The purpose of this case study is to draw lessons from the PTT for design of future research policy platforms or networks. The study provides an overview of the institutional context within which the PTT was established and carried out its work, reviews the organizational structure and functions of the think tank and presents some of the selected research activities that were carried out, plus their impacts. Finally, the case study draws out some lessons for future consideration when establishing science to policy platforms.

Germplasm seed exchange from CGIAR genebanks and breeding is important to global
agricultural research and development programs. Seed as a pathway for pest spread is an
inherent risk for international seed exchanges. Phytosanitary controls have been established
in accordance with the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) to protect global
plant health from transboundary pest invasion. This presentation summarizes pest risks to
international germplasm distribution; CGIAR Germplasm Health Units (GHUs) procedures to

Rice production in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has increaed ten-fold since 1961, whereas its consumption has exceeded the production and the regional self-sufficiency rate is only 48% in 2020. Increase in rice production has come mainly from increased harvested area. Yield increase has been limited and the current average yield in SSA is around 2 t ha−1.

To ensure an equitable digital transformation, deliberate efforts are needed to promote the inclusivity of emerging digital innovations. This short communication outlines challenges and opportunities for considering inclusivity in the design and deployment of digital food system innovations. Drawing on literature and the authors’ experiences within CGIAR, we highlight shortcomings in the digital inclusion discourse. We propose an agenda for enabling researchers and other innovation stakeholders, including donors, to contribute to more inclusive digital innovation.

The link between climate change and conflict has been widely studied in the past decade. Despite empirical evidence leading to ambiguous, sometimes contradictory, conclusions, it is generally accepted that climate-related security risks are manifested through a non-linear and complex interplay between climate threats, sources of vulnerability, and drivers of conflict. The effects of this “vicious circle” are underlined by socioeconomic and political factors acting as drivers of insecurity.

A critical question is whether agroecology can promote climate change mitigation and adaptation outcomes without compromising food security. We assessed the outcomes of smallholder agricultural systems and practices in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) against 35 mitigation, adaptation, and yield indicators by reviewing 50 articles with 77 cases of agroecological treatments relative to a baseline of conventional practices. Crop yields were higher for 63% of cases reporting yields.

Citizen Science (CS) is increasingly being integrated into advanced scientific approaches to address complex problems and produce real-time evidence-based information for decision-making. The CS approach has also been used as a tool to foster community-based monitoring and learning, particularly on the sustainability of productive landscapes/watersheds.

The UNDP & Life Peace Institute (LPI) report on mapping climate security adaptations highlights that the link between climate and conflict depends on the interplay of exposure to climate hazards, vulnerability, and coping capacity of states and communities. Therefore, due increasing impacts of Climate Change (CC), it is crucial for the Kenyan governments to identify and mitigate climate security1 risks both at national and county levels. The National Climate Action Plan (NCCAP) outlines the Kenyan government’s strategy on mitigation and adaptation to climate change and its effects.

SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC) and International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) organized a four-day training program for SAARC member countries representatives on Climate Smart Agriculture in South Asia: Technologies, Policies, and Digital Innovation. 28 senior government officials and high-ranking country representatives from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka participated in this training program. The details of the participants are presented in Annexure 4.

Iron and zinc malnutrition is a global humanitarian concern that mostly affects newborns, children, and women in low- and middle-income countries where plant-based diets are regularly consumed. This kind of malnutrition has the potential to result in a number of immediate and long-term implications, including stunted growth, an elevated risk of infectious diseases, and poor development, all of which may ultimately cause children to not develop to the fullest extent possible.

A blog call on policymakers and research-for-development organizations to take action to mitigate the possible impacts of the current developing El Niño event on small-scale farmers and rural communities and to keep tracking seasonal climate fluctuations. Multiple climate prediction centers have concurred that this El Niño event will reach a “strong” category in the Northern Hemisphere by the winter of 2023-24.

Agroecology is a farming approach which embrace a set of ecological principles, practices, and local knowledge generation to boost the resilience and adaptation of sustainable food systems. However, a transition towards agroecology food system is also not an easy task and involves the piloting of a set of very complex practices, tools, arrangements, and policies combined with behavioral changes and sustainable financing business models.