A novel rectangular hand net (RHN) was developed to manage insect pests in rice seedbeds, overcoming the limitations of traditional round nets, which can damage seedlings and are less effective in catching insects. The RHN features a 50 cm by 20 cm rectangular frame made of 4 mm GI wire, with a 100 cm plastic pipe handle and an 80 cm mosquito net. The net is used by walking rapidly around the seedbed, sweeping to catch harmful insects while releasing beneficial ones back into the field.

The franchising business model developed by Rikolto in collaboration with the National Union of Parboiling Women (UNERIZ) in Burkina Faso was initiated in 2017.

It empowers women parboilers by providing a holistic support system, ranging from technical training to access to credit and market opportunities.

Soil pollution in Egypt, particularly in the eastern Nile Delta, is caused by excessive use of mineral fertilizers, pesticides, and the discharge of domestic wastewater into agricultural irrigation systems. This leads to the accumulation of heavy metals and pollutants in the soil, affecting crop yields and posing risks to human health. Soil pollution not only endangers health and the environment but also reduces food security and causes economic losses.

Existing scaling support methodologies often fail to consider the socially differentiated impacts, including gender effects, of innovation uptake. To address this gap, GenderUp was developed as a conversational tool to enhance the inclusivity, reflexivity, and responsiveness of scaling initiatives. GenderUp employs a five-stage process facilitated by trained facilitators, guiding teams through discussions, learning activities, and practical integration to create socially responsible scaling strategies.

Within the sustainable rural livelihood’s framework, Agrisolve has designed the WESOLVE program that targets women and young women smallholder farmers’ agriculture and financial inclusion ensuring easier access to resources for increased yield and livelihood improvements. Through WESOLVE, women are given access to arable land under in-grower schemes, input credit, good agronomic training and market access. The program also engages women in alternative livelihood programs on value addition during the 7-8 months of non-farming activities to improve incomes for sustainability.

The Muni University-Omia Agribusiness Development Group (OADO) partnership operates in the West Nile sub-region of Uganda, an area facing challenges such as land degradation, poor soil health, and climate change. Historically a tobacco-growing region, it now relies on smallholder rainfed agriculture and is adopting high-value horticultural crops. Despite development interventions, 84% of the population lives in multidimensional poverty.

Apollo Karuga, a recognized Kenyan Food Systems Hero by the UN’s FAO, aimed to address Kenya’s broken food system by developing an affordable, eco-friendly solution for smallholder farmers to preserve food throughout different seasons. Karuga, through his team at Grow Point International, created a solar food dehydrator designed to reduce moisture in food and extend shelf life. The dehydrator, made from locally available materials, utilizes a solar panel, blackpainted buckets for heat absorption, and wire mesh to hold the food.

The project develops and demonstrates a climate-smart farming system, which will be created by development of new agricultural technologies and a redesigned network of the existing African agri-food value chain to increase resilience, sustainability, and circularity. The deployment of the integrated chia-mushroom -pig biogas value chain contributes to the diversification and resilience of African food systems against the impacts of climate change.

Namibia, distinguished by its arid climate, faces recurrent droughts that challenge local farmers heavily reliant on extensive livestock farming and rangelands. Bush encroachment, characterized by invasive woody species, exacerbates this issue, reducing grass availability, impacting biodiversity, and posing a threat to livestock production. This project addresses these challenges through value chains derived from encroacher bushes, focusing on sustainable production, gender equality, and poverty alleviation.