Browse by Category: Sustainable agriculture
Using local agricultural biodiversity - A Kenyan farmer's story
Peninah Mwangangi has a smallholder farm in the arid region of Kitui, in eastern Kenya. She explains how using local traditional food crops have helped mitigate against harvest loss when the rains don't come. This is the third story in our 'Fork in the Road' series as part of our Rio+20 campaign.
A fork in the road to Rio: Kenya
Peninah Mwangangi has a smallholder farm in the arid region of Kitui, in eastern Kenya. She explains how using local traditional food crops have helped mitigate against harvest loss when the rains don't come. This is the third story in our 'Fork in the Road' series as part of our Rio+20 campaign.
On the Road to Rio - Bioversity's Campaign Blog
Check out the today's post on our Rio+20 campaign blog. Bioversity technical editor, Vincent Johnson, looks at three commodity crops that are of special importance for smallholder farmers - banana, cocoa and coconut. (Photo: Bioversity/A. Vezina)
A fork in the road to Rio: Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan
The mountainous area around Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan is one of the centres of origin for traditional fruit tree varieties such as apple, peach and pomegranate. Meet the farmers who, with support from Bioversity, are helping to put these trees back at the heart of local communities.
A fork in the road to Rio: Stopping in Nepal to meet Surya Adhikari
The first in our new series: 'A fork in the road - meeting farmers on the road to Rio' takes us to Nepal to meet Surya Adhikari. This series is part of our On the road to Rio campaign. His farm is a model for visitors from all over the world who come to learn how mixing together agricultural biodiversity, the laws of nature and scientific knowledge can benefit their own farming practices.
Heading toward a food secure future: On the road to Rio
Emile Frison, Director General of Bioversity International launches our campaign blog: "I hope you will join us on the Road to Rio+20. Bioversity International is covering ground in the quest for sustainability – what it truly means and takes to deliver a food secure future for the people in the world who need it most".
The impact of organic bananas in Alto Beni, Bolivia
Poor farmers in the Alto Beni region of Bolivia continue to enjoy improved livelihoods thanks to a project on organic bananas implemented by Bioversity International. An impact assessment, using an asset-based livelihoods approach, found that 85% of farm families in the region said their incomes had increased since the end of the project.
The impact of organic bananas in Alto Beni, Bolivia
Poor farmers in the Alto Beni region of Bolivia continue to enjoy improved livelihoods thanks to a project on organic bananas implemented by Bioversity International.
A fork in the road to Rio: Nepal
Meet Surya Adhikari – a progressive smallholder Nepalese farmer, agricultural scientist and ambassador for agricultural biodiversity. This is the first in a series of stories meeting farmers along the road to Rio.
Bioversity International - On the Road to Rio+20
Join our campaign trail for Rio+20 stopping to meet farmers on the way in our new series: 'A fork in the road' and check out our Rio blog.
Bioversity scientist co-edits new book series integrating ecology and development
Bioversity International scientist Fabrice DeClerck has co-edited a new two-volume book series on the significant role of ecology and its connections to global issues.
Bioversity signs agreement to extend banana work in Philippines
Fusarium wilt Tropical Race 4, a destructive fungal disease, continues to spread through plantations of bananas in Asia, threatening traditional varieties that small-scale banana growers depend on for their livelihoods. Two new projects, supported by Bureau of Agricultural Research, will not only seek solutions to mitigate the epidemic, but also concentrate on capacity-building with farmers, extension agents and local researchers for its effective management. Photo: Bioversity/Blomme
Taking a landscape view of people, food and nature
Following the International Forum for People, Food and Nature in Nairobi last week, Fabrice de Clerck, Bioversity International Programme Leader, talks about why he thinks integrated landscape approaches can help deliver on food security, sustainable agriculture and conservation.
Landscapes for People, Food and Nature
The new Landscapes for People, Food and Nature blog highlights integrated landscape management systems that can protect livelihoods, conserve biodiversity and improve food security. Emile Frison, Director General of Bioversity International, is today's guest blogger - talking about why he thinks its time to rethink agricultural approaches.
Fire is essential for sustainable forest regeneration
Slash and burn agriculture results in the best regeneration of a rich diversity of valuable tropical timber species. This conclusion, based on years of research in the community-managed forests of Quintana Roo in Mexico, ought to be taken into account in forest management plans, which currently lean towards banning the use of fire.
The potential of paying smallholders to conserve traditional crops
New Agriculturist highlights a Bioversity pilot scheme to pay farmers for conserving traditional crop varieties, such as quinoa (pictured), which could help stem the rapid loss of our crop diversity.
International Landscapes for People, Food and Nature – An international effort to scale up sustainable rural development
A new 3 year initiative will support scaled-up sustainable landscape management approaches in over 60 biodiversity hotspots around the world.
