Rangelands in Tunisia, play a vital role in providing essential services such as clean water, air, forage, and habitat for diverse ecosystems. However, decades of degradation due to socioeconomic changes, abandonment of traditional grazing practices, and recurrent droughts have led to soil degradation and loss of plant species. Overgrazing, exacerbated by climatic aridity, has significantly reduced rangeland productivity. In response, the traditional rest technique (G'del) has been applied, but its sustainability remains a challenge.

This study was conducted through the CGIAR Asian Mega -Deltas (AMD) initiative, a multi -year research program to secure food systems of the Mekong Delta, Irrawaddy Delta, and the Ganges Delta for climate and livelihood resilience. The study contributes to Work Package 3 (WP 3) on derisking delta orientated value chains through bundled digital climate advisory services (DCAS+), and focuses on Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Bangladesh. DCAS comprise mobile phones, digital platforms, radio, and TV, as well as digitally enabled services such as extension services and printed bulletins.

Seasonal climate forecasts are crucial inputs for effective planning of adaptation to climate variability in the climate-sensitive development sectors. In West Africa, recommendations associated with seasonal forecasts are often based on expert judgment and assessment of the forecasts. This approach can be subjective and misleading, thus limiting the effectiveness of adaptation planning decision. This Info Note proposes a novel approach for translating seasonal forecasts into actionable sector-specific information.

AGRHYMET has recently proposed a novel approach for translating seasonal climate forecasts into actionable information for adaptation planning for agriculture and water sectors using sectoral biophysical and process-based models. The aim is to finetune and generate forecast-based recommendations for these two sectors to better support effective adaptation planning and reduce risks associated with biases and subjective recommendations.

The mid-hills of Nepal account for 68% of the country’s total area[1] and 56% of its arable land. Ranging in altitude from 610m to 4,876m, there are many small pockets of micro-irrigation that have the potential for high-value crop cultivation. However, almost a third of irrigable land here remains rainfed[2] and studies indicate an increase in fallow land due to a lack of year-round irrigation infrastructure and decrease in agricultural workforce.

The theory of change depends on all work being done within partnerships, particularly with
national research and extension systems(NARES) and with small and medium enterprises (SMEs)
active in the national breeding and seed sectors. A core focus is to raise the NARES-CGIAR-SME
breeding networks’ collective strategic and operational capacity to deliver a high rate of uptake
and replacement in seed varieties among small-scale farmers in low- and medium- income
countries.

Guatemala is characterized by high rates of poverty and inequality, as well as a significant incidence of violent acts and generalized social tension. Climate change impacts on temperatures, rainfall patterns and extreme weather events are deepening the challenges of marginalized populations regarding food security, livelihood options, housing needs and access/availability of natural resources.

Genetic improvement is crucial for ensuring food security globally. Indeed, plant breeding has contributed significantly to increasing the productivity of major crops, including rice, over the last century. Evaluating the efficiency of breeding strategies necessitates a quantification of this progress. One approach involves assessing the genetic gain achieved through breeding programs based on quantitative traits.

As part of the CGIAR Initiative on Asian Mega-Deltas, a scoping study was completed by the end of 2022 to prioritize key delta-oriented production systems and value chains in Viet Nam's Mekong River Delta (MRD) (Gonsalves et al., 2022). Rice, rice-shrimp, and fruit trees production systems and value chains were selected based on a set of criteria including production, economic and nutritional value, climate change and impact, and potential benefit of climate services with specific attention to the role of women and smallholders.

Food production includes a complex and varied set of agricultural and nonagricultural activities, involving a growing number of sectors and actors that influence the way food is produced, processed, distributed, and consumed. Recently, and especially after the 2021 United Nation Food Systems Summit (UNFSS), it has been proposed that this conglomerate of activities and socioeconomic actors be jointly identified as food systems.

Despite the potential importance of seed quality to agricultural productivity growth, many governments in sub-Saharan Africa lack the capacity to expand quality assurance systems even where there is expressed interest. This brief summarizes the key insights from a recent study in Nigeria. The evidence points toward the benefits of pursuing balanced, flexible seed quality assurance systems rather than focusing singularly on expanding rigorous seed certification systems, as the country has done until recently.

As part of the CGIAR Initiative on Asian Mega-Deltas, a scoping study was recently completed to prioritize key delta-oriented production systems and value chains for the Lower Mekong Basin in Cambodia (Gonsalves et al., 2022). Rice, vegetables, and inland fisheries were selected based on a set of criteria including production, economic and nutritional value, climate change impact, and potential benefit of climate services with specific attention for the role of women and smallholders.