Many observers consider them as backward, romantic opponents of progress - those peasant farmers, who still refuse to shift to "modern" agriculture. They don't invest in costly machinery, newly developed high yielding seeds and chemical fertilizer for the purpose of increasing yields and accessing the global market. These farmers refuse to get into debts and instead remember their traditional knowledge, which has been handed down from generation to generation. Innovative and versatile, they secure sustainable harvests, develop their own markets, and contribute to the conservation of the environment. Why do they do it? This is depicted in three stories from Tanzania, Indonesia, and Brazil.

Who feeds the world? 48 pages, ed. by EED: download (pdf-Datei 2,9 MB)

An increasing number of farmers in Cambodia are turning to the so-called "System of Rice Intensification" (SRI method for cultivating rice. The SRI method enables farmers to increase their yields while using less seed, less water and fewer external inputs, helping them to attain secure livelihoods. Farmers from Cambodia's Takeo Province who increased both production and profit with the help of this new cultivation method talk about their experiences.  

Rich Harvest. The System of Rice Intensification, 16 pages, ed. by CEDAC Cambodia) and EED (Germany): Download (pdf-Datei 2,26 MB)

Appropriate seeds are one of the most crucial preconditions for food security, besides fertile soils and sufficient water. This is especially true for rainfed agriculture in the Deccan highlands of central India. Soils are often meagre, eroded and full of stones. The rainy seasons are short, often destructive and hardly reliable. Nothing can be done against the moods of the weather gods. But the women farmers know how to cut the risks - for example with Satyam Pantalu, die "Crops of truth".

Fruits of Diversity. Global Justice and Traditional Knowledge, 20 pages, ed. by EED: Download (pdf-file 689 kb)