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From crisis to opportunity: climate change benefits livestock production in Somalia
No full textWhile livelihoods of Somalian livestock smallholders rely heavily on seasonal climate conditions, little is known of long-term implications of the changing climate for this nation. Here, we quantify implications of the changing climate on the productivity and profitability of livestock smallholders across a rainfall gradient in northwestern Somalia. Using the Sustainable Grazing Systems (SGS) model, we explore 80 future climate realisations, with global climate model projections including low- and high-impact socio-economic pathways (SSP245 and SSP585), two climate horizons (2040 and 2080) and four case study farm regions. In general, future seasonal and annual rainfall and temperature relative to the baseline period (1981–2020) increased for most regions. Mean annual temperatures increased by 9%–14%, while cumulative annual precipitation increased by 37%–57% from mid to late century, respectively. Grassland production increased with later climate horizons, as higher average annual rainfall together with elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide drove up growth rates in spring and autumn. Under the low emissions scenario (SSP245), changes in farm profit were modest or positive, ranging from negative 4% in Berbera–20% plus in Sheikh. Under the higher emissions scenario (SSP585), farm profits were higher, ranging from 23% to 42% above baseline profits, largely due to greater pasture production and lower requirements for supplementary feed. We conclude that future climates will benefit the productivity and profitability of smallholder farmers in Somalia, although more agile farm management will be required to cope with increased seasonal climate variability
Sustainable Intensification through Conservation Agriculture: Farm typologies in Malawi's mixed farming systems. A case for Kasungu, Malawi
No full textEvolution of intimate partner violence impacts from cash transfers, food transfers, and behaviour change communication: Mixed-method experimental evidence from a nine-year post-programme follow-up in Bangladesh
No full textCash or food transfers can reduce intimate partner violence (IPV), but knowledge gaps remain on how impacts evolve over time, and the role of complementary ‘plus’ activities and contextual factors. We conducted a mixed-method analysis of how the Transfer Modality Research Initiative in Bangladesh affected IPV over time. The programme was implemented from 2012 to 2014, following a randomised controlled trial (RCT) design, across Northern and Southern Bangladesh. Intervention arms included monthly cash or food transfers, with or without complementary nutrition behaviour change communication (BCC). We estimate post-programme impacts on IPV using quantitative data collected in 2014–2015, 2018, and 2022, and combine this with qualitative data collected in 2023 to explore how and why IPV impacts evolved over time and the role of contextual factors. In the North, combining cash with BCC led to sustained IPV reductions in each post-programme round, while cash alone reduced IPV in 2022 but not the previous two rounds; food transfers showed no post-programme impacts. In the South, combining food with BCC led to post-programme IPV reductions in 2014–2015; no intervention sustained IPV reductions thereafter. Sustained IPV reductions are primarily driven by improved household economic security and emotional well-being. Other pathways – family relationships (including in-laws’ roles), women's empowerment, and social and community support – contributed to changing couples' relationships during the programme but became less salient after the programme ended. Contextual factors, including demographic changes, climate-related changes, external projects and norms condoning IPV appear to influence the sustainability of impacts. Results suggest that ‘plus’ programming was key to sustaining IPV impacts soon after the interventions, but less so by nine years post-programme, as economic security increasingly drove impacts. More mixed method research is needed from the outset to unpack if and how pathways to IPV reduction can be sustained in different contexts over time
Revision of the sweetpotato segmentation and estimation of segments’ size: Are we missing some major opportunities for more-targeted breeding?
No full textFollowing a consultative process by Market Intelligence, the International Potato Center (CIP), and NARES an opportunity was identified to expand and refine the initial seed product market segmentation for sweetpotato. In particular, the market segmentation effort by the Excellence in Breeding (EiB) and Market Intelligence initiatives had initially focused on identifying market segments aligned to existing breeding pipelines, or in other words, segments which CGIAR centers are already breeding for. Due to the limited resources, this was already a major step ahead to support the decision making on investment allocations across different pipelines. However, this could not answer the question whether alternative investments should be considered. In 2023, several segments not aligned to CIP breeding pipelines were identified. These included both segments in CGIAR sub-region regions which were already included in the initial EiB segmentation and segments in sub-regions which were completely omitted in it. Overall, this exercise resulted in a significant increase in identified market segments for sweetpotato, from 14 to 32. In 2024, an e-survey was launched to elicit expert opinions about the crop acreage aligned to each of these segments. This has allowed to identify large market segments that have not been yet targeted and offer opportunities for enhancing the impact of the breeding effort by CIP and partners
Crop catalogue of farmers’ preferred crop cultivars and varieties in western Kenya
No full textThis catalogue is an output of collaborative work of the Genetic Resources Research Institute (GeRRI) of the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), the International Center for Agricultural. Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), and the Alliance of. Bioversity International and CIAT. The development of the catalogue is funded under the CGIAR Nature Positive Solutions Initiative. The aim of the collaboration is to develop a farmer preferred crop cultivars and varieties catalogue to facilitate registration, quality-declared seed production, certification, and commercialization
Post-intervention outcomes in farmers behaviour and crop diversification in Rangpur, Bangladesh
No full textDemand for crop genetic resources and the US National Plant Germplasm System
No full textAlthough genetic resources have strong public-goods characteristics, public genebanks often have struggled for adequate funding. A review of economic literature on the value of plant genetic resources indicated that more information is needed about germplasm use. The data compiled in this paper examine patterns of germplasm use for one of the world's largest national genebank networks, the U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS). Data on 10 major crops, gathered directly from within the NPGS and from end-users, revealed patterns of usage for germplasm during the period from 1995 to 1999. Data were collected describing the characteristics of NPGS users, the types of germplasm requested, the purpose of requests, and, when applicable, the specific traits sought. From these findings, we estimated the utility of distributed materials, their secondary use, and projected future demand for NPGS resources. To explore relationships between the usefulness of germplasm samples and accompanying data in a more systematic fashion, we estimated a linear regression. The regression model suggests that accompanying data make germplasm more useful. We conclude that demand for NPGS resources was substantial and came from broad range of users. Utilization rates were higher than suggested by past studies. Countries with developing economies made greater use of NPGS resources, relatively speaking, than did countries with high-income economies. Finally, demand for NPGS resources is likely to increase, especially among users in countries with developing economies