The globalisation of agrifood systems is a mega-trend with potentially profound nutritional implications. This paper describes various facets of this globalisation process and reviews studies on nutritional effects with a particular focus on developing countries. Results show that global trade and technological change in agriculture have substantially improved food security in recent decades, although intensified production systems have also contributed to environmental problems in some regions.
Fairtrade certification has recently gained in importance for various export crops produced in developing countries. One of Fairtrade's main objectives is to improve the social conditions of smallholder farmers. Previous research showed that Fairtrade has positive effects on farmers' sales prices and incomes in many situations. However, more detailed analysis of the effects on food security and other dimensions of household living standard is rare.
Ce catalogue décrit une série de solutions agricoles pour les zones arides du Sahel et de la Corne de l'Afrique, utiles pour l'adaptation au changement climatique et l'atténuation de ses effets. Il est basé sur les interventions du programme Technologies pour la transformation de l'Agriculture en Afrique (TAAT). Ce programme, dirigé par l'Institut International d'Agriculture Tropicale (IITA), est à l'origine de nouvelles approches pour le déploiement de technologies éprouvées auprès des agriculteurs africains.
Les informations géospatiales et leurs produits dérivés, conçus pour contribuer à la définition des politiques publiques agricoles, sont peu utilisés en Afrique. Les infrastructures, la formation et les compétences manquent ; les activités de recherche et développement sont dispersées et insuffisantes. Mais, surtout, les besoins restent mal formalisés et l’offre technologique, impulsée par les pays industrialisés, est peu adaptée aux caractéristiques des agricultures africaines.
This article examines how research on the agriculture and agrifood systems mobilizes the concept of Innovation System (IS). A literature review on the IS provides an analytical framework for determining its theoretical frame of reference, its area of application and its uses.
Science and technology (S&T) are major contributors to food security, poverty reduction, and economic growth, as has been proven in Asia since the early-1970s through the Green Revolution in agriculture. Continuing to secure such gains, however, is becoming an increasingly complex undertaking. More than ever, quantitative data are vital for measuring, monitoring, and benchmarking the performance of agricultural S&T systems, including their inputs and outcomes.
This study examines the contributions of IFPRI over the last 10 years to policy development, training, and capacity-strengthening activities with Malawi, focused particularly on addressing the chronic food insecurity and malnutrition that has prevailed for the last 60 years.The paper is divided into five sections.
This study was undertaken to assess the utility of remotely sensed net primary productivity (NPP) data to measure agricultural sustainability by applying a new methodology that captures spatial variability and trends in total NPP and in NPP removed at harvest. The sustainable intensification of agriculture is widely promoted as a means for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and transitioning toward a more productive, sustainable, and inclusive agriculture, particularity in fragile environments.
Agricultural policies affect almost everyone in the world, directly or indirectly. Improvements in agricultural policy analysis capacity can therefore significantly benefit society. Based on the full report, this brief summarizes lessons learned from the Food Security Policy Innovation Lab’s capacity strengthening efforts over the 2013-2018 period and from related capacity development initiatives conducted over the last four decades by the partner institutions in Africa and Asia.
The agro-ecosystem is a system composed of population, natural resources and economic activities related in a dynamic interaction in terms of socio-ecological and socio-economic relations conditioned by endogenous and exogenous factors. With time, the agro-ecosystem undergoes changes. By analysing the agro-ecosystem dynamics over a period of time, we can plan the agro-ecosystem for higher level of production and productivity, achieving higher level of resource use and environmental efficiency and maximise food security as well as livelihood security.