The potential for operations research with farmer supplied data coupled with machine learning to improve crop management is explored through a series of case studies from developing countries. The information provided by the farmers ranged from solely yield to a description of the management of the crop and some details of the growth environment. The climate or weather conditions of the georeferenced farms were estimated from publicly available data bases. Two principle analytical approaches were used.

Context

â–ª The Greater Horn of Africa (GHoA) is one of the world's most negatively impacted regions by climatic extremes and changes affecting millions, including farmers and livestock keepers.
â–ª Addressing the impacts of devastating extreme weather events, climate variabilities, and changes in GHoA require, among other things, strengthening Climate Information Services (CIS), including in terms of Anticipatory Action, Early Warning Systems (EWS), and preparedness and early action for climate-resilient development.

Thermophilic composting is a promising soil and waste management approach involving diverse micro and macro-organisms, including eukaryotes. Due to sub-optimal amounts of nutrients in manure, supplemental feedstock materials such as Lantana camara, and Tithonia diversifolia twigs are used in composting. These materials have, however, been reported to have antimicrobial activity in in-vitro experiments. Furthermore, the phytochemical analysis has shown differences in their complexities, thus possibly requiring various periods to break down.

The Feed Assessment Tool (FEAST) is a research for action tool that asses the availability and utilisation of local feed resources with the aim of creating context specific feed interventions. It is a tool that is more inclined towards pushing for participatory methods in agricultural research for development, while incorporating the increased use of technology in the developing world.

This paper combines panel data from nationally representative household-level surveys in Nigeria with long-term satellite-based spatial data on temperature and precipitation using geo-referenced information related to households. It aims to quantify the impacts of climate change on agricultural productivity, income shares, crop mix, and input use decisions. We measure climate change in harmful degree days, growing degree days, and changes in precipitation using long-term (30 year) changes in temperature and precipitation anomalies during the crop calendars.

Forage-based cattle systems play a key role in rural economies of developing countries in terms of food security and poverty alleviation, particularly in tropical Latin America. However, they are often related to being a major cause of negative environmental impacts by contributing to increased greenhouse gas emissions, land degradation, and the reduction of biodiversity. Significant resources have been allocated to research and development in forage material improvement, including selection and breeding.

Context: Increasing rice yield is crucial for meeting the demand of the fast-growing population in sub-Saharan Africa. Mid-season drainage can reduce iron toxicity, which is one of the major constraints to rice production in this region, and increase rice yield and water productivity. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of mid-season drainage on iron toxicity, rice yield, and water productivity and identify the factors that favor rice yield in the fields with mid-season drainage relative to continuous flooding.

Participatory Geographic Information Systems (PGIS) is an empowering tool for the enhancement of local communities’ participation in the planning and management of natural resources. The inadequate involvement of local stakeholders in rangeland planning and management has been of great concern. Discussions on the role of PGIS and collaborative management approaches in promoting local involvement in rangeland management has not been clearly understood due to the scarcity of literature.

This presentation is a collection of slides used by speakers at the Fragility, Conflict and Migration (FCM) & National Policies and Strategies (NPS) Joint Initiative Seminar May 12, 2023 Abuja Nigeria.