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Agriculture & Environment: Farming practices

Policy Briefs

Here is a list of the latest articles

Farmer, Rwanda

Developing innovation systems for African agriculture

Developing innovation systems, rather than technology transfer, can benefit small farmers and promote agricultural development in Africa.

Source: Future Agricultures Consortium

9 July 2012 | EN

GM rice plants

Overcoming obstacles to GM crop adoption

Careful assessment and policies on genetically modified crops could contribute to agricultural development and food security.

Source: Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST)

21 June 2012 | EN

Man walking through a flooded ricefield

Advancing agricultural adaptation and mitigation

Scientists can help advance policies to promote agricultural practices that can reduce emissions and boost yields.

Source: Science

24 January 2012 | EN

Woman selling fish in market, Zambia

Improving access to ICTs for development

Learning from experience can help Zambia build on past successes in using ICTs and reach those most in need.

Source: Panos London

7 October 2011 | EN

Storing maize in metal silos

Advancing research to support smallholder farmers

Scientists can help smallholder farmers get more out of their crops in changing food markets.

Source: Science

1 September 2011 | EN

Drylands, Nicaragua

Promoting small-scale planting of trees in dryland areas

Planting trees in dryland regions can negatively impact biodiversity, and policies must promote the practice on a smaller scale.

Source: NCCR North-South

18 April 2011 | EN

Woman irrigating lemon crop, Philippines

Adapting agricultural water to climate change

Strategies to reduce rural poverty in the face of climate change will largely depend on improving water management in agriculture.

Source: Overseas Development Institute

15 September 2010 | EN

Indian boy at water pump

Harnessing the benefits of groundwater

Groundwater storage can improve water security and help poor communities adapt to climate change.

Source: International Water Management Institute

15 September 2010 | EN

Farmer field school in Ethiopia

Mobilising local institutes to aid rural adaptation

Local institutions are key to helping rural smallholders mitigate and adapt to climate change.

Source: CGIAR Systemwide Program on Collective Action and Property Rights (CAPRi)

22 April 2010 | EN

Managing wastewater more effectively

Integrating wastewater into water resources management can help improve water security and quality.

Source: Global Water Partnership

16 March 2010 | EN

Improving biosafety regulations for poor farmers

Reforming biosafety regulations can provide poor farmers with better access to genetically modified crops.

Source: International Food Policy Research Institute

23 February 2010 | EN

Tackling malnutrition with traditional knowledge

Traditional knowledge can inform strategies for improving nutrition and help vulnerable populations cope with environmental change.

Source: UN Standing Committee on Nutrition

20 January 2010 | EN

Improving land and water management

Better land and water management could improve yields and help developing countries mitigate and adapt to climate change.

Source: NCCR North-South

10 December 2009 | EN

Reducing emissions from forest degradation

Tackling forest degradation is an essential element for any global climate deal hoping to reduce forest emissions.

Source: The Nature Conservancy

8 July 2009 | EN

Reducing emissions through African agriculture

Agriculture, forestry and other land uses in Africa can help mitigate climate change while providing co-benefits.

Source: World Agroforestry Centre

8 July 2009 | EN

Putting agriculture on the agenda for climate talks

Including agriculture in international climate negotiations can help meet mitigation and adaptation goals while also reducing poverty.

Source: IFPRI

9 June 2009 | EN

Innovation systems for agricultural development

An innovation systems approach to agricultural research can be better for sustainable development than a linear pipeline approach.

Source: IFPRI

22 May 2009 | EN

Using pesticides in Ngarenanyuki, Tanzania

Reducing health and environmental risks of pesticides

Advice for policymakers in southern Africa on how to improve pesticide use and reduce the risks they pose to human health and the environment.

Source: WAHSA

6 November 2008 | EN