FHI 360 encourages sustainable agricultural and land use practices that help small farmers increase incomes and improve food security while protecting the environment. FHI 360 programs and staff share information and educate producers regarding the cultivation of high-value crops, when appropriate, as well as techniques to mitigate the impacts of unsustainable land-use practices, such as slash and burn agriculture.
To respond to climate-induced water challenges, FHI 360 staff use a range of technologies to develop and disseminate information and deploy communication systems for gathering weather information, collecting data on market prices for commodities and sharing adaptation information. FHI 360 staff have worked to build the knowledge base of agricultural extension workers through hands-on training on natural resource management, improving the productive capacity of the land and building a strong economic base for communities.
Given the central role women play in the agricultural production process in the developing world, our programs are designed to engage women farmers in education, training and information dissemination processes. We have built coalitions with nongovernmental organizations in the regions where we work to communicate beyond our stakeholders to the broader public the importance of protecting forests and conserving biodiversity.
The efforts of these coalitions help mitigate the impact of land use change on agricultural production. FHI 360 programs have also supported access to information on emerging methodologies and techniques in sustainable agricultural, land use practices and markets for products.