Inclusive value-chain development aims to empower small-scale farmers and strengthen the agriculture sector. This study explores the impact of livelihood assets, access strategies, and enabling and discouraging factors on women’s and youth’s inclusion in surplus agricultural production and off-farm activities in Ethiopia and Mali. It is based on an ecologically sustainable agricultural water management project that aims to make markets work for the poor through inclusive value-chain development in Ziway-Shalla Subbasin of Ethiopia and Wegnia and Sourou of Mali.

East and Southern Africa is a climate hotspot, with more than US$45 billion in agricultural production at risk from higher temperatures, shorter growing seasons, and more extreme droughts and floods. Women play a strategic role in agricultural development and food security, often in labor-intensive activities. Efforts to quickly address the current water and climate challenges through innovative ways have been underscored. One of such innovations emphasized has been production technologies, recognized as potentially effective in improving agricultural incomes for farmers.

Nepal’s agriculture sector is facing various challenges including, amongst others, inadequate infrastructures, investment, labor shortage, climate-induced changes, and weak agriculture governance mechanisms. With the increase in migration trends among males, the ‘left behinds’ in the mid-hills of Nepal, are mostly women, middle-aged men, and the elderly. Due to the massive decline in the labor force, arable land is left fallow, ultimately affecting food security.

Evidence of women’s participation in value chains is greater on the production side, but scanty in downstream nodes, pointing to women being relegated to unprofitable activities. The consequence is suboptimal value chain performance with wide gender gaps in productivity, income, household food security, and poverty. This study sought to inform the development of gender-inclusive value chains.

Smallholder women farmers in the eastern Indian state of Odisha play a crucial role in the management of goat and backyard poultry. However, they face significant challenges due to fodder shortages, which adversely affect their livelihoods. This abstract highlights the efforts of Heifer International in addressing the fodder scarcity through sustainable farming practices, with a particular focus on smallholder women farmers in Odisha.

The present study examines the gender differences in workload and decision-making as well as analyzing the influence of decision-making and other socioeconomic factors on the time use of male and female farmers of central India. Analyzing individual-level data collected in 2019 (347 wheat farming households), we found significant gender differences in the total number of work hours, patterns of time use, and the power to make decisions within the household. Men and women participate equally in productive activities, and women spend more time in domestic work.

The impact of agricultural activities on the environment and its less favorable consequences on resources such as land support and water resources are more harmful in mountainous areas than in the plains since mountain agriculture has specific characteristics: difficult natural environment related to altitude and climate, fragility of natural resources and land resources, the sharp decline in the number of farms due to social and geographical isolation.

Guatemala is considered to be one of the most exposed and vulnerable countries in Latin America to climate variability and extreme weather events, as well as non-climatic natural events. It is also a primary hotspot for climate change, as it is highly exposed to extreme weather events like tropical storms and droughts and has low capacity to cope with these impacts.

The agricultural innovation system is an approach that consider agricultural innovation from a global perspective. Rapid Appraisal of Agricultural Innovation Systems is one of commonly used methods, it involves series of structured and participatory activities, including interviews, focus group discussions, and stakeholder workshops, to identify the actors, institutions, and relationships involved in the AIS, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the system.

In the context of agricultural research and development (AR&D) in the global South, there is a growing recognition of the role of women farmers and the relevance of targeting them. The level of women’s participation in agricultural activities is influenced by factors such as male outmigration from the agricultural sector, and prevailing social norms. This participation varies both temporally and spatially, thereby influencing the strategies for targeted technology development and dissemination.

In Laos, farmers are using the validated agro-climatic advisories from the Alliance-supported Strengthening Agro-climatic Monitoring and Information System to improve their farming practices, such as crop variety, planting dates, and water and fertilizer applications. These advisories were integrated into the Laos Climate Services for Agriculture (LaCSA) system which disseminates information to over 100,000 farmers through farmer field schools, loudspeaker broadcasts, Whatsapp and Facebook. It is currently at the operational stage.