In many countries in Southern and Eastern Africa, input subsidy programmes are common, often focussing on inorganic fertiliser. These programmes often do not achieve their food security objectives, partly because soil health is in decline as a result of years of application of inorganic fertilisers in the absence of other soil ameliorative measures.

AICCRA Ghana and Farm Radio International (FRI) selected Eight (8) radio stations to deliver the interactive radio program. A 3-day design workshop was organized in Kintampo from May 31 to June 02, 2023, and brought together key stakeholders, including farmers, AICCRA-trained extension officers, representatives from the Ghana Meteorological Agency and participants from all 8 selected radio stations. Subsequently, the eight (8) radio stations have cumulatively aired 144 episodes.

Over the past 60 years, food systems in South Asia have undergone rapid economic and socio-cultural transformations, with both considerable similarities and differences within and between nations (Pingali and Abraham, 2022). Early agrifood systems transformations were led by an intensification paradigm that has increased crop productivity by heavily relying on intensive input and resource use, particularly chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and groundwater.

Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) are known for their nutritional value, boasting high levels of vitamin A, vitamin C, and antioxidants. In addition to these benefits, tomatoes can be highly profitable for farmers who have access to markets. Ensuring a successful tomato crop and maximizing yield however hinges on the quality of seedlings and season-long management practices. Whether sourced from commercial nurseries or grown on-farm, good farm management should place emphasis on seedling establishment to enhance tomato productivity.

This report presents the results of the quantitative survey on women and youth empowerment in the agricultural sector in Côte d'Ivoire. The survey targeted producer households from a digital database established as part of the TAFS-WCA baseline study. Data were collected in five Ivorian regions from a total sample of 410 actors. The analyses focused on perceptions of decision-making authority over resources, production activities, revenues, and leadership. Particular attention is paid to the disparities between women and men and between age groups. The key results are as follows:

Food system transformation is intrinsically tied to effective land and water resource management, especially in the regions facing competition among various land uses. The AhafoAno Southwest District in Ghana exemplifies this complexity, with agriculture, mining, and agroforestry practices competing against one another for arable land, impacting the local food system and contributing to water resource degradation.

Interdisciplinary research aimed at identifying effective strategies to enhance farmers' profits, improve the yield of nutritious crops, conserve natural resources, and sustain or enhance ecological services, all while mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural landscapes, is currently underway in Northern Bangladesh. To achieve real-world impact, research aims at generating evidence-based and actionable recommendations that can be being put into practice through both public and private auriculate extension networks, along with support for policy design and reform.

The Shamba Showdown project emerges in response to a critical, yet under-addressed issue in Kenya's agriculture sector: the aging farmer population and the disinterest of the youth in farming. Despite the fact that 85% of Kenya's food supply is domestically grown, primarily by smallholder farmers, there is a looming food crisis driven by the aging demographic of these farmers. The median age of Kenyan farmers is now over 60, and the younger generation, educated in urban areas, shows little inclination to return to rural farming.

Country profiles are more than a simple compilation of national indicators. They are constructed and designed around a common framework and methodology to identify hotspots of unsustainability in the food systems and prioritize interventions at multiple scales to address these through targeted actions and investments.
An important feature of the country profiles is that they are co-produced with key public and private food system stakeholders engaged in both identifying the data and validating results and emerging key messages.

Baseline survey findings from a randomized control trial that examines the effects of a sustainable land management training delivered to couples or women only in the context of rural Ethiopia where all participants are beneficiaries of a targeted social safety net program. The baseline survey was conducted in June 2023 and results were presented to implementation partners in October 2023.