publication
Agroecological transitions in value chains – A multiple case analysis
https://hdl.handle.net/10568/152502
Abstract
Agroecology is increasingly recognized as a promising approach to
address the challenges confronting our food systems. While evidence
underscores its potential impacts, there is a critical knowledge gap
regarding the successful scaling of agroecological practices,
particularly in the global south.
The CGIAR Initiative on Agroecology (AE-I), aims at understanding the
mechanisms conducive to the adoption and expansion of…
publication
Climate change vulnerability and drivers of low maize yields under smallholder farming systems in semi-arid area of Marange in Zimbabwe
https://hdl.handle.net/10568/175439
Abstract
In semi-arid regions, smallholder farmers are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change due to naturally low rainfall. However, regardless of their vulnerability, farmers continue to grow maize (Zea mays L.) under rain-fed systems even though the chances of crop failures are very high, and their yields remain extremely low. This study used on-farm data…
publication
Cost-benefit analysis of agroecologically upgraded business models: A practitioner’s guide
https://hdl.handle.net/10568/163553
Abstract
AE-I’s WP3 work adheres to following logic: after identifying the challenges and potential for integrating agroecological principles into a particular business model (e.g., by applying the Holistic Business Model Assessment suite), an upgrading plan or new business model is co-designed. The next step consists of co-developing an investment case, which among others requires demonstrating the…
publication
Farmers’ preferences for fertilizers derived from domestic sewage and kitchen waste – A discrete choice experiment in Germany
https://hdl.handle.net/10568/130661
Abstract
In view of increasing energy and resource scarcities, nutrient recycling from domestic wastewater is a promising way to obtain mineral fertilizers. Given the lacking evidence about the acceptance of recycling fertilizers by the farming sector, we elicited farmer preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for selected attributes of mineral fertilizers made from…
publication
A mechanistic understanding of the effect of lime and compost on soil cadmium availability in cacao farms
https://hdl.handle.net/10568/178412
Abstract
To develop soil amendments that effectively lower cadmium uptake by food crops, a mechanistic understanding is needed of the factors influencing Cd availability in amended soils. This insight is highly relevant in the context of food safety regulations affecting the cacao sector in Latin America. Geochemical multisurface models (MSMs) can be used to generate such knowledge, yet their…
publication
Nickel: The new EU food safety regulation and what it means for the cacao and chocolate sector
https://hdl.handle.net/10568/175442
Abstract
Nickel levels in chocolate and 14 other food groups will be regulated for the EU market from 1 July 2025 due to potential health risks. Nickel is a metallic element that is found in Earth's mantle, that comes to the crust along tectonic plate boundaries and may enter the food chain due to natural and anthropogenic processes. Nickel is an essential nutrient for plants and used in seed…
publication
The cocoa value chain in Ucayali: Analysis to identify business models with agroecological potential
https://hdl.handle.net/10568/136134
Abstract
This report provides an update on the state of the art of the cocoa value chain in Ucayali, along with a discussion on its existing business models and their associated challenges and opportunities. This analysis is conducted within the framework of the 13 agroecological principles outlined by the High Level Panel of Experts (HLPE, 2019). Our analysis is based on a review of secondary…
publication
Guideline for integrating agroecological principles into rapid value chain analyses
https://hdl.handle.net/10568/148726
Abstract
CGIAR’s Agroecology Initiative (AE-I) has the objective of testing agroecological approaches across different socioeconomic, political, and geographic contexts, and using the learnings on what agroecological innovations work, where, and for whom, to craft replicable agroecological transition models that can subsequently be applied to the food, land, and water systems of other low- and middle-income…
publication
Agroecological transitions in value chains: Main findings, challenges, and opportunities for the agroecological transition of the value chains in the agroecological living landscapes
https://hdl.handle.net/10568/137773
Abstract
This report summarizes the main findings and insights obtained from the various agroecological value chain analyses conducted in the different Agroecological Living Landscapes (ALL) that take part of the CGIAR Agroecology Initiative (AE-I).
The document includes a synthesis of 10 value chains analyses in…
publication
Farming practices and their effect on soil moisture and penetration resistance: Impact on maize yields in rainfed agriculture
https://hdl.handle.net/10568/182892
Abstract
In sub‐Saharan Africa, there is growing interest in conservation agriculture practices, including reduced tillage (e.g., ripping), residue retention, and crop diversification, but their effects on soil moisture and penetration resistance in sub‐humid regions remain unclear. This study investigated the effect of ripping, residue retention, cropping systems, and…
publication
Zimbabwe gender strategy: Building Equitable Climate Resilient African Bean and Insect Sectors (BRAINS) Project
https://hdl.handle.net/10568/182898
Abstract
The Building Equitable Climate-Resilient African Bean and Insect Sectors (BRAINS) project is a multinational programme implemented across 15 Sub-Saharan African countries, including Zimbabwe. The project aims to transform farming systems for common beans, fruit trees, and insects for food and feed by promoting low-carbon, climate-resilient agricultural methods and ensuring…
publication
Enabling private-sector innovation in agricultural storage: Lessons from the agriGHALA warehouse receipt model in Kenya
https://hdl.handle.net/10568/182900
Abstract
• Kenya’s Warehouse Receipt Systems (WRS) Act, the WRS Council’s e-registry, and the entry of a private operator have created, for the first time, an end-to-end pathway from smallholder grain to bankable collateral. The legal and institutional pieces are now in place; the binding constraints have shifted to finance, infrastructure density, and farmer- level participation…
publication
Food will be more affordable — if we double funds for agriculture research now
https://hdl.handle.net/10568/182893
Publication year
2025
Authors
Pardey, Philip G.
Chan-Kang, Connie
Stads, Gert-Jan
Chai, Yuan
Alston, Julian M.
Greyling, Jan
Muñoz, Hernán
Full Citation
Pardey, P.G.; Chan-Kang, C.; Stads, G.J.; Chai, Y.; Alston, J.M.; Greyling, J.; Muñoz…
publication
Artemis: AI-enabled smartphone phenotyping for faster, accurate data collection in climate-resilient breeding
https://hdl.handle.net/10568/182792
Abstract
Between 2022 and 2026, the Artemis initiative, led by the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT with Mineral, and support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, piloted AI-enabled phenotyping tools in Sub-Saharan Africa. Using smartphone-based image capture (Ona) and farmer feedback systems (Sikia), the project significantly improved data accuracy and efficiency.…
publication
Government of Senegal implements the climate-smart agriculture investment plan by embedding it in the national budget
https://hdl.handle.net/10568/182340
Abstract
In 2025, Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) supported the Government of Senegal in launching the previously co-developed Senegal Climate-Smart Agriculture Investment Plan (CSAIP). Through climate risk profiling, prioritization of climate-smart practices, and preparation of costed investment notes, the plan was formally adopted and integrated…
