The majority of the world’s rural poor are family farmers, fishers, livestock and forest users who live in isolated areas and who depend on agriculture and natural resources for their livelihoods. Being both marginalized and geographically dispersed, the rural poor face major constraints in seizing social and economic opportunities to improve their lives and those of their families. This…
Rural farmers in many parts of the world are already using ‘smart’ agricultural practices like intercropping, agroforestry and rainwater harvesting. But what if those practices benefitted the livelihoods and landscapes of millions more? Climate-smart agriculture, the raft of sustainable agricultural practices designed to help farmers overcome hunger, adapt to climate change, manage their natural resources…
Agroforestry—the use of trees in farming—benefits both farmers and the environment. According to a recent report by Biodiversity International, the Center for International Forestry Research, the World Agroforestry Centre, and Charles Sturt University, forests contribute to the livelihoods of more than 1.6 billion people. Yet, 30 percent of the world’s forests are used primarily for the production of wood…