This project is based on a request from the Pan African Farmers Organisation members developed during the succession of continental briefings examining their capacity building needs and policy issues between 2012 and 2016 in the following steps: Using a discussion forum amongst the more than 200 members, they identified a number of successful farmers organisations requiring support for capacity development. A study was then carried out by the ZED group together with a further e-discussion to establish the needs to improve financial management.

The substantial existence of malnutrition globally, especially in developing countries, has usually driven policy initiatives to focus on improving household food security and nutrition primarily through prioritizing farm production diversity. Although indeed some empirical evidence has pointed to farm production diversity remedying malnutrition, other evidence has pointed to markets. Therefore, evidence is mixed and may be country or region variant.

Solar power has been one of the main focus areas in the clean energy trajectory with massive potential for application in the agriculture sector, particularly in the irrigation space. Underpinning technology and government programs have made accessing renewable energy such as solar power, very much within the reach of the communities. Solar powered irrigation system (SPIS) has been gaining the necessary impetus from development professionals and government, due to its ability to curtail climate change while supporting the economic growth of the country.

The programme “Linking agrobiodiversity value cahins, climate adaptation and nutrition: Empowering the poor to manage risk” funded by IFAD and the European Union from 2015 to 2018 aims to strenghten the capacities of farmers to manage risks associated with climate change, poor nutrition status, and economic disempowerment through agrobiodiversity-based solutions.

This roadmap is developed based on a context analysis of Ethiopian agriculture. The roadmap aims to strengthen the role of the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) in addressing vulnerabilities facing the agriculture sector under changing climatic conditions by institutionalizing climate-smart agriculture.

Within the framework of the projects “Generating evidence on gender-sensitive climate-smart agriculture to inform policy in Central America” and “Shaping equitable climate change policies for resilient food systems across Central America and the Caribbean”, during 2018 and 2019, a series of workshops was held at the national level with

Smallholder farmers mostly depend on agriculture for their sustenance yet the sector is threatened by changing climate. It is essential for smallholders to adapt to reduce their vulnerability. Estimating the economic effectiveness of climate adaptation practices would enhance planning and actions among stakeholders and consequently impact policy. This study conducted an ex-ante in-depth empirical analysis of the costs and benefits of implementing five climate adaptation strategies identified among smallholder horticultural farmers in Ghana.

The Rural Household Multiple Indicator Survey (RHoMIS) is a standardized farm household survey approach which collects information on 758 variables covering household demographics, farm area, crops grown and their production, livestock holdings and their production, agricultural product use and variables underlying standard socio-economic and food security indicators such as the Probability of Poverty Index, the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale, and household dietary diversity.

Cassava breeders rely on a wide range of information to succeed in their task of developing genetically superior varieties for adoption in the production, processing and market value chains. The published literature on cassava has risen exponentially in the past quarter century, and provides a fundamental basis for application of scientifically sound research practices. Yet, most publications are rather narrowly focused, and the task of integrating knowledge and techniques across a vast literature for purposes of planning and executing a breeding program can be overwhelming.

The Government of Uganda has implemented programs and policies to improve the agricultural sector’s recent underperformance. Uganda’s two main food security crops, bananas and cassava, have been critically affected by two diseases: Banana Xanthomonas Wilt (BXW) and Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD). The effectiveness of agronomic and cultural practices to control these diseases has been limited, requiring better alternatives. The Ugandan R&D sector in collaboration with international partners have developed genetically engineered innovations that can control both diseases.

Small plot size and land fragmentation are serious problems affecting agricultural productivity in many African countries. These problems are even serious in Ethiopia where population pressure is increasing and available farmlands per household are contracting. An entry point to tackle this problem can be voluntary land consolidation (VLC). Experiences elsewhere mainly in Eastern Europe and Asia demonstrate significant yield increase associated with increased efficiency and productivity through VLC.