This paper synthesizes knowledge within CGIAR and its partners on agricultural practices and technologies to enhance food security, resilience and productivity in a sustainable manner. A number of agricultural practices and technologies which contribute to these objectives were identified and assessed to generate four key lessons.

In this info note we provide a brief overview of key

agricultural practices and technologies which enhance

productivity in a sustainable manner, thus contributing to

food security and environmental goals while increasing

the resilience of farming systems.

A twinned info note considers

higher-level measures of

adaptation in agriculture, such

as policies and institutions. Updated: November 2016.

Both info notes are drawn from

longer working papers, all

freely available to download at

Background: ‘Climate-smart agriculture’ (CSA)—agriculture and food systems that

sustainably increase food production, improve resilience (or adaptive capacity) of farming

systems, and mitigate climate change when possible—has quickly been integrated into the

global development agenda. However, the empirical evidence base for CSA has not been

assembled, complicating the transition from CSA concept to concrete actions, and

contributing to ideological disagreement among development practitioners. Thus, there is an

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have a history of engagement in pastoral development which is likely to continue. In the face of growing challenges posed by climate change, as well as new economic and political realities, pastoralism offers a production system that prospers in landscapes where other livelihood systems are either at their limit or require large investments. The sector is highly relevant to the fundamental goals and strategic frameworks of both agencies.

Kenya is currently implementing a number of large scale infrastructure and development projects aimed at trans forming the country into a newly industrializing, middle-income country. For this, the government has had to compulsorily acquire large tracts of land upon which the infrastructure is set.

In most cases, the establishment of protected areas (PAs) goes hand-in-hand with an increase in conservation costs to communities living adjacent to these PAs. This paper draws insights from gender theories in particular feminist political ecology approach to unravel the impact of PAs on men and women around the Kilimanjaro National Park (NP) and the Enduimet Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Tanzania. Specifically, it investigates how the creation and expansion of two PAs in Tanzania have impacted men and women in different ways.

Namati’s Community Land Protection Facilitators Guide is a step-by-step, practical “how to” manual for grassroots advocates working to help communities protect their customary claims and rights to land and natural resources.

Download the complete Guide PDF from this page. Or access the Guide as an online Toolkit to download individual chapters.

Research on micro-catchment rainwater harvesting techniques by ICARDA and Jordanian
scientists has led to the establishment of semicircular bunds on contour ridges and furrows
(using GPS laser-guided Vallerani machine) and runoff strips in two communities of Jordan
Badia. As an outcome of this research, an effective micro-catchment laser-guided system was
identified for rainfall harvesting, which has led to improved water availability, increased
vegetative cover and improved soil health, and provided rural communities substantial sources

The study was conducted with the objectives of analyzing and evaluating of lentil varieties for haulm nutritional values, determining the relationship between fodder traits and agronomic traits, and developing Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy (NIRS) equation for predicting nutritional value of lentil haulm. The samples were collected from Debre zeit, Akaki, Chefe Donsa and Minjar field experimental sites of Debre zeit Agricultural Research Center and the laboratory work was conducted at Animal Nutrition laboratory of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Addis Ababa.

Indigenous knowledge is local knowledge that exists and buildup through experiences of the local community in the day-to-day practice and it is economically inexpensive. Farmers use their indigenous knowledge from time immemorial till today, thus it gives a good solution for their problems. However, this knowledge is not well studied, analyzed and documented to be used as a basis for farming system development.