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Improved forages for increased livestock productivity and climate change adaptation and mitigation
No full textThis brief is a companion piece to the overall report “Livestock and Climate Change: Outlook for a more sustainable and equitable future”. The overall report and its associated briefs are legacy products of the CGIAR Livestock and Climate Initiative drawing from science generated during the 2022-2024 life of the research project. Climate change poses a significant threat to livestock production in low- and middle-income countries, jeopardizing the livelihoods of millions who depend on livestock for food security and income. Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and extreme weather events disrupt feed supplies, reduce animal productivity, and exacerbate poverty (Idupulapati et al. 2014). The livestock sector in these regions is particularly vulnerable due to its reliance on rain-fed pastures and limited access to improved forage technologies (Idupulapati et al. 2014). Further compounding the issue is the predicted increase in demand for animal products by 2050 and the pressure to decrease pollutant output (Hart et al. 2022).
Improved forages–grasses, legumes, and other plants specifically planted to feed animals and selected or bred for desirable traits such as higher yield, improved nutritional value, and greater tolerance to drought and other environmental stresses– offer a critical solution for climate change adaptation and mitigation in livestock production. These forages enhance livestock productivity, ensure a steady feed supply, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. (CIAT 2025)
Market intelligence for rice, sorghum and yam in Benin and Ghana: Key findings from 2024 surveys
No full textRice, sorghum and yam all play a crucial role in food security across West Africa, being consumed in various forms at every meal, both in rural and urban areas. Value chains and markets of these three major crops are constantly evolving due to societal and environmental factors such as growing urban populations, changing consumer preferences and changes in suitable agricultural areas in relation with the climate crisis. In order to support breeding programs in anticipating emerging requirements in terms of crop agricultural performance, processing ability and end-product quality, the CGIAR Initiative on Market Intelligence and Product Profiles (MIPPI) develop survey methods adapted for the collection and analysis of market information and users’ preferences data. In this poster, we summarize the key findings of a regional study of rice, sorghum and yam value chains in Benin and Ghana and provide an informational basis on market trends and key preferred quality traits to support breeding activities and varietal adoptio
Perceived drivers of the Ebola virus disease outbreak in Mubende and Kassanda districts, Uganda: a qualitative study
No full textIntroduction: During the most recent Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in Uganda, a cluster of community deaths with epidemiological linkages to the first reported case were identified to have occurred in Mubende, Kassanda and Kampala districts in September 2022. This study aimed to explore perceived drivers of EVD outbreak among affected communities in Mubende and Kassanda districts, Uganda.
Methods: We conducted a descriptive qualitative and participatory epidemiology study using focus group discussions (n=4), in-depth interviews (n=12), key informant interviews (n=12) and participatory landscape mapping. The subcounties of Madudu (Mubende district) and Kikandwa (Kassanda district) were purposively selected within each district because Ebola cases were known to have occurred within these areas. The community expressed their own understanding and perceptions of the drivers of Ebola virus outbreak within these subcounties. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic content analysis in Nvivo V.12 software. Data were analysed using both inductive and deductive approaches, where codes, subthemes and themes in the data were merged with global themes. The results were interpreted in the context of the broader literature on the topic using the social-ecological model and the epidemiological triad using the specific experiences and insights of the study participants. Participant responses were categorised in terms of their themes.
Results: A total of five themes were identified which described the perceived drivers of Ebola virus outbreaks. These included (1) individual: knowledge about EVD (source of the disease and fear due to death of some suspected cases); (2) interpersonal: perceived sources of Ebola virus spillover (ecological, anthropogenic, environmental and cultural); (3) community: impact of EVD to the community (economic loss and survivors lack of support from the government); (4) organisational: health system challenges in outbreaks (delayed laboratory results, poor recording and reporting systems in the facilities and poor surveillance); and (5) policy: recommendations (use of One Health approach and continuous sensitisation).
Conclusions: This study underscores the complex interplay of factors shaping the dynamics of EVD. Understanding Ebola requires not only scientific knowledge but also an appreciation of sociocultural contexts and systemic vulnerabilities within health systems. We therefore recommend comprehensive approaches which integrate scientific expertise with community participation, strengthen health systems and foster collaboration across sectors to mitigate the impact of future outbreaks to address these challenges effectively. Additionally, raising awareness, sensitising the public and safeguarding natural habitats are crucial steps to mitigate the risk of future disease outbreaks
Screening and HPLC methods for carotenoids in sweetpotato, cassava and maize for plant breeding trials
No full textOpportunities and limitations to the irrigation-led sustainable intensification of mixed farming systems in Nepal’s mid-hills
No full textFree online trainings on soil health monitoring with satellite based remote sensors
No full textThe ASEAN-CGIAR Innovate for Food and Nutrition Security Regional Program (IFNRP) is a collaborative research initiative involving the ASEAN Member States, the ASEAN Secretariat, and CGIAR Centers. This program is funded by the governments of Australia and the United Kingdom. Over the next 10 years, the program aims to expand innovative strategies that will strengthen the resilience of ASEAN’s agri-food systems in response to climate change. This ambitious endeavor seeks to improve livelihoods for food producers and all stakeholders within the value chain. Additionally, it aims to provide consumers with more affordable, nutritious, and healthy food while promoting a healthier natural environment for everyone.
