Small-scale farming

We are working with partners in China, India, Kenya and Peru to revitalise the traditional knowledge-based — or ‘biocultural’ — innovation systems of smallholder farmers to strengthen food security in the face of climate change.

The latest ‘provocation’ from IIED and Hivos, held in The Hague last week (24 May), began by asking what the development community can do to support rural youth. And for consultant Felicity Proctor, the answer is clear: “we need to move from agriculture and talking about food security and productivity to enterprise, business and a decent living for many of the rural populations.”

The Latin American Learning Network members of the Knowledge Programme ‘Small producer agency in the globalised market’ convened in Lima from 12 to 16 September. They organised and participated in a series of meetings and events in conjunction with various prestigious organisations. The highlight of the programme was the International Forum ‘Small-scale producers: Actors in Globalised Markets and Food Security?’ on 14 September, organised by the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru.

Development support for small-scale farmers must be based on both the enforcement of basic human rights and a pro-poor development of markets.

Development policymakers, academics and practitioners gathered at a ‘provocation’ seminar in Stockholm, Sweden last week (3 March 2011) to discuss whether their approaches to supporting small-scale farmers sh

The third in a series of six seminars on markets and small-scale farmers took place in Paris, France on 30 March 2011.

The second in a series of six seminars on markets and small-scale farmers took place in Stockholm, Sweden on 3 March 2011. Watch video of the event.