The history of ex situ conservation is relatively short, not more than a century old. During the middle of last century, triggered by the realization that genetic erosion was threatening the existing landraces and wild relatives of the major food crops, global efforts to collect and conserve the genetic diversity of these threatened resources were initiated, predominantly orchestrated by FAO.

Despite the urgent need for comprehensive food systems strategies, the challenge lies in defining feasible, evidence-based intervention points. Too little is known about issues food systems decision-makers and other change agents are running up against, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where food systems are the most vulnerable to a growing number of intertwined crises.

This info note summarizes the objectives, scope, and intervention logic of the livestock component of the PDET Routes project, which is implemented in four municipalities in Caquetá. The conditions that converge there, such as the high and growing rate of deforestation, environmental impacts, productive orientation, and types of land tenure, enable the implementation of sustainable livestock production models and the development of technical assistance programs in the productive, economic, social, and environmental spheres.

CIAT’s financial mandate includes maintaining accountability and transparency in its finances, and to evaluate and communicate direct impact from our work to our donors, partners and the wider research and development community.

Climate change threatens the ability of global rangelands to provide food, support livelihoods and deliver important ecosystems services. The extent and magnitude of potential impacts are however poorly understood. In this study, we review the risk of climate impacts along the rangeland systems food supply chain. We also present results from biophysical modelling simulations and spatial data analyses to identify where and to what extent rangelands may be at climatic risk.

This Food Systems (FS) profile aims to provide a synopsis of the food system of the Cau Giay district in Hanoi, an urban area in north Vietnam. This profile gives an overview of the main food system outcomes, constituent elements and drivers. It does so through a set of metrics that highlight key challenges and offer a baseline for the measurement and monitoring of future changes. It builds from the outcomes concerning residents’ diets, nutrition and health, socio-economic, and environment.

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz.) has been a vital staple and food security crop in Tanzania for several centuries, and it is likely that its resilience will play a key role in mitigating livelihood insecurities arising from climate change. The sector is dominated by smallholder farmers growing traditional landrace varieties. A recent surge in virus diseases and awareness in the commercial potential of cassava has prompted a drive to disseminate improved varieties in the country. These factors however also threaten the existence of landraces and associated farmer knowledge.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) spore density and root colonization are considered sensitive to host species and abiotic factors such as climate and soil. However, there is a knowledge gap about how fragmented native forest remnants might contribute to AMF conservation, what is the AMF spore density and root colonization, and to what extent climate change, particularly warming, might impact AMF. The aim of the study was to quantify the AMF spore density and root colonization along altitudinal gradients in three agro-ecological zones of nine church forests in northern Ethiopia.

This paper takes an in-depth look at the agricultural sector in Viet Nam, contributing to a better understanding of the main bottlenecks in implementing the Paris Agreement, evaluating the relevance and impact of selected barriers for the implementation of current climate policies and their implications for nationally determined contribution (NDC) design.

In many developing countries, smallholder farmers cultivating vegetatively propagated crops (VPCs) have limited access to quality planting material. This constraint can limit both the yield of and returns on VPC cultivation. Yet policy and regulatory initiatives designed to strengthen access to quality VPC planting materials have been relatively unsuccessful to date. Part of the problem is the unique biological and economic characteristics of vegetative propagation and its distinctness from cereal crops, which dominate narratives on seed system reforms.

The importance of actively involving and engaging multiple stakeholders in agricultural research and development is well recognized. The need to address complex agricultural problems at multiple levels and across sectors has led to the development of multi-stakeholder platforms and processes (MSPs) in order to bring together multiple actors via different means (Dentoni et al. 2012; Breeman et al. 2015; Bisseleua et al. 2018). Such MSPs are increasingly seen as a promising vehicle for agricultural innovation in developing countries (Hemmati 2002; Adekunle and Fatunbi 2012; Schut et al.