A team of German and Spanish scientists has genetically modified a maize plant in a way that markedly increases the level of three vitamins in the maize kernels. The level of betacarotene, the precursor to vitamin A, was raised by a factor of 169, the level of vitamin C increased six-fold and the level of folic acid, a vitamin of the B group, doubled.

Kenya is still largely agrarian with 80 percent of its population depending on agriculture for food, employment and income. The dilemma facing the country is that only 20 percent of the land is suited for agricultural production. A greater proportion of the country, however, consists of agroecologically less favoured areas (LFAs). Another dilemma in Kenya?s agricultural sector is that economic development impacts are not homogeneously spread even among the agriculturally favoured areas.

Agricultural value chains link urban consumption with rural production. Changing demand, as a consequence of urbanization, emergence of «modern» consumption patterns or new trends in international trade, impacts on rural areas along value chains and spills over to marketing and production systems.These rural urban linkages bear challenges but also mutual benefits for producers and consumers and can be promising entry points for development interventions.This is illustrated with the case of the Kenyan potato value chain.

This short video examines an initiative by Earth Systems to develop a tea sector dialogue platform that brings together key stakeholders in the value chain to jointly examine challenges and opportunities for the development of a more equitable and sustainable tea sector in Laos. The video highlights the outcomes and lessons from a tea stakeholder workshop held in Phongsaly province, northern Laos, in July 2016.

The eucalypt sector in Lao PDR consists of several large eucalypt developers and a growing smallholder base. This Discussion Paper, developed through a multi-stakeholder process coordinated by Earth Systems, assesses the status of and explores key challenges and opportunities for the sustainable development of the eucalypt sector in Lao PDR. 

The Lao tea sector is small in the global context but has significant potential to grow and further contribute to the local economies of tea production areas in the north and south of Lao PDR. This Industry Position Paper, developed by Earth Systems in consultation with leading tea industry stakeholders, outlines key challenges and opportunities for the sustainable development of the sector. 

The Lao tea sector is small in the global context but has significant potential to grow and further contribute to the local economies of tea production areas in the north and south of Lao PDR. This Industry Position Paper, developed by Earth Systems in consultation with leading tea industry stakeholders, outlines key challenges and opportunities for the sustainable development of the sector. 

This country level analysis addresses land governance in Viet Nam in two ways. First, it summarises what the existing body of knowledge tells us about power and configurations that shape access to and exclusion from land, particularly among smallholders, the rural poor, ethnic minorities and women. Second, it draws upon existing literature and expert assessment to provide a preliminary analysis of the openings for and obstacles to land governance reform afforded by the political economic structures and dynamics in the country.

This conference paper examines how the ideology and programmatic set of policies coined in the term ‘neoliberal modernization’ applies to agriculture and practices in the Mekong region.

This country level analysis addresses land governance in Laos in two ways. First, it summarises what the existing body of knowledge tells us about power and configurations that shape access to and exclusion from land, particularly among smallholders, the rural poor, ethnic minorities and women. Second, it draws upon existing literature and expert assessment to provide a preliminary analysis of the openings for and obstacles to land governance reform afforded by the political economic structures and dynamics in the country.

Le PDDAA est un plan ambitieux de la Communauté des États africains, qui vise à revitaliser la politique agricole du continent et à faire de l'agriculture un instrument essentiel de croissance économique et de réduction de la pauvreté et de la faim. Les résultats obtenus par le PDDAA en termes d'amélioration de la visibilité de l'agriculture africaine au niveau international sont incontestables.

Le Sud-Kivu est l’une de 11 provinces de la République démocratique du Congo qui a connu une série de guerres à répétition. Le cheptel animal (bovin, ovin, caprin, etc.) a été pillé et, dans certaines circonstances, des récoltes ont été ravagées et/ou emportées au détriment des petits producteurs. La pauvreté et l’insécurité alimentaire n’ont fait que gagner vertigineusement du terrain.