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1 February 12

Rio+20: disappointing and very weak zero draft

The so called zero draft of the outcome document for Rio+20, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, came out in the beginning of January. The document is very disappointing and weak. It is filled with good words and intentions about sustainable development and poverty eradication, but almost empty of concrete actions, policies for real changes and commitments.
30 January 12

UN declares the International Year of Family Farming

The 22nd December 2011, the UN General Assembly has declared 2014 the International Year of Family Farming (IYFF). For the first time in history, an International Year has been promoted by Civil Society.
9 December 11

Rio+20: Battles around models of agriculture

More and Better has worked together with many other organizations and institutions to influence governments and the UN to put sustainable agriculture at the center of the Rio+20 Conference (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, June 10-22, 2012). About 140 organizations have now signed on the document Rio+20 Time to act! which was also sent to the conference secretariat as a formal proposal. The document can still be signed on the webpage; signatories organizations will be invited to the email-list for the work on Rio+20 and agriculture. Read more...
9 December 11

Report of the Yaoundé workshop

The report of the workshop held in May, in Cameroon, organized by PROPAC with ROPPA, EAFF, PAFF and supported by More and Better, Terra Nuova, Practical Action, Concord and FAO, is finally online! Also available in French.
5 December 11

Viable Food Future / Updated version

Dowload the updated and revised version of Viable Food Future, Part I, (November 2011) available here.

Important note for this version: Unfortunately the source on the map on page 27 in the printed updated English version is wrong. We are extremely sorry for that. The correct source is: FAO 2011. The State of the World's Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture (SOLAW) http://www.fao.org/docrep/meeting/022/mb213e.pdf
9 November 11

Take part in documenting small scale ecological agriculture and how to transform non-sustainable agriculture

Small scale food production contributes significantly to feeding the world, drastically reduces poverty, cools the planet and revives local ecologies and economies. But this is not well recognized by policy and decision makers. It is, therefore, necessary to document this better and show that providing the enabling environment to develop more viable small and medium scale food production systems would be the most cost-effective way to for the important challenges we face today ...
12 October 11

Rio+20 / Report by Fundaexpresion

Briefing report concerning the Regional Preparatory meeting for Latin America and the Caribbean /Rio+20, held in Santiago from 7 to 9 September 2011.

Prepared by Fundaexpresion (Colombia) as part of the More and Better Coordinating Committee and as a feedback / input to the CSO policy document on food and agriculture: "Rio+20: Time to Act".

Click here for downloading.
1 September 11

Rio + 20: Time to Act!

Since last year, More and Better has worked with an informal group of CSOs organizations, to influence the preparatory process of Rio+20.
The result is being summed up in a document made available in English, French, Spanish and German. A number of CSOs organizations concerned with Rio+20 key issues has already signed on to the document. If your organization wants to support this document or provide comments/suggestions, please write to rio2012agcso@gmail.com and visit http://www.timetoactrio20.org/ for more information and regular updates.
Read more ...
16 May 11

What characterizes international discourse and action on investment in agriculture today?

We are pleased to publish the presentation made by Nora McKeon at the workshop held in Yaoundé, Cameroun, at the beginning of May, with a focus on 'Investment in Agriculture in Africa.' The event was organized by PROPAC in cooperation with EAFF, ROPPA and PAFO and the economic support of Terra Nuova, Practical Action, Concord, More and Better and FAO.
While waiting for the final report of the workshop (to be finalized in the coming week) the input provided by Nora McKeon can definitely give you a brief picture of the main issues debated in the Yaoundè workshop concerning the international context of agricultural investments.
Read the presentation
28 March 11

Rio+20 will be important!

By Aksel Naerstad

Twenty years after the Rio Earth Summit, the UN Conference on Environment and Development (1992), and forty years after the first huge UN Conference on Human Environment, held in Stockholm (1972), a new UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) will take place in Rio, June 4-6, 2012, preceded by the third and last Preparatory Committee (Prep Com). The preparation process started a year ago. Everyone who really care about environment and development should be aware of the Rio+20 Conference in 2012. It might be a good possibility for some important and positive decisions, but could also do more harm than good. Our engagement, over the next 14 months, will be crucial on the outcome.
16 February 11

More and Better at the Annual General Assembly of the Global Donor Platform for Rural Development

