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Thursday, May 7, 2026
News and Views from the Global South
Farming Crisis: Filling An Empty Plate
Reviving Family Farming in Angola, Carrot by Carrot
"We never used to eat carrots, but now we like them," said Rebeca Soba, admiring her vegetable garden, an island of diversity in the midst of a vast sugarcane plantation. Vegetable gardening has been introduced at the Capanda Agroindustrial Pole (PAC) as a source of income for local small farmers.
Increasing Uganda’s Cotton and Coffee Production
Cotton was once one of Uganda's key cash crops but a collapse in world prices in the 1980s led to a slump in the market and production. However, cotton production doubled in the 2010/2011 season and brought in 48 million dollars in export earnings.
Salvaging Waste Food for the Hungry in Spain
A recurring question in crisis-stricken Spain is how to ensure that surplus agricultural products reach those most in need. One response is citizen initiatives to protest the waste of food and to advocate efficient management along the full length of the food chain.
Big Landowners Block Rural Development Law in Guatemala
An “integral rural development law” to promote access to land, employment and other rights for small farmers is bogged down in the Guatemalan Congress due to opposition from large landowners, who see it as an attempt at land reform.
Small Rural Businesses in Brazil Set Sights on Domestic Market
"Canjinjin has special powers," said Deize Coelho de Barros. The recipe for this local liquor, made from a mixture of herbs, was handed down from her African ancestors, and is seen as a sort of traditional "Viagra" in her homeland, the western Brazilian state of Mato Grosso.
Brazilian Communities Revitalise the São Francisco River
José Geraldo Matos fondly recalls the massive traíras (Hoplias sp), carnivorous freshwater fish found in the lagoons and rivers of Brazil, that he used to catch in the Dos Cochos River just a few metres from his house.
From Doha to Dakar, Food Insecurity is the Norm
Qatar may be one of the richest countries in the world, but it has something in common with its African counterparts – food insecurity.
Q&A: “Latin America Could Eradicate Hunger by 2025”
The hunger suffered by 49 million people in Latin America could be eradicated by 2025, according to Spanish agricultural engineer Ricardo Rapallo.
Soup Kitchens Overwhelmed in Crisis-Ridden Spain
A huge pot of rice steams on the stove at the soup kitchen run by Emaús in the municipality of Torremolinos, on the outskirts of this southern Spanish city. This morning, like every other, Pepi, Adriana and Diego are cooking for over a hundred people who can no longer afford to feed themselves.
Q&A: “Smallholder Agriculture Needs to Be Seen as a Business”
The countries of the developing South should remove the barriers still faced by small-scale farmers, because smallholders play a key role in economic growth, says Carlos Seré, the International Fund for Agricultural Development’s (IFAD) chief development strategist.
Foreign Farmers Undermine Food Security in Zambia
Increased agricultural development in Zambia will actually compromise the country’s food security as peasant farmers continue to be driven off their customary land to pave the way for large-scale local and foreign agribusiness, according to the University of Zambia’s dean of the school of agriculture, Dr. Mickey Mwala.
Q&A: Food Production Accounts for 29 Percent of Greenhouse Gases
Food production, including agriculture, represent 29 percent of the greenhouse gases that are causing global warming, say scientists with the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).
Zero Hunger Plan in Guatemala Still Grounded
"I heard about the Zero Hunger plan on television, but unfortunately it has not arrived here," complained Elías Ruíz, a small farmer in the southern community of Santa Odilia, about the Guatemalan government's flagship programme to end poverty.
OP-ED: Uruguay – Lessons from a Successful Rice Producer*
Uruguay is in the headlines of agricultural development news this week as it hosts the Second Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development (GCARD 2) from Oct. 29 to Nov. 1 in the resort city of Punta del Este.
Beating Rural Poverty in South America
The development of agriculture through the adoption of technological innovations will help Latin America leave behind its status as the most unequal region in the world, and will especially benefit the Southern Cone, one of the planet’s largest food reserves.
Regional Trade Key to African Food Security, World Bank Says
The World Bank is urging African countries to strengthen regional food trade, suggesting that food security could be greatly enhanced simply by allowing farmers to trade more easily across the continent.
Mexico Could Say Goodbye to Imported Maize
It has been many years since Mexico, the birthplace of maize, has been self-sufficient in this staple food that plays a central role in its cuisine and culture. But new studies indicate that it could produce enough maize to meet its needs within 10 to 15 years.Treaty Tolls Death Knell for Mexican Countryside
The Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations, which Mexico is to join in December, are threatening to eliminate the last defences of the country’s agricultural sector.
Market Gardening, a Ladder to Progress for Bolivians in Argentina
At the age of 53, Alberto Ramírez has come a long way since he came from Bolivia to Argentina every year during the harvest season since he was 12 years old, to work alongside his father. He now has a prosperous vegetable and fruit wholesale business in this city on the outskirts of Buenos Aires.Funds Crunch Skews Aichi Targets on Biodiversity
The United Nations 11th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Biodiversity (COP 11 CBD), underway in this southern Indian city, is lost on where to garner the billions of dollars needed to implement the ‘Aichi targets,’ due to be met by 2020.
Small Farmers in West Africa Need Support – Despite Good Rains
Despite an abundance of rain, promising good harvests for the current growing season, small-scale farmers and non-governmental organisations are calling for support to smallholders to be maintained with a view to eradicating food insecurity in Africa’s Sahel region.« Previous Page — Next Page »
Today, one in six people on the planet go hungry, according to United Nations statistics. The food crisis and now the global economic crisis, together, have increased the number of undernourished people in the world to more that one billion for the first time since the 1970’s. Much of southern Africa continues to face severe food shortages, largely the result of one of the worst droughts in a decade followed by erratic rains. While the Latin American and Caribbean region as a whole is a net food exporter, food price inflation is still having a detrimental impact on the income, nutrition, and health of poor consumers. Solutions must be carefully crafted in each region, country and community taking into account local priorities. The complex web of issues surrounding food security and rural development include farmers access to markets, the adoption of international trade rules, technology transfer, the sustainable use of limited resources, and the application of traditional knowledge, among others. Establishing a prosperous, sustainable economic future for the world means placing a spotlight on agriculture - and giving a voice to farmers. IPS News is covering the food crisis, its causes and its effects, from both a local and a global perspective.
This website is funded through the support of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
