Knowledge Portal

This publication elaborates on the rapidly changing consumer demands in West Africa and the opportunities and constrains for the West African food system related to this. Fueled by a burgeoning population, urbanization and income growth, West African food demand is transforming fast. »

This book summarizes the achievements as well as some of the challenges faced while implementing integrated systems research to support the sustainable development of smallholder farming in the uplands of the Mekong region. The third chapter on integrating tree, crop and livestock technologies provides solutions and interventions to sustainably recover land while ensuring short-term economic returns. »

This report reviews the evidence to date focusing on the magnitude and geographical distribution of food losses. It especially scrutinizes the role of energy in post-harvest losses and the main entry points in the food value chain where lack of access to energy is the dominant factor influencing food losses. The report outlines low cost and off-grid post-harvest cooling and processing technologies that can be made fit-to-purpose in developing countries. »

This paper elaborates on the relation between food systems and gender equality building on knowledge, experience and good practices in the field of agriculture, climate change, food security and value chains. The authors argue that since the current food systems poses serious problems of sustainability, a solution should be sought in greening of these systems which refers to investments to improve human well-being and social equity, reduce environmental risks and ecological scarcities. »

This info-note elaborates on the adaptive capacity and improved food security in East-Kenya. Wote, located in a semi-arid zone of eastern Kenya, is characterized by highly weathered soils. Soil erosion is rampant due to lack of adequate vegetation cover at the beginning of the rainy seasons, and also due to the sparse shrubs. Land degradation and limited soil fertility replenishment have contributed to reduction in agricultural productivity, reducing potential crop yields due to soil nutrient depletion. »

This issue of Farming Matters by ILEIA explores the different ways pastoral societies are joining forces to challenge the policies that undermine their culture and way of life. For millennia, pastoralist societies have managed the rangelands of the world’s most challenging environments, producing food and providing ecosystem services for millions of households. The experiences, opinions and perspectives presented in this issue highlight the importance of pastoral societies for agroecology and the transformation of entire food systems. »