KP small producer agency goes to Asia

After visiting Latin America and Africa, the KP on small producer agency is now going to identify Asian candidates for its global Learning Network (LN). A Round Table with potential LN candidates from India, Indonesia and other countries is organized by the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in Bangalore on February 4. Moreover, through the regional Hivos office, a separate consultation meeting with Hivos partners is organized in Hyderabad on February 1. One specific objective of this meet...

ILEIA focuses on Family Farming

One of the pillars in the global network on sustainable farming is ILEIA based in Netherlands. ILEIA is best known for its magazine that was recently renamed into Farming Matters, produced in 50.000 copies in six languages.

Report Another economics borne?

‘There is another economics waiting be borne. It would take efficiency off the pedestal and stress theimportance of alternative measures’, Stephen Marglin, Harvard University. This is one of the quotes from the Beyond Economics Meeting in New York report.

Another economics borne?

‘There is another economics waiting be borne. It would take efficiency off the pedestal and stress theimportance of alternative measures’, Stephen Marglin, Harvard University. This is one of the quotes from the Beyond Economics Meeting in New York report.

Collective responsibility for sustainable livelihoods

The second launch of ‘Beyond Economics’ took place in The Hague on 11 December 2009 and was inspired by the third issue of Development Vol 52. The Hague seminar hinged on the question of whether economics itself has to change or whether the existing economic principles just need to be more efficiently put into practice perhaps with better, more people-centred and environmentally friendly policy.

Collective responsibility for sustainable livelihoods

The second launch of ‘Beyond Economics’ took place in The Hague on 11 December 2009 and was inspired by the third issue of Development Vol 52. The Hague seminar hinged on the question of whether economics itself has to change or whether the existing economic principles just need to be more efficiently put into practice perhaps with better, more people-centred and environmentally friendly policy.

Another economics borne?

‘There is another economics waiting be borne. It would take efficiency off the pedestal and stress theimportance of alternative measures’, Stephen Marglin, Harvard University. This is one of the quotes from the Beyond Economics Meeting in New York report.

KP “Smallholders Agency” lands in Africa

The initiating team of “Smallholders Agency” (from Hivos, IIED and Mainumby) went to Uganda and Kenya from 20 to 28 November. The aim was to find out how the knowledge program can become embedded in East Africa and to find African members for the Learning Network.

Value Chain Financing, a concept of consequence

I lived for some time among the farmers in the uplands of the Philippines. Most of them grew hybrid maize, destined for the pig industry around Manila. A major feature of dally life was the constant indebtedness of the farmers with the local traders that supplied the farmers with credits for the seeds and fertilizer, in return for a high interest rate and obligatory delivery of the whole yield to the trader. Some farmers were trying to escape from the debt trap by returning to white maize, a...

New! Participatory Guarantee Systems newsletter

The market for organic foods is an important opportunity for farmers in developing countries. But how can consumers be assured that what they buy is indeed organic? Certification systems exist to give the answer. Most of these systems are ‘top-down’; they define the conditions that farmers have to comply with and ensure external inspectors do the checking. This increases the costs of the products.