Livestock and Climate
Pathways to wheat self-sufficiency in Africa
A growing urban population and dietary changes increased wheat import bills in Africa to 9% per year. Though wheat production in the continent has been increasing over the past decades, to varying degrees depending on regions, this has not been commensurate with the rapidly increasing demand for wheat. Analyses of wheat yield
gaps show that there is ample opportunity to increase wheat production in Africa through improved genetics and
agronomic practices. Doing so would reduce import dependency and increase wheat self-sufficiency at national
Net-mapping for low-emission food system development: Workshop on stakeholder mapping in Kapsabet, Kenya
The CGIAR Initiative on Low-Emission Food Systems focuses on reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while transforming food systems. It intends to work closely with key actors in the target countries, supporting them with new knowledge, information and tools to make robust evidence-based decisions as they confront challenges in food system transformation discourses, policy development and the reduction of GHG emissions. In Kenya, Nandi County has been selected as a site for a Living Lab for People (LL4P) on low-emission food system development.
Digital tools for supporting climate-informed agroecological transition in beef production in Brazil
KEY MESSAGES
◼ Despite many available digital tools in the digital ecosystem, many neglect smallholders’ ranching. Also, they focus solely on performance indicators, lacking climate-informed agroecological features.
â—¼ Mitigation features are included only by performance assessment tools, although only by half of them.
â—¼ Adaptation features in digital tools include mitigation recommendations, access to pest and disease information or early warning, and product diversification.
Conflict-induced shocks and household food security in Nigeria
Conflicts such as the Boko Haram insurgency, herder–farmer conflicts, and armed banditry attacks are major concerns affecting the livelihoods and food security of households in Nigeria. In this paper, firstly, we reviewed and synthesized the nature, spatial extent, and implications of conflicts on food security in Nigeria. Secondly, using survey data and econometric models, we examined the effects of conflict-induced shocks, such as forced migration and fatality on household food security indicators.
Shamba shape up series 13 Episode 1: Soil testing, minimum tillage, herbicide, climate literacy and solar electric pressure cooker
"Shamba Shape Up" is a popular television show in East Africa that focuses on agricultural education and improvement. The show features a team of experts who visit different farms, providing practical demonstrations and advice to farmers on various aspects of agriculture, such as livestock rearing, crop cultivation, farm management techniques, and sustainable practices. It aims to educate and empower farmers with valuable information and skills to enhance productivity, increase yields, and improve their livelihoods.
Risk Contingent Credit: A stakeholder engagement to inform project expansion in Kenya
A large proportion of farm households in developing countries face a host of market and production risks that undermine their food security, make their income volatile, and make them hesitant to adopt new technologies or undertake new investments that might increase their long-term productivity and household welfare. Climate-related risks such as floods and droughts remain some of the most pervasive forms of production challenges.
Genetic trends for yield and key agronomic traits in pre-commercial and commercial maize varieties between 2008 and 2020 in Uganda
Estimating genetic gains is vital to optimize breeding programs for increased efficiency. Genetic gains should translate into productivity gains if returns to investments in breeding and impact are to be realized. The objective of this study was to estimate genetic gain for grain yield and key agronomic traits in pre-commercial and commercial maize varieties from public and private breeding programs tested in (i) national performance trials (NPT), (ii) era trial and, (iii) compare the trends with the national average.
Innovative agroecological practices can restore degraded farmlands and revive crop yields
Land degradation is a major obstacle to agricultural development in Africa,
where it’s accentuated by poor agricultural practices and climate change effects.
Restoration of degraded lands is crucial to prevent incursions into virgin and
marginal lands. A field experiment was carried out over a four-year period on
two degraded sites, to assess and compare the effect of the common practices
of: (i) burning crop residues and weeds by resource-poor farmers (T1) and (ii)
burning crop residues and weeds followed with application of manure and/or