This book highlights the important links between agriculture and nutrition, both direct and indirect, both theoretical and practical. It explores these relationships through various frameworks, such as value chains, programmes and policies, as well as through diverse perspectives, such as gender. It assesses the impacts of various agricultural interventions and policies on nutrition and profiles the up-and-down journeys of countries such as Bangladesh, China, Ethiopia, India, and Malawi in integrating nutrition into agricultural policies and programmes.
Productivity growth in smallholder agriculture is an important driver of rural economic development and poverty reduction. However, smallholder farmers often have limited access to information, which can be a serious constraint for increasing productivity. One potential mechanism to reduce information constraints is the public agricultural extension service, but its effectiveness has often been low in the past.
Innovations are fast changing the agricultural landscape driven by the increasing need to shift towards sustainable practices without sacrificing the productivity and profitability of farming. Innovations in technology, institutions, processes, and products have contributed to the growth of agriculture, globally and in developing countries including India and Africa, as observed in the cases of green revolution in cereals; and gene revolution in cotton.
Equipping agricultural extension and advisory services with nutrition knowledge, competencies and skills is essential to promote nutrition-sensitive agriculture. This report presents the results of an assessment of capacity within agricultural extension and advisory services, undertaken in Telangana State, India, with the global capacity needs assessment (GCNA) methodology developed by FAO and GFRAS. The methodology is available online at https://doi.org/10.4060/cb2069en
Undertaking Capacity Needs Assessment (CNA) is critical for organizing appropriate capacity development interventions. AESA organised four workshops on CNA of EAS in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal with the following objectives.
1. Identify capacity gaps among EAS providers
2. Finalise a methodology for undertaking capacity needs assessment.
This paper reviews the extension curricula currently followed in universities in India at different levels in light of the new challenges faced by farmers, the new capacities needed among extension personnel to address these challenges, new trends in the job market and advances made in the field of extension.
Los cambios acontecidos en la agricultura cubana a finales del siglo XX provocaron la ruptura del paradigma basado en la dependencia de importaciones, por lo que se precisó comenzar a construir un nuevo modelo técnico-económico sobre la base del desarrollo endógeno, asociado al fomento de capacidades innovadoras y de tecnologías sostenibles; ello exigió que los centros de desarrollo de conocimiento se centraran en la aplicación de innovaciones, mediante adecuados procesos de extensión rural.
En esta sección se retrata como se hace y vive la agroecología en un contexto campesino rural. Desde una comunidad en las Lomas del Escambray (prov. Villa Clara) se intenta transmitir el corazón y la energía de la agroecología en Cuba, a la vez que mostrar el funcionamiento del MACAC, las prácticas cotidianas y las reflexiones de los/as protagonistas.
Cette partie a pour objectif de retracer l’histoire de la création de l’agroécologie et de comprendre les conditions qui lui permettent d’exister dans un contexte paysan rural. Depuis ces mêmes fermes, les protagonistes essayent de transmettre le sentiment et le cœur de l’agroécologie tout en laissant voir le fonctionnement du MACAC, les pratiques quotidiennes et les réflexions de chaque protagoniste.
This section intends to picture how is agroecology done and lived in a rural peasant context. From their own plantations they try to carry over the feeling and heart of agroecology, while showing the operation of PTPAM at the same time, the everyday practices and the thoughts of their main players.