ecologically sustainable food systems

This book by The Technical Centre for Agriculture and Rural Cooperation (CTA) is offering 14 best practises and policies that increase agricultural productivity and farmers’ resilience to climate change. Key ingredients for success can be distilled out of these cases, such as active farmer participation and youth attraction. Projects which involve high levels of initial investment or drudgery, fail to attract young people, and are costly in terms of time and labour are unlikely to be successful. »

This book presents a study that identifies indicators that farmers use to prioritize agricultural innovations, in general and climate-smart agriculture (CSA) in particular. The study was held in Kilolo and Mbarali Districts in the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania. Using a participatory approach, the study finds that yield, income, cost, labour, availability of inputs and equipment, time, and knowledge are important indicators for farmers to prioritize agricultural practices that they implement. »

This article in the Agronomy for Sustainable Development Journal explores some of the existing methods to assess potential grain yield, the size of the gap between average and rainfall-limited potential yield and to suggest pathways for future gains in crop yields in the presence of soil degradation, climate change and seasonal variability of rainfall. They focus mainly on cereal and grain legume crops but recognise that oilseed crops such as canola and mustard play an important role in many rainfed cropping systems. »

This info note provides guidance for the design and development of climate-smart value chains. It provides lessons learned from the learning event on 25 February 2016 in Rome, held by IFAD and the CCAFS-CIGAR. Through a simple five step process, it provides a range of tools and resources that are available to supportthe development of climate-smart value chains in different stages. The key conclusion of the learning event is that building incountry capacity to use relevant tools for real decisions is even more important than building the tools. »

This report by FAO shows the nature of the impacts of climate change on, and vulnerabilities of fisheries in different parts of Africa, to identify current and potential coping mechanisms/strategies as well as biophysical and social characteristics/attributes that increase resilience to these impacts. The report consists of five chapters. Each chapter includes observations on the adaptive capacity of the social-ecological system and concludes with observations on the potential role of fisheries management institutions to reduce vulnerability to climate change. »

This article is highlighting the way millions of African farmers, with their indigenous systems, adapt to climate change. 33 case studies released by the Oakland Institute demonstrate with facts and figures how an agricultural transformation respectful of the farmers and their environment can yield immense economic, social, and food security benefits while also fighting climate change and restoring soils and the environment. »