Indigenous Peoples

Rural women ring in change in West Africa
Gender and youth

Across West Africa, rural women are showing that small-scale agriculture isn’t just the foundation of sustainable global food systems – it’s an avenue for economic, social and political empowerment. Meet three women who are leading their communities towards a more prosperous and equal future. Breaking ground When Anta was growing up, it was customary for young women to leave their homes in Ngoudiane to find domestic work in Dakar, the Senegalese capital. Anta

Rediscovering Africa's native foods for a sustainable agricultural renaissance
Indigenous Peoples

Africa’s culinary landscape is a rich tapestry of biodiversity and tradition, holding beneath its vibrant surface a treasure trove of forgotten foods. These regionally adapted crops, once central to the continent’s diverse cultures, are critical to revisit as the world tackles pressing challenges like food security, climate change and environmental sustainability. African agriculture holds a vast, untapped potential that can transform the continent’s socio-economic landscape. Rich with diverse climates and

Call for Applications: Knowledge for Green Wall Action (K4GGWA) Innovation Facility
Communication and ICTs

Do you have an idea to scale up or scale out land restoration solutions? Share it with us! Are you working on innovative solutions that promote sustainable food systems and green wall actions? The Knowledge for Green Wall Action (K4GGWA) Innovation Facility is now accepting applications! Across the Sahel and the Great Green Wall region, powerful ideas like Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR), grazing management and land restoration have already changed lives. But

The CNOP-Burundi: A march towards restructuring and revitalizing member agricultural cooperatives
Indigenous Peoples

The National Coordination of Farmers’ Organizations of Burundi (CNOP-Burundi) has taken a significant step in restructuring and revitalizing its member agricultural cooperatives. With the support of IFAD, through the implementation of the FO4ACP project by PROPAC, CNOP-Burundi has successfully welcomed more than 103 active and dynamic agricultural cooperatives operating on the ground. This marks a first in the organization’s history. These cooperatives, some of which are exemplary agricultural cooperatives in

Video: Farmers, the green soldiers of the nation
Indigenous Peoples

Farmers are the green soldiers of the nation, feeding the planet and safeguarding our environment.  Farmers, often referred to as the green soldiers of the nation, are the unsung heroes whose daily toil sustains the world. These dedicated men and women, with their calloused hands and unwavering commitment, ensure that we have food on our tables while also playing a pivotal role in protecting and nurturing the environment. The Pan-African

Special feature: International Day of Potato 2024 – Harvesting diversity, feeding hope
Communication and ICTs

The International Day of the Potato 2024, May 30, is celebrated under the theme “Harvesting diversity, feeding hope,” bringing together innovation, resilience, and hope across Africa. YenKasa Africa celebrates this day by showcasing various potato stories, highlighting the continent’s diverse efforts to improve agriculture and food security. Potatoes are a key crop across diverse farming systems globally. As the third most consumed food crop globally, they contribute to the food

Special Feature: International Day of Forests 2024 - Forests and Innovation: New Solutions for a Better World.
Indigenous Peoples

Forests cover over 30% of the Earth’s land surface and act as our planet’s lungs. They absorb harmful greenhouse gases, regulate climate, and provide vital resources for millions of people. On March 21st, we celebrate the International Day of Forests, as designated by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012. This year’s theme, “Forests and Innovation: New Solutions for a Better World,” underscores the urgent need for creative solutions to

The Coastal Fisheries Initiative: Teaching communities to fish sustainably
Indigenous Peoples

There are no longer plenty of fish in the sea. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), more than 35 percent of the world’s assessed fish stocks are fished at unsustainable levels, versus just 10 percent in 1974. Warming oceans, acidification, and pollution are also taking an increasing toll. And with the livelihoods of some 600 million people worldwide dependent on fishing to some degree, and growing demand for marine protein to feed

Rural people in Sudan call time on water wars
Indigenous Peoples

As the climate crisis takes hold, it’s said that the wars of the future will be over one of the most fundamental of human rights: water. In many parts of Sudan, these wars have already begun. Sudan lies in the semi-arid Sahel. Nomadic herders and their livestock have long crisscrossed these vast borderlands of the Sahara Desert. With an estimated 140 million animals, Sudan has one of the largest livestock sectors in

A new lease on life for Internally Displaced Persons in Mozambique
Indigenous Peoples

After being forced to flee his home in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province, Ali Ndalila was able to restart his livelihood with the help of FAO and its partners. When Ali Ndalila had to flee his home in Mozambique’s northernmost province of Cabo Delgado, he was heartbroken for many reasons. Not the least of them was abandoning the particularly bountiful harvest that followed a lucky wet season. The region is blessed