Un concurso competitivo para conservar variedades amenazadas de quinua en Bolivia y Perú
38 comunidades en Bolivia y Perú compiten por conservar variedades nativas identificadas en estado de riesgo
PACS factsheets, technical notes and policy briefs
A set of factsheets and policy briefs about Bioversity's work on PACS available in English and Spanish.
Using Neglected and Underutilized Species to empower women in Bolivia and India
Bioversity senior scientist Stefano Padulosi, talks about how a project in India and Bolivia, is encouraging women to reintroduce traditional crops to family diets
Pioneering study shows how traditional seed systems may cope with climate change
A pioneering new study throws new light on the ways smallholder farmers will be able to obtain seeds to cope with climate change.
Seeds for Needs project update - helping women farmers in Ethiopia adapt to climate change
A year into the Seeds for Needs project in Ethiopia, project leader Eshan Dulloo reports on progress.
Neglected and Underutilized Species research gets a big boost in Malaysia
An innovative research centre, specifically designed to evaluate underutilized crops, is launched in Kuala Lumpur.
Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES)
PES schemes provide incentives to farmers and landowners to provide ecosystem services that benefit wider society.
A competitive tender to conserve threatened quinoa varieties in Bolivia and Peru
38 communities in Bolivia and Peru compete to conserve endangered landraces.
On the road to Rio+20
Bioversity sets out on the road to Rio+20. Check out our campaign blog and our new series of farmer stories - A fork in the road.
Payments for Agrobiodiversity Conservation Services
The application of Payment for Ecosystem Services(PES) specifically for agricultural biodiversity conservation (PACS) is a new idea and Bioversity is at its forefront.
Peruvian bananas take centre stage at first international symposium
Representatives from 21 countries met last week in Peru for the first ‘Banana and Plantain in Latin America and the Caribbean' international symposium.
On-farm conservation, neglected and underutilised species, and the challenge of climate change - a new Bioversity project
Bioversity and partners in India, Nepal and Bolivia, launch a new on farm conservation project in response to an unprecedented loss of species, varieties and traditional knowledge.
Vegetable Innovation in Malawi
Local farmer groups and agro-dealers work together to improve vegetable production in southeast Africa.
A diverse approach to manage agricultural pests and diseases
International scientists are meeting in Rabat to discuss a ground-breaking global project that offers new insights into how even the poorest farmers can protect their crops against pests and disease epidemics.
Agricultural Biodiversity for Food and Nutrition security
A new paper from Bioversity reviews evidence that agricultural biodiversity is an essential component in the sustainable delivery of a more secure food supply.
Cocoa farmers full of beans for a brighter future
A new Bioversity report examines how a growing taste for quality chocolate can pay for smallholder rural families.
Award for banana research
Collaboration between Honduras and Tanzania to improve banana production has been recognized by the UN’s Global South-South Development Expo
Urgent research needed to sustain banana crops in Asia and the Pacific.
International meeting calls for urgent action to protect bananas against pests and disease outbreaks and climate change threats.
Chocolate diversity – more than a matter of taste?
The 2010 International cocoa awards show that high quality production on a small scale can really pay off.
Kasaragod Declaration maps out a more prosperous future for small-scale coconut growers
The recent Coconut Biodiversity Conference in Kerala called for action to safeguard the livelihoods of small-scale coconut farmers.
Unlocking the potential of minor millets
Newly published research papers reveal the potential of minor millets to improve people’s lives in southern India.
Farmers have a field day in Rajasthan
90 farmers, 12 scientists, 21 pearl millet landraces and a borrowed bus celebrate agrobiodiversity in India.
Cacao as charismatic species
Conservationists have their Siberian Tigers, Blue Whales and Coral Reefs. But where is the charismatic agricultural biodiversity?
Heavy metal snacks - A Bioversity project report
Small-scale producers in Peru are implementing better quality control in their food handling practices after finding an unexpected ingredient in their snack products.
Why pop just corn? A Bioversity project report
Work to develop markets for traditional grains and seeds in Africa focused on creating 'pop-cereal' snacks to tempt local taste buds.
Pop goes the cereal
Bioversity projects in Africa and South America are taking advantage of an increasing market for snack food by turning traditional grains into tasty treats.
Climate Change
It is predicted that by 2055 more than half of the 23 crops studied by Bioversity scientists will lose land suitable for their cultivation
Forest genetic diversity
Laura Snook, Programme Leader, Forest Genetic Resources Conservation and Use, talks about why tree genetic diversity is important.
Sustainable agriculture
Sustainable agriculture has to be cohesive at environmental, economic and socio-cultural levels. The work of Bioversity International supports all three aspects.

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