This info brief provides an executive overview of the research methods and key finding of a series of information briefs. The briefs were developed to assess the role of Heifer Nepal programming in supporting the adoption of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices amongst Heifer supported goat cooperatives, and their impact on a range of environmental and economic indicators.

The present study was carried out at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Samastipur, Bihar during 2021-2023 to focus on examining alterations in SOC pools resulting from conservation agriculture (CA) practices in R-W system in the eastern IGP, following the collection of soil samples from a long-term trial that was initiated in rainy (kharif) season 2006.

The African Union Commission (AUC) hosted the Strategic Climate Investment Partnership roundtable from 19-20 June 2023 at the African Union (AU) Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This roundtable, attended by key development partners, financial organisations, technical bodies, the private sector, and other institutions, was organised to leverage partnerships and align investment opportunities to support the operationalisation of the African Union Climate Change and Resilient Development Strategy and Action Plan (2022-2032).

The Ethiopian government has recently convened a national conference on ‘Shaping Agriculture for Greater Impact’ to map the path forward in a renewed commitment towards agricultural transformation through resilient agriculture and food systems. These include forging innovative partnerships, public policy, food value chain and livelihood, and on-farm and productive landscape solutions.

CONTEXT
Population pressure, land scarcity and encroachment of nature reserves are challenging sustainable intensification of agriculture in Uganda. One of the main staple crops in Uganda is East African Highland banana. Area expansion and improved management have enhanced the economic performance of banana, yet at the expense of food security, environmental and social sustainability. While a transition of banana-based farming systems to a more sustainable future seems necessary, the desired future state and pathways of getting there may differ among actors involved.

â–ª The Greater Horn of Africa (GHoA) is one of the world's most negatively impacted regions by climatic extremes and changes affecting millions, including farmers and livestock keepers.
â–ª Addressing the impacts of devastating extreme weather events, climate variabilities, and changes in GHoA require, among other things, strengthening Climate Information Services (CIS), including in terms of Anticipatory Action, Early Warning Systems (EWS), and preparedness and early action for climate-resilient development.

Pastoralists are generally known for carefully selecting and maintaining their livestock. In this study, we examine the preferences of pastoralists for goat traits. We employ discrete choice experiments of all levels and endpoints to investigate the relative weights that pastoralists in southern Ethiopia attach to the different traits of does and bucks. Based on data generated from 600 pastoral households, we estimated willingness to pay, trait preference heterogeneity, and attribute nonattendance using different specifications of the mixed logit model.

Restoration of degraded land is key to enhancing land productivity and farmers' wellbeing in sub-Saharan Africa. Evidence shows that the benefits of land restoration are tremendous, ranging from biophysical benefits in soil health, agricultural productivity, ecosystem services, to socio-economic dimensions such as improving farmers’ income and livelihoods. Yet one issue that is rarely considered is how the outcomes of restoration initiatives affect different social groups, specifically women, men, and the marginalized.

Thermophilic composting is a promising soil and waste management approach involving diverse micro and macro-organisms, including eukaryotes. Due to sub-optimal amounts of nutrients in manure, supplemental feedstock materials such as Lantana camara, and Tithonia diversifolia twigs are used in composting. These materials have, however, been reported to have antimicrobial activity in in-vitro experiments. Furthermore, the phytochemical analysis has shown differences in their complexities, thus possibly requiring various periods to break down.