Title of document: Audit and agrarianism: the moral economy of an alternative food network   Authors: Liz Carlisle     Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: Science of the Anthropocene Year of publication: 2015 Geographic focus: Global Url original document: elementascience.org Summary: With consumers and producers seeking alternative to corporate, industrial food, systems of provision that promise greater ecological and social sustainability have gained in popularity. As these Alternative Food Networks (AFNs) scale up and go mainstream, both scholars and the general public want to know who is holding them accountable to their purported goals.   Read More

Title of document: The Farming Systems Trial   Authors: Rodale Institute   Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: Rodale Institute Year of publication: Geographic focus: Global Url original document: www.rodaleinstitute.org Summary: The hallmark of a truly sustainable system is its ability to generate itself. When it comes to farming, the key to sustainable agriculture is healthy soil, since it is a foundation for present and future growth. Organic farming is far superior to conventional systems when it comes to building, maintaining and replenishing the health of soil. For soil health alone, organic agriculture is more sustainable than conventional. When one also considers yields, economic viability, energy usage, and human health, it is clear that organic farming is sustainable, while current conventional practices are not.   Read More

Title of document: Building Farmers’ Capacity for Innovation Generation: What are the determining Factors   Authors: Justice A. Tamboo and Tobias Wunscher   Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: Center for Development Research, University of Bonn Year of publication: 2014 Geographic focus: Ghana Url original document: http://econpapers.repec.org/paper/agsaesc14/170351.htm Summary: While farmers have been recognised as one of the key sources of innovation, many studies on agricultural innovations continue to consider farmers as adopters of externally driven innovations only. Based on cross-sectional data from 409 farm households, this study, in contrast, analysis the innovation-generating behaviour among rural farmers in northern Ghana. Inspired by two innovation theories – induced innovation and innovation systems we focus on the determinants of innovation behaviour. Employing recursive bivariate probit and endogennous treatment regression models which control for selection bias, we find that participation in Farmer Field Fora, a participatory extension approach with elements of innovation systems perspective, is a key determinant of innovation behaviour in farm housholds. Other important determinants are education, climate shocks and risk preferences. These results are robults to alternative specifications and estimation techiques.   Read More

Title of document: Sustainable Intensification of Tropical Agro-Ecosystems: Need and Potentials   Authors: Christain Andres and Gurbir S. Bhullar Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: Frontiers in Environment Science Year of publication: 2016 Geographic focus: Tropical zone Url original document: www.frontiersin.org Summary: Rapid population growth, increasingly complex economies and novel industrial uses of agricultural products call for further intensification of agriculture, particularly in the tropics. How to achieve sustainable intensification of food production systems in tropical regions that are challenged by ongoing climate change, loss of natural resources and biodiversity is a matter of debate. Here we highlight the major knowledge gaps in agricultural research and policy that must be addressed to develop adequate governance and regulatory frameworks for sustainable agricultural intensification.   Read More

Title of document: Agroecology: A global Paradigm to Challenges Mainstreams Industrial Agriculture   Authors: Hector Valenzuela Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: Horticulturae Year of publication: 2016 Geographic focus: Global Url original document: www.mdpi.com/journal/horticulturae Summary: Considerable controversy continues to exist in scientific and policy circles about how to tackle issues of global hunger, malnutrition, and rural economic decline, as well as environmental issues, such as biodiversity loss and climate change adaptation. On the one hand, powerful vested interests, with close ties to government, media, and academic institutions, propose high input technology-based solutions, speculative and neoliberal « market-based » solutions, and export-oriented agricultural models. On the other hand, an international scientific and grassroots Food Movement has emerged, calling for a redesign of Global Food System in support of small-scale agroecological farming systems.   Read More

Title of document: Farmer Field School Guidance Document: Planning for quality programmes   Authors: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Year of publication: 2016 Geographic focus: Global Url original document: https://www.google.la/?gws_rd=cr&ei=wzpZV9G3Cp6UvQTSr6CwAQ#q=Farmer+Field+School+Guidance+Document:+Planning+for+quality+programmes+ Summary: Every day we learn more about the global challenges facing food production : global warming, extreme weather, intercontinental invasions by pests and diseases, land degradation and water loss from over-exploitation, and price volatility. Farming, fishing and agroforestry systems are becoming more complex, but we are also learning how local agro-ecosystems provide the underlying services - soil nutrient cycling, pest and dideases regulation, water capture and storage, pollination, genetic resources conservation, coastal protection for aquatic species and from storms that enable farmers to adapt to those challenges.   Read More