The training-workshop series titled "Eyes in the Sky: Leveraging Earth Observation for Large-Scale Soil Health Monitoring" included two online sessions held on November 15 and December 13, 2024. The workshops were led by professionals from Spiral Blue Pty Ltd, an award-winning medium enterprise in the Australian space industry. Each session featured three one-hour lectures as outlined below:
1. « Earth Observation and Soil Health: Where Innovation Meets Practice »
- Focus: The origins and development of Earth Observation (EO) technology, its applications innatural sciences and soil health monitoring, as well as its opportunities and limitations.
2. « Satellite-Based Remote Sensing: How Earth Observation Enhances Soil Health Monitoring »
- Focus: Various remote sensing (RS) technologies, their application in soil data collection, and the role of RS data in monitoring soil health.
3. « From Data to Decisions: Translating Remote Sensing Insights into Practical Soil Health Solutions »
- Focus: AI-based agricultural informatics, the use of machine learning in data analysis and automation, and the importance of baseline data for machine learning algorithms
Agronomic assessment of agroecological technologies codesigned and experimented with the dairy farmers members of the Agroecological Living Landscape of Burkina Faso
No full textThis framework aims to facilitate the collective assessment of results and lessons learned from the codesigned agroecological trials conducted in different Agroecological Living Landscapes (ALLs) participating in the CGIAR initiative on agroecology (AEI). The purpose of this assessment is to understand approaches and methods used for the design and evaluation of these trials (protocols, measurements performed, etc.) and contribute to the performance analysis of the agroecological technologies tested. While each trial within the initiative may be unique due to the context-specific codesign process, the framework aims to analyze them in a generic and structured way to facilitate cross-comparisons. Although agronomic in nature, the framework's assessment integrates the productive, environmental, and socioeconomic dimensions of the trials to compare agroecological technologies with current practices in each ALL. Additionally, the framework assesses contributions to the agroecological transition for each technology tested in the trials. This document serves as a guideline, to be enriched through interactions with country teams, with a final version potentially included as part of the codesign guidelines for the AE initiative
TAFSSA District Agrifood Systems Assessment in India 2023: Local Market and Retail Census
No full textTAFSSA (Transforming Agrifood Systems in South Asia) is a CGIAR Regional Integrated Initiative aimed at advancing equitable access to sustainable healthy diets, enhancing farmers' livelihoods and resilience, and conserving natural resources such as land, air, and water across South Asia. The TAFSSA district agrifood systems assessment seeks to establish a robust, accessible, and integrated evidence base that connects farm production, market access, dietary patterns, climate risk responses, and natural resource management, with gender considerations integrated throughout. The assessment focuses on rural areas in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal, utilizing a district-level, multi-year approach. In December 2022–January 2023, data collection was conducted in the Nalanda district of Bihar, India. A census was carried out in 50 villages selected using probability proportional to the number of households in each village. The census included all formal and informal multi-vendor markets offering a variety of food products, as well as retail food shops in the selected villages. The types of multi-vendor markets covered included village markets, weekly village markets, roadside/street markets, and wholesale markets (mandis). Retail shops included local grocery stores, vegetable/fruit shops (green grocers), and specialized shops selling meat, eggs, fish, or dairy products. The census employed pretested, structured questionnaires to gather data. Information collected included market density, vendor details, opening hours and days, products sold, infrastructure and facilities in shops, waste disposal methods, and GPS coordinates of the retail shops and markets
Equity in agriculture-nutrition-health research: A scoping review
No full textLinks among agriculture, nutrition, and health (ANH) are established, but the role of inequity is less understood. In this scoping review, we aimed to understand the range of ways that ANH research addresses inequity issues in low- and middle-income countries. We used PRISMA guidelines to structure our study. From an initial >26 000 studies, 243 published reports met inclusion criteria and were mapped. The number of reports addressing inequity in ANH research has increased over time from 40 in 2018. Within equity, a majority of articles (n = 327) focused on describing how nutrition and health outcomes differ for different groups. Many (n = 134) looked at the material circumstances that shape people’s life chances. Fewer (n = 51) looked at the most basic structural determinants of (in)equity. The same aspects of equity remain the least studied in ANH research, including the intersections of equity issues shaping life chances, and inequity’s structural determinants. We suggest ways forward for this community, drawing on conceptual frameworks and theory of inequity from different disciplines
Building climate-resilient livelihoods for refugees and host communities in Jordan
No full textThe World Food Programme (WFP) has requested researchers from the CGIAR Research Initiative on Fragility, Conflict, and Migration (FCM) to investigate which financing options could enable refugees and host communities to invest in climate-resilient, sustainable livelihoods. The result is a series of research-backed recommendations set to inform future WFP projects