Written and coordinated through a ‘writeshop’ approach, this book stands up for traders – who are often treated with mistrust by smallholder farmers. It aims to improve the relationship between producers and traders, thus contributing to more sustainable value chains that provide access to markets for local producers in Africa. Full of short stories that are unique and rich in information, Trading up’s 15 richly illustrated case studies cover a wide range of countries and commodities.

The village baseline of Denbela Saden village in the CCAFS benchmark site of Yabello in Ethiopia took place from 10th to 12th August 2011. Focus group discussions were conducted separately for men and women.

study to characterize existing adaptive strategies and shifts in smallholder agro-pastoralists in relation to changes in land use and land subdivisions was carried out. A total of 48.9% of respondent indicated that there had been a shift in the adaptive strategies where unreliable rainfall, better access to land and water, acquisition of skills, shortage of pastures and proximity to wildlife habitats were the main factors influencing the shifts.

A study was conducted in dry and wet season to determine macro and micro mineral status of
growing sheep and goats in arid rangelands of northern Kenya. Forty four, 22 each of sheep and goats (1-2
year old), randomly purchased from three herds/flocks in study area, were sacrificed for whole liver and 12th
right and left ribs. Homogenized liver samples pooled from all the lobes and defatted bone ash from whole
left and right 12th ribs were used for determination of Ca, P, Mg, Cu, Fe, Zn and Mn status. Liver mineral

Owing to the fact that women have different knowledge, access to, and control over resources, and different opportunities to participate in decisions regarding resource use and management from men, the study focuses on gendered differences in livelihood strategies, identifying factors that preclude women from benefitting in livelihood projects and accessing livelihood resources. Qualitative data for the study was collected through gender disaggregated group discussions in two districts, Mvomero and Kongwa in Tanzania.

Significant progress has been made over the past decade or so in the development of policy and legislation that support the recognition of customary rights to land, with important legal rulings in Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique, South Sudan, and South Africa. At the same time, the strengthening of communities’ traditional rights to use resources has progressed through community forest reserves and community conservation areas.

The second phase of the Sustainable Management of Marginal Drylands (SUMAMAD-2) project began in 2009 following a preparatory meeting on the project held on 3–6 June 2008 in Amman and the Dana Biosphere Reserve, Jordan, and was hosted by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN). The extended SUMAMAD-2 to other world regions included South America (Bolivia) and Africa (Burkina Faso).

The Sustainable Rangeland Management Project (SRMP) aims at securing land and resource rights of pastoralists, agro-pastoralists and crop farmers, while improving land management by supporting village and district land use planning and rangeland management in Kiteto, Bahi, Chamwino and Kondoa Districts in Tanzania. More broadly, it aims at influencing policy formulation and implementation on these issues.