Food and agriculture blogs
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Urban poor community voices take to the stage at the World Urban Forum
19 February 2020Stories from urban poor communities inspired international audiences at the 10th World Urban Forum
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Protecting indigenous cultures is crucial for saving the world’s biodiversity
18 February 20202020 is being hailed as a ‘super year’ for nature, with a series of major international events looking at how we can stop the decline of wildlife and natural ecosystems. Krystyna Swiderska argues that saving biodiversity can’t succeed without working to save indigenous cultures
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Tapioca tech in Togo – how producers are organising to transform lives and land
5 February 2020Togo’s expanding populations need both food and means of generating income. After a recent visit, Duncan Macqueen reflects on how multi-tiered self-organisation is supporting sustainable solutions among tapioca producers
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The champions helping communities make better food choices
8 January 2020In Jember, Indonesia, children and young people are bearing the brunt of unhealthy eating habits. Isnatul Mu'allifin explains how this new generation is using data – gathered with and by the community – to drive tangible, positive change in people’s diets
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The Ugandan diet: food voices and choices
24 October 2019Farmers, food providers and consumers from Gulu, Buikwe and Kabarole Districts give their personal views on the Ugandan diet and food supply.
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Harnessing the potential of Zambia’s informal food sector
17 October 2019A new report on informal food markets in Zambia explores how integrating these into urban policy planning could help Zambia achieve 'zero hunger'.
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Urban food insecurity and malnutrition are about more than just food
16 October 2019Food insecurity, malnutrition and obesity are increasingly becoming urban issues, affecting the health of millions of children and adults. The new issue of Environment & Urbanization looks at the wider context of urban food and nutrition security and the challenges for policymakers
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Dietary indicators need overhauling, food diary study finds
15 October 2019A recent study assessing dietary quality in Indonesia showed there is an urgent need to develop and validate assessment methods that will address the triple burden of malnutrition in an integrated way
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Madagascar needs agroforestry businesses in its response to climate change
27 September 2019Madagascar’s forests are under increasing pressure from agricultural expansion, in an increasingly erratic climate. Agroforestry could be a key part of a response
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Rebalancing power in the Kenya-UK green bean value chain
9 September 2019Farmers and workers often struggle to influence decision-making and trading patterns within global value chains. A recent IIED webinar discussed an initiative to overcome hurdles for farmers and workers to secure a stronger voice and influence trading arrangements within the Kenya-UK green bean value chain
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Beyond maize: exploring agricultural diversification in Zambia
22 August 2019Zambia's food system is widely seen as not working. A new report looks at how to increase crop diversity, support better nutrition and support resilience at local and national level
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For street vendors, finding water and toilets isn’t just a nuisance, it’s cutting into earnings
12 August 2019Guest blogger Carlin Carr argues that providing street vendors access to safe, clean water, sanitation, and hygiene resources benefits not just sellers but the wider community
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The two faces of Bandung’s street food: recreation and reliance
7 August 2019A new report highlights the central role that street food plays in the food security of low-income workers
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Tackling widespread hunger in cities means listening to the urban poor
5 August 2019As urban food insecurity attracts growing interest in policy debates, Cecilia Tacoli makes the case for ensuring that the views of poor urban residents both inform and shape solutions.
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Science with citizens, or science for citizens?
23 July 2019Alejandro Guarín says citizen science is a great way to crowdsource knowledge, but involving citizens in research can also be a powerful tool for social change
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Keeping Bolivia’s culture alive through food
18 June 2019On Sustainable Gastronomy Day (18 June), guest blogger Angel Ramos explores initiatives that are helping to preserve Bolivia’s rich food heritage
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Vietnamese forest and farm producers work towards more resilient livelihoods and landscapes
27 May 2019As the UN launches the Decade of Family Farming, Duncan Macqueen considers the role of the Forest and Farm Facility programme in improving incomes, employment and sustainable agricultural practices for Vietnamese farmers
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Wild meat: is there an appetite for alternatives?
21 May 2019The age-old tradition of hunting wild meat has, in many cases, become unsustainable. Efforts to change local habits have had little effect. Ahead of this year’s International Day for Biological Diversity, guest blogger Stephanie Brittain argues that to protect biodiversity, without compromising health and livelihoods, we need to understand much more about why people eat wild meat
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Cooking for our future
20 February 2019Healthy, sustainable and inclusive gastronomy – Carmen Torres reflects on this month’s food systems conference and a new ally in the shift towards sustainable food systems
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Food Change Labs tackle complex issues with the whole system in the room
30 January 2019Felia Boerwinkel describes how 'change labs' have successfully brought together diverse stakeholders to find ways to improve local food systems in Uganda, Zambia and Indonesia
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Building transparency and trust into smallholder commodity trading and contract farming
13 November 2018Smallholder farmers have long had difficulties getting a fair price for their produce. A recent IIED webinar discussed how linking farmers to commodity exchanges and an ‘incentive-based’ contract farming (IBCF) approach can help improve farmer-buyer relations and establish more transparent trading arrangements
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As climate changes, Himalayan farmers return to traditional crops
29 October 2018Traditional crops and innovations are offering Himalayan farmers a way to deal with the challenges of climate change, but there is much work to be done for this to become a truly viable alternative
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Achieving real transformation in our food system
23 October 2018Frank Mechielsen of Hivos reports back from the annual Committee for Food Security, the main international platform that explores food security concerns. He describes how joint action can deliver much needed change in the way we produce and consume our food
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Food, sisterhood and dreams
16 October 2018On World Food Day, Nicole Szucs reports back from a dialogue on increasing dietary diversity and local food systems in Bolivia, and highlights a new video showing how women play a vital role in the food cycle, from production to consumption
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Creating knowledge and supporting action: citizen-generated evidence from food diaries in Uganda
14 September 2018Citizens in Western Uganda are using food diaries to generate data on food consumption – helping them understand their own diets and advocate for a better food system