FAO’s best-selling 2011 publication, Save and Grow, proposed a new paradigm of agriculture, one that is both highly productive and environmentally sustainable. This new book looks at the application of “Save and Grow” practices and technologies to production of the world’s key food security crops – maize, rice and wheat. With examples drawn from developing countries worldwide, it shows how eco-friendly farming systems are helping smallholder producers to boost cereal yields, improve their incomes and livelihoods, conserve natural resources, reduce negative impacts on the environment, and build resilience to climate change. The book will be a valuable reference for policymakers and development practitioners guiding the transition to sustainable food and agriculture.
The book offers a rich toolkit of relevant, adoptable ecosystem-based practices that can help the world's 500 million smallholder farm families achieve higher productivity, profitability and resource-use efficiency while enhancing natural capital.
This manual is specifically designed to help train actual and potential farm mechanization service providers, in order to increase access to sustainable farm power to raise the productivity of smallholder farmers. It focuses on two crucial aspects: the provision of farm mechanization services as a viable business opportunity for entrepreneurs, and the essential criteria of raising productivity in an environmentally sensitive and responsible way i.e. that includes conservation agriculture. Practical guidance on the essential business development and management skills required to successfully run a mechanization service provision business are presented, with a focus on the equipment required to offer services compatible with conservation agriculture. The manual will be of particular interest to policymakers’ intent on achieving sustainable intensification in the agricultural sector. It is also a valuable resource for trainers charged with increasing the supply of well-trained and well-equipped entrepreneurial mechanization service providers through the implementation of training courses tailored to the specific course locations.
This book presents evidence-based research on climate-neutral and resilient farming systems and further provides innovative and practical solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating the impact of climate change. Intensive farming systems are a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, thereby contributing to global warming and the acceleration of climate change. As paddy rice farming is one of the largest contributors, and environmentally damaging farming systems, it will be a particular focus of this book. The mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions needs to be urgently addressed to achieve the 2°C target adopted by COP21 and the 2015 Paris Agreement, but this is not possible if local and national level innovations are not accompanied by international level cooperation, mutual learning and sharing of knowledge and technologies. This book, therefore, brings together international collaborative research experiences on climate-neutral and resilient farming systems compiled by leading scientists and experts from Europe, Asia and Africa. The chapters present evidence-based research and innovative solutions that can be applied or upscaled in different farming systems and regions across the world. Chapters also present models and technologies that can be used for practical implementation at the systemic level and advance the state-of-the-art knowledge on carbon-neutral farming. Combining theory and practice, this interdisciplinary book provides guidance which can inform and increase cooperation between researchers from various countries on climate-neutral and resilient farming systems. Most importantly, the volume provides recommendations which can be put into practice by those working in the agricultural industry, especially in developing countries, where they are attempting to promote climate-neutral and resilient farming systems. The book will be of great interest to students and academics of sustainable agriculture, food security, climate mitigation and sustainable development, in addition to policymakers and practitioners working in these areas. The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.
This book provides recent understanding about the sustainable development in agriculture. It includes information regarding new approaches for sustainable development in agriculture, horticulture and fisheries. It examines the effect of climate change and provides information on climate smart practices. In addition, some important aspects like quality seed production, role of bioinoculants, on-farm water harvesting, non-thermal processing of food, importance of water use in organic agriculture have also been discussed. It also presents in detail plant disease aspect and their management strategies. This book aims to provide an overall understanding of all aspects related to the study of environment resources, its protection for sustainable development. To meet the growing food demand of the over nine billion people who will exist by 2050 and the expected dietary changes, agriculture will need to produce 60 percent more food globally in the same period. The goal of sustainable agriculture is to meet society’s food and textile needs in the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Practitioners of sustainable agriculture seek to integrate three main objectives into their work: a healthy environment, economic profitability, and social and economic equity. Every person involved in the food system growers, food processors, distributors, retailers, consumers, and waste managers can play a role in ensuring a sustainable agricultural system.
This book will convince the reader to care about fruit and vegetables and to see that the small-scale production of these crops is fundamental to achieving sustainable development goals. In five chapters, the reader will learn about the challenges and rewards for producers, sellers, and consumers. Chapter 1: a working definition for fruit and vegetables, making the case for supporting small-scale farmers and value chains. Chapter 2: options for farm management to ensure that production is sustainable including genetic resources, seed systems, management of water, soil, nutrients, and control of pests and diseases. Chapter 3: options to integrate small-scale commercial fruit and vegetable farmers into socially inclusive value chains, including innovative post-harvest handling services, market linkages, and reducing food loss and waste. Chapter 4: options for practitioners and policymakers at different governmental, institutional and social levels to promote the sustainable production and consumption of safe, nutritious, and affordable fruit and vegetables. Chapter 5: key interventions and innovations to facilitate the sustainable production of fruit and vegetables in low- and middle-income countries across the world. This publication takes readers on a journey introducing them to a diverse array of fruit and vegetables through colorfully illustrated studies from around the world. It justifies the importance of these crops and it encourages readers to take an active role both in promoting fruit and vegetable production and in encouraging more people to eat them.
This paper is specifically about agricultural mechanisation: the opportunities provided by mechanisation for intensifying production in a sustainable manner, in value addition and agri-food value chain development, as well as the inherent opportunities implied for improved local economies and livelihoods. The establishment of viable business enterprises agro-processors, transport services, and so forth as a result of increased agricultural mechanisation in rural areas, is crucial to creating employment and income opportunities and, thereby, enhancing the demand for farm produce. Mechanisation plays a key role in enabling the growth of commercial agri-food systems and the efficiency of post-harvest handling, processing and marketing operations, and as such can be a major determinant in the availability and accessibility of food, the food prices paid by urban and rural poor, as well as contributing to increased household food security.
FAO’s major publications series are presented together in a user-friendly catalogue. The catalogue features all of the most active series, both new and long-standing, and is divided into areas of work, including agriculture, forestry, fisheries, trade and investment, among others. Each series entry includes technical specifications, language versions, most recent titles, relevant ISSNs, and QR codes linking to online resources in the FAO Document Repository.
In the last few years, the Latin-American seeds have gained increased importance (also due to the increased demand for gluten-free foods). Worldwide demand for Latin-American seeds and grains has risen in a high proportion. In parallel, seeds and grains' research from this region in all relevant fields has been intensified. Latin-American Seeds: Agronomic, Processing and Health Aspects summarizes the recent research on Latin-American crops regarding agronomic and botanical characteristics, composition, structure, use, production, technology, and impact on human health. Latin-American cultivars studied here are included in the groups of cereals, pseudo-cereals, oilseeds, and legumes that are used in a great variety of innovative and traditional foods. The main crops that are covered in this book are Latin-American maize (Zea mays), amaranth (Amaranthus spp), quinoa (Chenopodium spp), kañiwa (Chenopodium pallidicaule), chia (Salvia hispanica), sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubilis) and legumes such as black turtle and common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) and tarwi (Lupinus mutabilis). Key Features: Contains updated information about recent research works on Latin-American crops Includes a variety of Latin-American plant species that are used in a great variety of innovative and traditional foods Addresses a wide range of topics related to agronomy, plant physiology, and nutritional and technological properties, processing, fractionation and development of new products for human health