Elisabeth Atangana, president of Pan-African Farmers Forum (PAFFO), president of the Plateforme Régionale des Organisations Paysannes d'Afrique Centrale (PROPAC), and co-coordinator of More and Better, attended the Annual General Assembly of the Global Donor Platform for Rural Development that was held in Tunis, the 13th and 14th of January. The objectives of the Assembly were to identify options for improved networking among Platform members, to exchange on processes, activities and messages leading up to the 4th High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Busan; to help agree some key themes for the 2011 work programme.
5 February 11

More and Better at WSF2011

Conference
8 Feb 2011 h. 4.00 – 7.00 PM
A Viable Food Future

9 Feb 2011 h. 4.00 – 7.00 PM
Gathering meeting to share experiences and viewpoints and discuss future plans and actions of the More and Bette network
Cheikh Anta Diop University Campus - WSF 2011
2 February 11

Rio+20: opportunities and challenges

by Aksel Nærstad

The Earth Summit on sustainable development held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 was a very important event. The conference adopted the Climate Convention, the Convention on Biodiversity, and the Agenda 21. In 2012, in Rio, there will be another United Nation Conference on environment and development: the Rio+20 conference. More and Better is taking active part in the preparations and works together with other organizations and networks in order to get ecological small scale agriculture to be a key issue at the conference.
3 November 10

More and Better has an important role to play

By Aksel Naerstad, Co-coordinator of More and Better

Many international conferences, institutions and countries have decided to give more support to agriculture and rural development. However, a lot of this support will never be realized. It’s ghost money.
Much of the support which is given, instead, goes to programs which in reality will increase poverty, hunger and environmental destruction in the long run. Sometimes less support is better! There is, therefore, still an important role to play for More and Better.
29 September 10

A Viable Food Future

The aim of this report is to provide scientifically based facts, arguments and ideas for what is needed to meet some of the most important challenges in the world today. The future of humanity depends on how food is - and will be - produced and provided.
Click here to read more and download the report
16 August 10

What kind of food provision should More and Better promote? Join the debate in the MaB general meeting.

More and Better has the pleasure to invite members and friends to take part in their general global meeting to be held Thursday 7th and Friday 8th October at FAO headquarters, in Rome. The meeting is scheduled prior to the 36 session of the FAO committee on World Food Security and CSOs initiatives linked to it.
18 May 10

The final declaration of FAO CSOs/NGOs Consultation in Yerevan, Armenia

On 10th and 11th May 2010, 44 CSOs and NGOs, representing national organizations from 10 countries and 9 international organizations of the Region Europe and Central Asia (including More and Better), gathered in Yerevan before the Regional FAO Conference. They discussed issues on the agenda of the 27th FAO Regional Conference for Europe and the relationships between FAO and Civil Society. The Consultation came to a consensus on a number of key issues of common concerns; the final declaration and other useful documents are available at: http://www.csa-be.org/spip.php?article678
20 April 10

Focusing on the quality of aid to agriculture. More and Better presents its new publication.

There is an urgent need for more support to agriculture and rural development, but not all support can be a good one. Sometimes less aid is better than more. Both governments in developing countries and donor countries are now giving some more support to agriculture and rural development – even if it is still very little. Will this support sustainable agriculture or an agriculture model which contributes to climate change, loss of biodiversity and soil degradation?
21 February 10

Common actions for commitments to eradicate hunger and malnutrition

Many organizations will cooperate and advocate together to strengthen the fight against hunger. One key element will be to try to get governments to make plans for how they will fulfill their commitments to half the number of hungry people by 2015 and to eradicate hunger and malnutrition as soon as possible. We hope that many organizations will take part in this work.

Download the invitation letter to take part in this work here (Word document)

Read the background document here (Word document)
8 December 09

Policies and actions to eradicate hunger and malnutrition.