Title of document: Multiple pathways: Case studies of sustainable agriculture in china   Authors: Qiao Yuhui, Qi Gubo, Seth Cook, Lila Buckley, Song Yiching, Zhang Yanyan, Zhang Li, He Xueqing, Friederike Martin, Yue Shizong and Wang Zhen. Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: IIED Year of publication: 2015 Geographic focus: China Url original document: http://pubs.iied.org/17579IIED Summary: Chinese agriculture currently faces major environmental challenges. China’s applications of fertilizers and pesticides are among the highest in the world, which in turn has negative impacts on human health and environment. Soil erosion and soil pollution are widespread, as is the loss of agricultural biodiversity as high-yielding hybrid crop varieties replace traditional landraces. Water scarcity affects many parts of the country, as evidenced by plummeting water tables in northern China. Meanwhile, food safety risks – exemplified by a series of well-publicized incidents such as the 2008 milk-melamine scandal are a source of great public anxiety.   Read More

Title of document: Climate Resilient Agriculture: Educational/Training Posters Series Authors: Julian Gonsalves Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: CIAT Year of publication: 2016 Geographic focus: Southeast Asia Url original document: https://ccafs.cgiar.org/publications/climate-resilient-agriculture-educationaltraining-posters-series#.V01EUiGwEgg Summary: These posters are based on key messages derived from a sourcebook of reading/reference materials in a companion production entitled "Towards Climate Resilience in Agriculture for Southeast Asia - An Overview for Decision-makers". They were produced by CIAT with CCAFs funding for an FP1.1 project entitled “Integrated agricultural technologies for enhanced adaptive capacity and resilient livelihoods in climate-smart villages (CSVs) of Southeast Asia”. These posters are designed for use in training or educational events, primarily for starting discussions on important issues facing agriculture in a changing climate. The poster series cover a range of topics/ issues related to climate change in agriculture.They can be used one at a time, and not necessarily in any particular sequence. These pictures can also be enlarged to serve as educational posters, displayed one at a time. They can be used in power point presentations . The illustrations can serve as prototypes for local adaptation and further improvement by local artists. Any use of the illustrations should provide adequate credits to the source   Read More

Title of document: FARMING FOR THE FUTURE: Organic and Agroecological Solutions to Feed the World Authors: CHRISTOPHER D. COOK, KARI HAMERSCHLAG, AND KENDRA KLEIN Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: Friends of the Earth Year of publication: 2016 Geographic focus: World / USA Url original document: http://webiva-downton.s3.amazonaws.com/877/05/5/8492/2/FOE_Farming_for_the_Future_Final.pdf Summary: Hunger is not primarily a problem of overall supply of food, but rather of poverty, lack of democracy and unequal access to land, water and other resources, especially for women, states a new report on organic and ecological solutions. This report cites that four decades of scientific evidence show that agroecological farming is the most effective agricultural response to the environmental challenges that threaten our future food security, such as climate change, soil erosion, water scarcity and loss of biodiversity. The report debunks three dominant myths about food, farming and hunger that keep society on the path of business as usual and offers agroecological solutions for a more sustainable and just foundation for our food future. It cities extensive evidence of the agroecology’s successin reducing poverty and producing ample harvests while protecting human and ecological health in both developed and developing countries.   Read More

Title of document: From Uniformity to Diversity: A paradigm shift from industrial agriculture to diversified agroecological systems Authors: Emile A. Frison (Lead Coordinating author) Ministry/Government Agency/Organization: IPES-FOOD Year of publication: 2016 Geographic focus: This report explores the potential for a shift to occur from current food systems, characterized by industrial modes of agriculture, to systems based around diversified agroecological farming. It asks what the impacts on food systems would be if diversity, rather than uniformity, were the key imperative. The ecological benefits of such a shift have been widely documented. The key question, and the one asked in this report, is where the trade-offs lie. In other words, could food systems based around diversified agroecological farming succeed where current systems are failing, namely in reconciling concerns such as food security, environmental protection, nutritional adequacy and social equity.   Read More