livelihoods

Multimedia Publication: Towards food sovereignty: Reclaiming autonomous food systems

Towards Food Sovereignty is an online book with linked video and audio files. The first 6 chapters, available here, begin to describe the ecological basis of food and agriculture, the social and environmental costs of modern food systems, and the policy reversals needed to democratize food systems. The video and audio clips show farmers, indigenous peoples and consumers all working to promote food sovereignty, it highlights the importance of locally controlled food systems to sustain both people and nature.
 

Protecting community rights over traditional knowledge

News: Protecting Community Rights over Traditional Knowledge: Key findings, recommendations and case studies, 2005-09 Project Folder: Now available

Peasant Seeds: the foundation of food sovereignty in Africa

A multimedia publication released in Bamako today, 11th December 2008, captures the deep concern among West African farmers about the privatisation of seeds and knowledge.

Policy that works for biodiversity and poverty reduction

Community-based initiatives for biodiversity and poverty reduction, where biodiversity is sustainably managed by communities for nutrition, health, cultural and other needs, receive little official support and recognition. Their wider adoption is often hampered by unsupportive policy environments.

Land grab or development opportunity?

For many millions in the developing world, land is central to livelihoods, food security, even identity — the natural result of a direct dependence on agriculture and natural resources. It is not surprising, then, that a recent wave of large-scale land acquisitions in poorer countries has sparked a major debate.

Sustaining local food systems, agricultural biodiversity and livelihoods

Update: Read the Open Letter of the Peoples of Cusco (PDF) to the FAO Director General, Feb. 10.

On 26 February 2010, Peruvian indigenous organizations, local government bodies and civil society organizations in Cusco, Peru, held a meeting to formulate a strategic response to a FAO ABCD10 starting on 1 March that will push for greater use of genetically modified organisms. A demonstration through the ancient Inca streets followed up this multi-stakeholder gathering. The meeting produced a Declaration which underlines that the FAO agenda does not represent the best approach for tackling agricultural challenges, including those brought by climate change.

Nomadic education

IIED’s nomadic education programme works to address the problem of how Kenyan pastoralists can acquire the education and skills which will allow them to compete on equal terms with other national population groups, without compromising their nomadic pastoral livelihoods.

Reinforcement of pastoral civil society in Africa

Governments’ poor understanding of pastoralism combined with the inability of pastoral groups to influence the decisions that affect their lives and to hold government to account is perpetuating a vicious circle of pastoral poverty and conflict, thereby reinforcing the very preconceptions underpinning inappropriate policy directives for pastoral development in much of Africa.

Total Economic Value of pastoralism

Changing policy makers’ perceptions of pastoralism is a challenging and long-term process. An important starting point is to improve their understanding of its dynamics and economic rationale, particularly the direct and indirect economic contributions it makes to national and regional economies.

Pastoral livelihoods and climate change

Pastoralists live in a context of environmental uncertainty and have developed a diverse range of strategies, institutions and networks to exploit this unpredictability and risk to their advantage.  Despite their proven value, these strategies are still poorly understood and integrated in policy design.

Syndicate content