Sustainable intensification of production systems in the humid tropics offers the potential to address simultaneously a number of pressing development objectives, particularly unlocking the agricultural potential, adapting production systems to climate change, sustainably managing land and water resources, and reducing rural poverty (Vanlauwe et al., 2014*). In densely populated areas of Sub-Saharan Africa, given anticipated further increases in population density and lack of access to land, agricultural intensification is a short-term requirement to alleviate rural poverty and food … [Read more...]
Constructing Typologies to Capture Farming Systems Diversity
For Humidtropics, scientists of the Plant Sciences Department of Wageningen University, The Netherlands, have been working on a guideline for constructing typologies for farming systems. The guideline aims to support researchers that need to capture the rich diversity of farming systems. Background Farming systems in the humid tropics exist across a wide variety of cultures and landscapes. The biophysical, institutional, social and economic drivers differ between contexts, resulting in different responses of farmers and communities between and within areas. In addition, farms are in … [Read more...]
2014 IFSA Symposium – Humidtropics is Forging Partnerships to Build Systems Capability
Built on the challenge 'to give voice to small farmers', the International Farming Systems Association (IFSA) focuses on farming systems research to help smallholder development in the tropics. In 1992, the IFSA Europe Group was formed and mandated with organizing a bi-annual European Symposium. These symposia are a platform for dialogue between scientists and practitioners from a wide range of theoretical background and methodological focus. At the 2014 Symposium in Berlin, IFSA Europe chose to re-examine farming systems research in the context of global issues and widen its influence to … [Read more...]