Clara Nicholls is the president of the Latin American Scientific Society for Agroecology (SOCLA). For over three decades, she has worked in Latin America teaching, researching and promoting agroecological alternatives to industrial agriculture. She has also provided technical advise to a number of peasant organisations. In this interview Clara argues for more participatory research to … Read more

Whereas yield increases are considered central in modernised agriculture, they can be seen as just one element of impact in peasant farming. In assessing their farms, peasants depart from the specificities of their farm, the ecosystem in which it is embedded, the society and the markets in which they operate, and the possibilities and limitations … Read more

Edward Mukiibi of Slow Food Uganda appeals to young African farmers, agronomist and food activists to embrace agroecology to safeguard our future. As a young African with a farming background, like many out there, I cannot underestimate the contributions of agroecology to the sustainability of our fragile ecosystems. It is undeniable that African land is … Read more

Farmer Madelyn Álvarez Díaz explains how the agroecological movement in Cuba has grown from aiming to improve soils to striving for farmers’ political self-determination. “My name is Madelyn Álvarez Díaz and I am a peasant. I also coordinate the agroecological peasant-to-peasant movement in the Cienfuegos province, in Central Cuba. On our family farm, we use … Read more

September 2015 The wisdom of water(test) download | past editions | subscribe | Call for articles test

A decline in minor millet cultivation rings true across much of India. Yet a country wide revival of this cereal crop is in motion. Farmers are again recognising and asserting the value of minor millets, a cereal crop that was once central to their culture. A group of farmers in Madhya Pradesh have taken strength … Read more

Over 50 crop species grow on farms in the Gamo Highlands. Farmers use this diversity to meet nutritional, cultural and production needs under variable conditions. In the face of population growth, increased access to improved seed, and cultural and political pressures, maintenance of crop diversity requires more attention than ever before. To this end, farmers … Read more

Mariam Mayet is the director of the African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB). In a recent report, ACB turns their attention towards genetic modification of non-commercial ‘orphan crops’ and the way this technology is replacing farmer-managed food systems. In this interview Mariam explains what is wrong with genetic modification of these crops and where the real … Read more

This story shows the power of farmers’ leadership and self-organisation to revitalise neglected crops. A successful partnership between farmers and socially committed researchers, provided the scaffolding farmers needed to take matters into their own hands. A group of farmers set up a producers’ corporation to tackle the constraints to lupin production collectively. Amongst other achievements, … Read more

“Local, traditional food, rooted in traditional crops and agricultural practices, is a source of strength, ability and culture […]” Frederik van Oudenhoven narrates how through connection with the knowledge of their elders, young farmers in Badakhshan, Afghanistan, make sense of the present and imagine a future of their own. I saw a film recently about … Read more