problem. But making farmers find relevant information and networks appears to be as much effective for innovation. Fodder makes up 70 percent of livestock inputs and is crucial to the … Read more

Food as a universal right

Olivier De Schutter is the United Nations special rapporteur on the right to food. He aims to inform people at the highest political levels about the role that smallholders play in the world’s food production systems. He hopes that this will make decision-makers more sensitive to their needs and rights. Politicians and policy-makers now frequently … Read more

Unpacking a poultry myth

Recent evidence from India suggests that rearing indigenous poultry rather than focusing on commercial breeds that give a higher yield can significantly contribute to the self-sufficiency and cultural wealth of rural communities – as well as boosting their income. Over the last decade, high demand has caused the poultry sector to expand, globalise and consolidate, … Read more

Livestock, a smart solution for food and farming

Animals are a part of farming systems everywhere. In this issue, Farming Matters focuses on how small-scale farmers manage their animals, how they link animal husbandry with other activities, and what their livestock means to them. An integrated perspective on the role of farm animals is crucial in overcoming simplistic assumptions on the opportunities and … Read more

The Future of Family Farming – Uncertain times in Egypt

The woman and daughter in this photo live in Fayoum governorate in Egypt. This is one of the most densely populated countries in Africa, which is why many people keep their poultry on the roofs of their houses. This woman used to earn a considerable share of the total household income by selling live birds … Read more

“Communities are smart enough to make the right choices”

Madiodio Niasse – In an interview with Farming Matters, Maididio Niasse, the director of the International Land Coalition, highlighted the importance of an open discussion and of sharing information. Since the mid-1990s, the International Land Coalition (ILC) has been working to promote equitable and secure access to land for poor men and women in order … Read more