Climate Services Ecosystems in times of COVID-19
Faced with the greatest public health crisis of our time, people must work together and learn from each other to overcome the complex challenges facing our communities, countries, and the world.
Toward unifying global hotspots of wild and domesticated biodiversity
Global biodiversity hotspots are areas containing high levels of species richness, endemism
and threat. Similarly, regions of agriculturally relevant diversity have been identified where many
domesticated plants and animals originated, and co-occurred with their wild ancestors and relatives.
Revitalizing cultivation and strengthening the seed systems of fonio and Bambara groundnut in Mali through a community biodiversity management approach
Fonio (Digitaria exilis(Kippist)Stapf) and Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea(L.)Verdc.) are native crops grown at a small scale in Mali that have potential to support agricultural productivity under climate change.
Usage of crop residue for making livestock feed
Evaluation of feed resources for local goat production under traditional management systems in Golomoti EPA Dedza and on-station at Bunda Campus, LUANAR, Malawi
The on-station study was conducted at Sakhula, Bunda College (LUANAR), and on-farm in Golomoti Extension Planning Area (EPA).
Exploring black soldier fly frass as novel fertilizer for improved growth, yield, and nitrogen use efficiency of maize under field conditions
Black soldier fly frass fertilizer (BSFFF) is increasingly gaining momentum worldwide as organic fertilizer. However, research on its performance on crop production remains largely unknown. Here, we evaluate the comparative performance of BSFFF and commercial organic fertilizer (SAFI) on maize (H513) production.
Are farmers using cropping system intensification technologies experiencing poverty reduction in the Great Lakes Region of Africa?
This study evaluated the poverty reduction impact of the adoption of cropping system intensification (CSI) technologies using the endogenous switching regression (ESR) model in the Great Lakes region of Africa that comprises Burundi, eastern DR Congo, and Rwanda. The study data came from a household survey of 1,495 sample households interviewed between October and December 2014.
Distribution of Pseudocercospora species causing Sigatoka leaf diseases of banana in Uganda and Tanzania
Sigatoka leaf diseases are a major constraint to banana production. A survey was conducted in Tanzania and Uganda to assess the distribution of Pseudocercospora species and severity of Sigatoka leaf diseases. Pseudocercospora species were identified using speciesâ€specific primers.
Unlocking the potential of agribusiness in Africa through youth participation: an impact evaluation of N-Power Agro Empowerment Program in Nigeria
In a country of about 200 million people, the government has over the years constituted various initiatives to address the issue of unemployment, food security, and youth involvement in agriculture. However, the impact of these initiatives has been minimal due to the inconsistency in government policies, changes in government, inadequate implementation mechanism amongst others.
Can a combination of UAV-derived vegetation indices with biophysical variables improve yield variability assessment in smallholder farms?
The rapid assessment of maize yields in a smallholder farming system is important for understanding its spatial and temporal variability and for timely agronomic decision-support. We assessed the predictability of maize grain yield using unmanned aerial/air vehicle (UAV)-derived vegetation indices (VI) with (out) biophysical variables on smallholder farms.
Banana pest risk assessment along banana trade axes running from low to high altitude sites, in the Eastern DR Congo and in Burundi
Pests and diseases greatly contribute to the decline in banana yields, food and income insecurity in the Great Lakes region of Africa. Understanding people’s role in pest and disease spread at landscape level is crucial for effective pest and disease management.