From the outset, the development of agriculture has been strongly associated with women’s endeavour. In fact, women’s contribution to agriculture goes back to the origins of farming and the domestication of animals when the first human settlements were established more than 6 000 years ago.

The five articles in these newsletter are a good reflection of what FAO does on a day to day basis in Lesotho. Our work spans from high policy and strategic level engagements to downstream initiatives with rural communities.

This brochure presents FAO’s work on mainstreaming biodiversity as a cross-cutting theme in the agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors. It provides examples of on-the-ground activities and highlights relevant international mechanisms.

This is the translated publication of the State of Food and Agriculture 2015, published originally by HQ.

Secure tenure rights and control over land for women and men farmers are key to boosting smallholder productivity, rural development and food security. However, in many parts of the world, men and women have inadequate access to secure property rights over land.