Knowledge Portal

This article examines the socio-economic correlates of anemia in women and, potential sources of iron in household diets in Afghanistan. It delves into the agriculture-nutrition linkages and tries to understand these in the context of Afghanistan and related to iron-deficiency anemia. The authors found that ownership of agricultural assets (particularly livestock) and their use in food production has a role in alleviating anemia, especially when local markets are inadequate. »

These guidelines by FAO have been developed to support the growth of inclusive business models (IBMs) that integrate smallholders into agricultural value chains. Small actors in agricultural value chains are tied to markets through a series of forward and backward business linkages, which incorporate various types of business models. The complexity of these business models varies according to the commodity, number of actors involved, local context and market structure. »

In April, Agriterra organized the Dutch Seeds Debate in The Hague, the Netherlands. The debate is an element of ‘Small Farmers, Big Deal’, a campaign designed by Agriterra to connect companies to farmers.‘What can your organization do to support smallholder farmers in developing countries?’ This was the key question during the debate, which was attended by more than 90 representatives of the government, seed companies, research institutions and NGOs. These organizations were triggered to think about what they can do to support smallholder farmers. »

This report investigates India’s challenges with regard to ensuring urban food security and the difference among urban resident groups in food security status. India is forecast to experience the largest increase in urban population of any country in the world. Cities are important for India’s economy and provide higher incomes, support increased consumption and access to quality food options. However, much of urban India is considered highly or moderately food insecure. »

This research on the Royal Society shows how the origins of food plants has led to the recognition that specific geographical regions around the world have been of particular importance to the development of agricultural crops. Yet the relative contributions of these different regions in the context of current food systems have not been quantified. The authors determine the origins (‘primary regions of diversity’) of the crops comprising the food supplies and agricultural production of countries world. »

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. »