The report documents the institutional meetings and discussions taking place between 26-30 November 2023 when a delegation from Lao PDR visited Vietnan. Overall aim of the visit was to enhance institutional cooperation between policy researchers and policy makers for more effective policy formulation. The Lao team learnt about options to strengthen policy implementation, like through formulating specific strategies, supporting farmers to adopt suitable technologies/innovations, and bringing research evidence into the policy formulation process.

A new review report concludes that seed (related) policies and laws in 14 African countries acknowledge to some degree that farmer-managed seed systems exist, but most of them do not provide concrete support for farmer-managed seed systems.

The adoption and use of climate-smart agricultural practices are critical for improving the productivity and sustainability of smallholder farming systems. However, the gendered dimensions of access to and use of climate-smart agriculture in common bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production remain unexplored among smallholder farmers in Burundi. A mixed methods research design was employed to investigate gender dynamics in common bean production among smallholder common bean farmers in the communes of Kirundo, Bwambarangwe, and Muyinga in Burundi.

Building on the Reclaim Sustainability! (RS!) programme’s baseline studies and the Gender and Social Inclusion (GESI) Reports, and in partnership with CGIAR Initiative on Diversification in East and Southern Africa (Ukama Ustawi) through International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Solidaridad facilitated commodity specific voice amplification dialogues in Zambia focused on cotton and fruits and vegetables farmers.

This report presents field activities carried out in the period 2019-2022 in support of farmer-managed seed systems in South Africa, in particular the conservation efforts and participatory variety selection (PVS) carried out by the community seed banks of Gumbu, Jericho and Sterkspruit.

Objectives of the manual:
i. To provide farmer trainers/facilitators with relevant knowledge and skills to identify and manage pig diseases, pests/parasites for improved productivity and marketing of pigs and pig products.
ii. To refresh trainers’ and farmers’ knowledge and skills to diagnose and manage important animal diseases, pests/parasites affecting pig productivity.
iii. To provide trainers with knowledge and skills on safe handling and use of veterinary drugs, vaccines and acaricides to ensure food safety and environment conservation.

The study on satisfaction of experts and farmers with the advisory service on Site-Specific Fertilizer Recommendations (SSFRs) and climate information services (CIS) was conducted to assess the level of satisfaction of these partners with the various training, SSFRs advice, and climate forecast information services. Primary data were collected from 27 experts and 202 farm households from 10 districts in the Amhara, Oromia, and SNNP regions. All of the experts and 95.5% of the farmers received training on SSFR.

This policy brief discusses the immediate impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on the economy of Ghana with a specific focus on the agricultural and oil sectors. The study employs content analysis of various sources, including articles, published papers, and reports, and utilizes data from AfricaFertilizer.org, Ghana's Ministry of Food and Agriculture, and the World Food Programme (WFP) to explore these impacts and policy measures.

The main purpose of this study was to generate evidence on the factors influencing the adoption of diversified fruit tree systems and to assess rural consumers’ views and preferences for local fruits in Guinayangan, Quezon. The Municipality of Guinayangan in Quezon Province was used as the study site because of prior work undertaken by the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR), in partnership with the Local Government Unit (LGU), specifically the Municipal Agriculture Office, to promote fruit trees.

Crop wild relatives (CWRs) belonging to the Brassicaceae family possess extensive genetic diversity and have frequently been utilized in the enhancement of cultivated Brassica species. However, their tolerance to glyphosate, a widely used herbicide, has remained unknown. Our study examined the glyphosate response of 20 genotypes from the Brassicaceae family, which included genotypes within the U triangle and their wild relatives.