This study determined the effect of pelagic Sargassum on in vitro dry matter and organic matter degradation, total gas production (TGP), and protozoa population. The treatments were different levels of Sargassum inclusion on a basal substrate (Stargrass hay; Cynodon nlemfuensis) as follows: T0 (control treatment based on Stargrass hay), T10 (90% Stargrass hay + 10% Sargassum), T20 (80% Stargrass hay + 20% Sargassum), and T30 (70% Stargrass hay + 30% Sargassum). Ruminal fermentation kinetics and protozoa population were determined during 72 h of in vitro incubations.

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a predominant food security crop in several developing countries. Its storage roots, rich in carbohydrate, are deficient in essential micronutrients, including provitamin A carotenoids.
Increasing carotenoid content in cassava storage roots is important to reduce the incidence of vitamin A deficiency, a public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa. However, cassava improvement advances slowly, mainly due to limited information on the molecular factors influencing β-carotene accumulation in cassava.

The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), The Amhara Regional Agricultural Research Institute (ARARI), the Accelerating the Impact of CGIAR Climate Research in Africa (AICCRA), and the Amhara Livestock and Fisheries Resource Development Office organized a workshop that took place on May 29, 2023, in Bahir Dar Ethiopia.

The One CGIAR Research Initiative on “Rethinking Food Markets and Value Chains for Inclusion and Sustainability” commissioned a meta-study to review the available evidence and to identify knowledge gaps regarding the impacts on employment in agrifood value chains (AVC) integration and modernization processes in developing countries. This review included 290 texts, mostly journal articles, but also book chapters and reports.

This report was prepared by CGIAR in response to an invitation from the Secretariat of the FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. It is structured to correspond, in general, to agenda items 2-11 of the Nineteenth Regular Session of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA-19). Some sections of this report were previously included in the CGIAR submission to the Eleventh Session of the Intergovernmental Technical Working Group on Plant Genetic Resources (ITWG-PGRFA-11), in April 2023.

Seeds of cereals (wheat, barley) and legumes (faba bean, lentil, chickpea, grasspea) are important exchange materials for farming, crop production, and research at national, regional, and international levels, but with the exchanges comes the danger of introducing new pests (fungi, bacteria, viruses, nematodes, and insects). ICARDA’s Germplasm Health Unit (GHU) is responsible for the monitoring, clearance, and documentation of safe germplasm movement at the Center.

The Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) project is a three-year initiative funded by the World Bank and implemented in six (6) African countries: Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Senegal and Zambia. In Senegal, the project’s objective is to reach and impact over 300 000 farmers and value chain players with climate informed agro-advisories and new/improved climate smart-agriculture (CSA) packages and technologies by the end of 2023.

The first series of Munda Make Over disseminated information on climate change adaptation, farming as a business, financial inclusion, and improved livelihoods to 654,751 people in Zambia. The information was disseminated on national television between December 2022 and June 2023. On average, three people watched the show together, and it is estimated that around 1.9 million people had access to the Munda Make Over climate information. Of these, 31% were farmers with access to TV. The series were supported by the AICCRA, Ukama Ustawi and ClimBer project partners.

Agri-food systems approaches have gained international recognition over the last years. The role of livestock—both in mixed crop-livestock and pastoral systems—in sustainable agri-food systems transformation remains contested. In this review paper we present new analyses of original data from an international livestock expert survey, a quantitative search in Web of Science, and a literature review to unravel the potential for livestock systems to sustainably transform agri-food systems through regenerating soils and restoring degraded landscapes.

Sustainable intensification aims to increase production and improve livelihoods of smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. Many farmers, however, are caught in a vicious cycle of low productivity and lack of incentives to invest in agricultural inputs. Moving towards sustainable intensification therefore requires support such as input subsidies and learning about new options through, for instance, co-learning approaches.

Amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus L.) is the most consumed leaf vegetable in Benin. A study carried out in south Benin have shown that the production of this vegetable is severely limited by insect pest pressure. The present study aimed to identify the major constraint limiting amaranth production in Ségbana municipality, located in the north of Benin and proposed sustainable agroecological solutions to farmers.

The primary goal of this report is to provide evidence on the impact of CSA technology packages on smallholder farmers under the accelerator programme in in Zambia. The AICCRA Zambia accelerator program tested various CSA technology packages, designed and implemented through agribusiness partnerships, SME bundles. The SME bundles were selected through a competitive process for the packages to address major challenges for CSA in Zambia and covering major agricultural production systems in Zambia. Each bundle was supported by a 50,000-USD grant.