Managing climate risk in agriculture requires a proper understanding of climatic conditions, regional and global climatic drivers, as well as major agricultural activities at the particular location of interest. Critical analyses of variability and trends in the historical climatic conditions are crucial in designing and implementing action plans to improve resilience and reduce the risks of exposure to harsh climatic conditions.

This study takes stock of over 10-years of experience and increasing coverage of index-based livestock insurance (IBLI) programs to protect pastoralists from drought shocks in the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) region. The study reviews the status of national-level drought/climate risk financing solutions in the region and discusses the operational and technical feasibility of a regional IBLI program, summarizing critical lesson learned and providing a set of recommendations and options for regional implementation.

With the rapid increase in the dynamics caused by climate change, policies governing climate change have proliferated while the integration of gender considerations to address the gender-differentiated needs and impacts has remained a challenge. Stakeholder engagement is touted as a critical ingredient in climate change decisions and governance at different levels. However, detailed methods and outcomes of gender-responsive stakeholder engagement processes for climate change policy development are rarely published.

We explore how seed systems enhance access to seeds, and information for climate-change adaptation in farming communities in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, as well as how gender-driven roles and institutional dynamics influence the process. Men and women farmers equally experience climate-change related effects, including drought, short rainy seasons and increased pest and disease incidence. Our study relies on exploratory data analysis of 1001 households surveyed in four sites in 2016.

This strong correlation between agriculture and climate change has led to the emergence of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) that seeks to balance agricultural productivity within the bounds of our climate. The CSV approach is participatory research for development approach that serve as testing ground for best context-specific CSA technologies and practices. International organizations have identified scaling of agricultural innovations as a priority agenda. In 2015, CGIAR-CCAFS began expanding the CSV approach in Southeast Asia with the establishment of seven CSVs in the region.

Sustainable Public Food Procurement (PFP) represents a key game changer for food systems transformation. It can influence both food consumption and food production patterns. It can deliver multiple social, economic and environmental benefits towards sustainable food systems for healthy diets. This publication aims to contribute to the improved understanding, dissemination and use of PFP as a development tool in particular in the case of school meals programmes.

Water is an essential resource for all life, but is extremely difficult to manage productively, sustainably and equitably. Good water governance has been a major theme of multiple international conferences for at least two decades (Woodhouse and Muller 2017). Without good governance, we cannot achieve poverty reduction, food security, environmental sustainability, equity and other global development goals or respond effectively to the ravages of climate change. Achieving many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) depends on the availability of water to users.

Since 2013, the Government of South Africa, WLE/PIM/IFPRI and research partners have collaborated to assess the role of water infrastructure in adapting to potential climate change impacts. This has helped policymakers prioritize building resilience into infrastructure investments and implement climate sensitive development programs. The findings and recommendations of this research have been built into major policy and investment plans, including Operation Vulindlela, highlighted in the President’s 2022 State of the Nation Address as one of five key sectors.

Understanding the different perceptions of the local community regarding the use and management of common pool resources, such as exclosures, could better support targeted interventions by government and development partners.

Multi-stakeholder forums (MSFs) have become a popular mechanism in global development and conservation circles, given the urgency to find transformative approaches to address climate change and unsustainable development. In this current context, it is important to take stock of MSFs, an example of a participatory mechanism that is emerging as a new ‘solution’.

Natural forest regrowth is critical for restoring ecosystem services in degraded landscapes and providing forest resources. Those who control tenure and access rights to these secondary forest areas determine who benefits from economically charged off-farm opportunities such as finance for forest restoration, selling carbon credits, and receiving payment for ecosystem services.