FAO Agroecology Newsletter

June 2020 / Issue #36

Join the Family Farming & Agroecology Community of Practice

The Family Farming & Agroecology Community of Practice (CoP) is an e-mail group that brings together people committed to working on family farming and agroecology related issues allowing them to share and co-create information, knowledge and advice in order to achieve sustainable agriculture and food systems. Members discuss experiences and reflect on how to deal with specific challenges, implement concrete actions and support policy making for family farming and agroecology.

New FAO’s video on Agroecology for Sustainable Food Systems

The Sustainable Development Goals lay out an ambitious path for building a sustainable world and transforming the way we produce, distribute, transport and consume our food, safeguard the environment and promote social protection. Agroecology plays a key role to achieve these goals. It applies ecological principles and concepts to the study, design and management of sustainable food systems as well as promote rural development and a social dimension that closely links farmers, consumers, governments and all other actors in the food systems.

World Environment Day

FAO, with the participation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), hosted the World Environment Day 2020 event “The Interface of Humans, Animals, and the Environment” on Friday, 5 June 2020.

Agroecology and natural farming could accelerate inclusive economic growth in India

On May 29, the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayong) organized a convention with international experts with the aim of promoting agroecological agriculture in India. International experts united on the importance of producing food free of fertilizers, agrochemicals and pesticides, while ensuring food security and nutritional requirements of people in India.

Minister of Agriculture of Sao Tome and Principe signs 100% organic protocol

The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development signed a protocol of public-private partnership, entitled "Sao Tome and Principe 100% Organic", aiming to guarantee the food and nutritional security of the country. One of the main objectives of the project is to promote sustainable local food production.

Mozambican peasants reinvent themselves in the face of climate change and pandemic

Around thousands of farmers have reinvented agricultural practices in compliance with agroecological principles to respond simultaneously to climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic, without reducing production in villages in the interior of Manica, central Mozambique where poverty is relentless, and hunger is lurking.

As food supply chain breaks down, farm-to-door Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) takes off

Interest in local, fresh, and organic products has soared during this COVID-19 pandemic. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is in its peak, promoting short supply chains and directly supporting the local producers by linking them with consumers.

Buenos Aires launches a program that promotes agroecology and local markets

The Province of Buenos Aires launched an institutional initiative called "Alimentos Bonaerenses", made up of six comprehensive programs aimed at strengthening food production and productive development, especially focused on small producers. The initiative includes among its lines of action the promotion of agroecology and local markets.

In Brazil, a “quiet revolution” for rural women makes the invisible visible through Agroecological Logbook

Each of the Agroecological Logbook page has four columns, in which women record the various products they have sold, given away, exchanged or consumed, calculating their value. At the end of the week or the month, they can see and prove the value of their contribution to the household budget. The project is supported by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

Money Flows in food system research to sub-Saharan Africa

This report, co-developed by Biovision, IPES-Food and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), zooms in on the all-important financial flows in food system research to sub-Saharan Africa, with a view of understanding what is holding back investment in agroecological research?

Endogenous facilitators in agroecology in West Africa

Since 2006, Terre & Humanism and its local partners have been training agroecology facilitators in several West African countries, the Mediterranean region and France. These facilitators in turn support farmers' organisations and farmers committed to agroecological approach.

Circular economy in the Indonesian agricultural sector

This paper presents the circular economy concept in the agriculture domain in Indonesia by making a connection between sustainable development, circularity and agriculture sector and by building on innovative case studies. The authors advocate for more attention to food and organic waste.

New app promoting sustainable practices of smallholder farmer in Africa

The Haller Foundation is a UK registered charity that launched Haller Farmers Web App. This app is designed to improve the lives of smallholder farmers by providing open access to sustainable, empowering, and resourceful farming techniques and agricultural information.

How to encourage farmers to switch to agroecology?

The Farmers’ Federation of Fouta Djallon, Guinea has turned to agroecology to better respond to the climatic, economic, and food challenges. This episode shows that to orient farmers about agroecology, its true effectiveness needs to be proven to them.

Agroecology - the next evolution in food systems

Agroecology is a way of farming with nature, not against it. The IPES-Food video shows that agroecology builds resilience to climate change and disease outbreaks by combining different plants and animals, based on farmers' knowledge of their local environments.

Special Issue "Agroecology and Organic Agriculture for Sustainable Crop Production"

Experts and researchers are invited to contribute to the special issue of "Agronomy" related to agroecology and organic agriculture with a focus on agrobiodiversity improvement, climate change resilience, soil fertility, closing the nutrient cycle, and assessing the environmental performance of agriculture systems. Deadline for submission 25 July.

Master in Ecological Humanities, Sustainability and Eco-Social Transition

This degree is proposed in collaboration with the Polytechnical University of Valencia and Autonomous University of Madrid and addresses areas such as sustainability, ecological ethics, environmental education and the study of the dynamics of eco-social transition.

Cycle of talks on Agroecology: a matter of principles

The National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) of Argentina organizes a cycle of virtual meetings on agroecology through Instagram. The meetings explore the 10 elements of agroecology. A special issue on "Agroecology at FAO" was held on 30 June 2020.

FAO Agroecology Newsletter

June 2020 / Issue #36

Join the Family Farming & Agroecology Community of Practice

Latest from HEADQUARTERS

New FAO’s video on Agroecology for Sustainable Food Systems

World Environment Day

Latest from ASIA

Agroecology and natural farming could accelerate inclusive economic growth in India

Latest from AFRICA

Minister of Agriculture of Sao Tome and Principe signs 100% organic protocol

Mozambican peasants reinvent themselves in the face of climate change and pandemic

Latest from NORTH AMERICA

As food supply chain breaks down, farm-to-door Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) takes off

Latest from LATIN AMERICA

Buenos Aires launches a program that promotes agroecology and local markets

In Brazil, a “quiet revolution” for rural women makes the invisible visible through Agroecological Logbook

PUBLICATIONS

Money Flows in food system research to sub-Saharan Africa

Endogenous facilitators in agroecology in West Africa

Circular economy in the Indonesian agricultural sector

INNOVATIONS

New app promoting sustainable practices of smallholder farmer in Africa

MULTIMEDIA

How to encourage farmers to switch to agroecology?

Agroecology - the next evolution in food systems

OPEN CALLS

Special Issue "Agroecology and Organic Agriculture for Sustainable Crop Production"

AGROECOLOGY TRAININGS

Master in Ecological Humanities, Sustainability and Eco-Social Transition

Cycle of talks on Agroecology: a matter of principles

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