The New Agriculturist

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Focus on

Biodiversity: From the Pacific to Paraguay, Madagascar to Mali, we focus on various aspects of agricultural biodiversity, including traditional and modern methods of conserving, and using and protecting vital genetic and ecosystem resources.

Points of view

Reaching the last mile: Reaching farmers with appropriate and timely advice and enabling them to access the inputs they require is an ongoing challenge for private and public sector providers. At a workshop held in New Delhi, representatives from Africa and Asia gathered to share and discuss their views on reaching the last mile.

My perspective... a personal viewpoint

Camilla Toulmin: Camilla Toulmin, director of IIED, shares her views on the importance of food production and calls for sustained funding and support for agriculture in poorer countries.

Country profile

Yemen: A country facing severe water scarcity, periodic droughts, desertification, dependence on oil and increasing security concerns, urgent efforts are needed to diversify the economy, improve the management of natural resources and increase agricultural production.

News brief

'Women can't wait' campaign launched: To mark International Women's Day, Concern Worldwide has launched its 'Women Can't Wait' campaign in support of poor women and their fight against hunger.
Severe Mongolia winter causes livestock disaster: Freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall have killed 2.7 million camels, goats, yaks and horses, and threaten the livelihoods of 21,000 herding families in Mongolia, FAO has reported.

Editorial

As Chile and Haiti assess the damage caused by recent earthquakes, including to the agriculture sector, we focus on the overall health and wealth of the planet in terms of its agro-biodiversity. An overarching theme in this issue is also on optimising rather than maximising productivity, and how to reach farmers in order to achieve this.
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In pictures

Fodder shrubs deliver dairy success: By increasing milk production, fodder shrubs have increased the incomes of farmers in Kenya and enabled them to diversify their livelihoods. In addition to better earnings, fodder shrubs have helped to increase the confidence and status of women.

Developments

Haiti's earthquake: agriculture the key to recovery: With rising food prices, displacement of people, and disruption of trade and agricultural activities as a result of the earthquake, Haiti is facing a major food crisis. In partnership with the government and other UN agencies, FAO is working to rebuild the agriculture sector and increase food production.
Hariyali Kisaan Bazaar: reaching out to farmers in rural India: By understanding and supplying farming families with all their agricultural and household needs, the Hariyali Kisaan Bazaar centres aim to engender trust and provide their customers with quality products and long-term advice.

Book reviews

Nature's matrix: Providing analysis of how agriculture, conservation and biodiversity should be managed for the nutritional and social benefit of the majority, and the environmental security of the planet, Nature's Matrix supports smallscale agriculture as a positive force for biodiversity conservation.
The state of food and agriculture 2009: Livestock in the balance: Tackling the links between livestock, food security and poverty reduction, climate change, and diseases, FAO's annual flagship publication argues that the livestock sector must continue to meet rising world demand, but in an environmentally sustainable way that manages the incidence of diseases and reduces poverty.

New Agriculturist