The 2023 year-end workshop with the national partners from the CGIAR Initiative SIMFS was held on 2 December in Hotel Sarina, Dhaka, Bangladesh. The meeting was presided over by Dr. Humnath Bhandari, IRRI Representative for Bangladesh. Scientists from different NARSE organizations (BARI, BRRI, BLRI) were present in this workshop.

Infrastructure projects in fragile and conflict affected settings are susceptible to numerous operational challenges, which might inadvertently escalate existing socio-economic and political tensions. Infrastructure, being intricately connected to the daily lives and societal needs of communities, often becomes a flashpoint in conflicts. Essential systems like water, energy, and transportation are not just physical assets; they represent broader social, economic, and political structures that can be either symbols of progress or points of contention.

This scoping report combines findings from a scoping visit to the case study location with a review of the literature that describes salient features of the political economy in Sudan. The purpose of this report is to document findings as a contribution to and as preparation for fieldwork on farmer-herder conflicts. The report is produced by the CGIAR Research Initiative on Fragility, Conflict and Migration and the project Supporting Pastoralism and Agriculture in Recurrent and Protracted Crises (SPARC).

Policies are critical to improving agrifood systems innovations and overall economic performance. While favorable policy decisions shape the incentives and actions of stakeholders, suboptimal policies could create bottlenecks and hinder development progress (Haggblade and Babu 2017; Resnick et al. 2018). Therefore, having an impact on policy decisions requires a good understanding of a given country’s underlying policy processes. Policies are, however, implemented by a range of stakeholders and bringing them together for action is often a challenge.

The objective of this study is to review promised climate change financing allocated and available for the livestock sector and compare financing for adaptation to that for mitigation for Mali and Senegal. This includes a desk review of proposed or existing projects and examines the allocation of resources for climate adaptation and mitigation in livestock production systems or to support livestock-related livelihoods.

Weather triggered hazards such as drought and flooding have negative impacts on society and agriculture. Drought can lead to reduced access to drinking water, lower agricultural productivity, and conflicts over water resources. Flooding causes loss of agricultural production, damages infrastructure, and leads to socio-economic losses. The report aims to develop a guiding framework to create a Combined Drought and Flood Index (CDFI) for monitoring crop-specific agricultural drought and flood conditions.

Silvopastoral systems in dry areas play a crucial role in enhancing land productivity and resilience, offering environmental benefits, and positively influencing the livelihoods of communities. Sabihia Site, managed by the Forestry Department, serves as a pilot site, shedding light on the challenges and successes of implementing silvopastoral systems. As a demonstrative model for sustainable practices, this site showcases favorable outcomes, including soil and water conservation, reduced livestock feeding costs, and enhanced biodiversity.

The study assessed gender and social inclusiveness of the CSA technologies disseminated using indicators such as labor requirement, cost, youth involvement, and women friendliness. The women's friendliness was assessed with indicators such as the drudgery associated with the technologies, their accessibility and affordability, the sociocultural appropriateness of the technologies, the implementation requirements, and the technology's potential to displace women and youth of their roles. The study used both focus group discussions (qualitative) and survey (quantitative) approaches.

The CGIAR Initiative on West and Central African Food Systems Transformation (TAFS-WCA) addresses challenges in the food systems of West and Central Africa, characterized by weak institutional arrangements, low productivity, and resource depletion. TAFS-WCA focuses on landscape management in selected countries, aiming for community engagement and the implementation of innovative solutions. The Doma-Rutu socio-ecological landscape in Nasarawa State, Nigeria, was chosen for intervention, with a comprehensive analysis revealing abundant water resources and agriculturally viable areas.

In October 2023, IWMI organized a workshop with the National Agency of Civil Aviation and Meteorology (ANACIM) and the support of Alliance Bioversity-CIAT on behalf of the CGIAR Initiative on Climate Resilience, ClimBeR, to launch the AWARE Platform in Senegal. This platform aims to provide early warning, early action, and finance and introduce a dialogue on sensitizing anticipatory action to mitigate climate risks. The workshop brought together 53 key stakeholders, including government officials, local and international NGO representatives, academic staff, and private sector experts.

Acid soils are a major constraint to agricultural productivity in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, including Ethiopia. Restoring soil pH to optimal ranges for agriculture can have a significant impact on yields, particularly for acid intolerant crops like wheat and barley. The application of agricultural lime is the standard corrective, although the large application requirements, lack of farmer awareness, and weak or non-existent lime supply chains make this a complex problem to address at scale. To date, no large-scale farmer trials of lime application have been undertaken in Ethiopia.

This document synthesizes different maps of actors involved in the development of agroecology in Burkina Faso. The gathering and synthesis of existing data on agroecology stakeholders has become a real challenge for the accumulation of knowledge. Research and development projects on agroecology have flourished in recent years, and several stakeholder maps have been produced, often as a prerequisite for the establishment of consultation frameworks between stakeholders.