In part thanks to its considerable contribution to deforestation, agriculture accounts for an estimated 30% of greenhouse gas emissions according to a recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Such statistics may make agriculture and forestry seem like unlikely partners. Yet agriculture and forestry can also be leveraged in a way that […]

Landscapes must provide food, water, carbon storage, biodiversity protection and rural development stimulation – and they must do it all in one go. If I were a landscape, I’d worry about my stress level. Perhaps it is time to call in a shrink? We are asking a lot of our landscapes at the Global Landscape […]

Joseph is a Kenyan farmer, and he is harvesting his crop in cyberspace. Joseph is taking the lead in growing a fraternity of people interested in agriculture through Facebook. Mkulima Young – “Young Farmer” in Swahili- the page he set up in January this year, has now gained 23,789 likes and continues to grow. Almost […]

“Many consider conservation as a matter of only the biological sciences. I say rubbish – it’s political.” Thus, an hour into the first round of technical sessions, panelist Edmund Barrow of the IUCN framed the entire context surrounding the 2013 Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) in Warsaw, Poland. Also in Warsaw, in a move described as […]

This tweet-digest nicely summarizes the spirit from the Global Landscapes Forum’s youth forum. [View the story “We say GLF you say –YOUTH!!” on Storify] Digest by Marta Millere (Bioversity International)

I came to the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) to learn. To learn from the technical experts, and from those who know how things look on the ground. I am confident that the landscapes forum is the right place to be. Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) has been mentioned a number of times at the GLF, and is […]

“Allow me to take you on a journey… imagine yourself as a young, vibrant, energetic person, with big plans and dreams for your future. Imagine being faced with the realization that these dreams of affording education, getting employed, and owing your own land will end up just being dreams because there are no employment opportunities […]

Young people are truly the best example for other young people to follow. Many people would refute this statement, but it holds true once the young leaders of today remain dedicated to their work, share their experiences and guide the way for others. At the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) ongoing at the University of Warsaw, […]

We’re doing that talking thing again. Lots of good intensions. Even some great examples. But how do we push all the clever research and lively anecdotes outside the room we’re in? How do we reach the young to convince them to go into farming? And how do we touch decision makers to convince them to […]

It is exciting to attend conferences like COP19 and meet interesting people, but it can leave you hungry for action.  The good news is that around the world, many people are working quietly to change unsustainable systems. They attend to ecosystems holistically and take an integrated approach in managing land and soil. The Land for […]

Landscapes are not only what lies before our eyes but what lies within our heads. What exactly is a landscape? It depends on who you ask. A geographer will most likely give you a very different answer to an anthropologist. A landscape architect will have yet another perspective. And that makes it difficult to establish […]

Lari, Kiambu County is in central Kenya, situated near the biologically rich southern Aberdare mountains, the rift valley and designated important bird areas (IBAs). Unfortunately these areas are threatened by charcoal production, the encroachment of agriculture and timber harvesting. Local youth, aware of these threats, have taken action by founding and managing a group which […]

Permaculture, with its remarkable ability to contribute to socioeconomic development at the household level, truly transforms lives. We at Kusamala Institute of Agriculture and Ecology have seen this firsthand, and continue to spread the benefits and practices of permaculture and agroecology in rural communities of Malawi. We strongly believe that communities should be given access […]