A billion people are hungry and the number increases. Women are especially hard hit. There is an urgent need for shift in policies and actions. The documents presented at www.eradicatehunger.org provide proposals for policies and actions to eradicate hunger and malnutrition. They are based on the experiences and political work of social movements, non governmental organisations (NGOs) and others from all over the world during past decades and currently. It is based largely on the food sovereignty framework that embraces the human right to adequate food. Organisations and individuals are invited to sign on to the open letter and summary of the working document. Please click on the Eradicate Hunger! website to read the documents and sign on them.
6 August 09

FAO initiates debate on declaration for World Summit on Food Security

FAO Director-General, Jacques Diouf, has invited governments around the world to participate in negotiations to agree on a declaration for adoption by the World Summit of Heads of State and Government on Food Security, to take place from 16 to 18 November 2009 in Rome. To initiate the negotiation process, Jacques Diouf has sent a document to Ministers for Foreign Affairs, Development Cooperation and Agriculture of members of FAO and the United Nations.
22 June 09

Peoples’ Comprehensive Framework for Action to Eradicate Hunger: first draft available

The very first draft of the "People' Comprehensive Framework for Action To Eradicate Hunger" is now available in English, French and Spanish. We do encourage as many organizations as possible to contribute to the development of the document. Inputs and comments will be collected until the 1st of September.
Article updated - 9th July. Read more...
20 June 09

Declaration from governments to eradicate hunger and malnutrition

A group of individuals and organizations is now working on promoting an initiative for a declaration of commitment by governments to eradicate hunger and malnutrition by 2025.
6 May 09

Take part in creating a peoples’ framework to eradicate hunger!

The organizations of the More and Better campaign are now cooperating with the International Planning Committee for Food Sovereignty (IPC) for developing a peoples’ framework to eradicate hunger. This framework will be presented to governments, international institutions and media in October, in Rome at the meeting of FAO’s Committee for World Food Security. Aksel Naerstad, the international coordinator of More and Better encourages people and organizations who are working with hunger, the right to food, food security and sovereignty to send in their views, proposals, etc as soon as possible.
21 April 09

The Farmers’ Organizations of Africa address the G8 Agricuture

On 14 and 15 April 2009 five African regional networks of farmers’ organizations (EAFF, PROPAC, ROPPA, SACAU, UMAGRI) have meet in Rome in order to adopt a Common Declaration on the state of african agriculture addressed to the G8 Agriculture that took place in the province of Treviso from 18 to 20 April 2009.
2 February 09

Pathways to resilience: smallholder farmers and the future of agriculture

This discussion paper is the result of the efforts of Canadian Food Security Policy Group to examine how the work of our partners in the South might inform Canada's response to the Global Food Crisis. It argues that this response must acknowledge the central role of smallholder agriculture and its long-term sustainability and resilience. A series of six case studies have been written to accompany this discussion paper.
24 January 09

Case studies and country reports: deadline has been extended

In 2009 More and Better will publish a book in English, French and Spanish about aid to agriculture and rural development in developing countries. The organizations of MaB are crucial to make it happen. The book will include: short country reports; case studies about good or bad aid/support to agriculture and rural development, based on the common principles developed by MaB; facts and figures about the global and regional support for agriculture and rural development.
1 September 08

More Aid for African Agriculture: policy implications for small-scale farmers

Members of the UK for Food Group are calling on governments to increase Aid for small-scale African farmers in ways that will help them to feed their people, improve their livelihoods and sustain the environment.
7 June 08

Criticism of the peasent movements to the final document of the FAO Summit

The FAO Summit on World Food Security held in Rome from the 3th to the 5th of June 2008 has produced a final document that, accordingly to the social movements and peasents representatives gathered in Rome for the parallel Civil Society's Organization Forum is avoiding to face the structural issues of the worl-wide agricultural market.
5 December 07

Outcome of conferences at Nyéléni center in Selengue, Mali

More than 150 participants from 25 African countries and 10 countries from other continent representing farmers, pastoralists, environmental, women, youth and development organizations, gathered at the Nyéléni center in Selengue, Mali from November 26th to December 2nd.
5 November 06

General Meeting of More and Better

A shift in the development aid is needed. Development aid has to be based on the needs of the local communities and countries, not the policies and conditions set by donors and international institutions. This was the clear messange from most of the about 70 participants in the general meeting of More and Better taking place in Rome October 28th and November 1st 2006. The participants in the More and Better meeting took also part in FAO's Special Forum on World Food Security which took place in Rome October 30-31st with the participation of governments and representatives from cicil society
7 February 06

Tsunami support - More support with better participation

Since this mega-tragedy of Asia 26th December 2004, many members of More and Better Campaign are active and participate in soldierly in relief and rehabilitation work on the ground in affected areas.