This Quick Reference Guide complements the “Contract Farming Handbook – A Practical Guide for Linking Small-Scale Producers and Buyers through Business Model Innovation” of the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ). The GIZ methodology provides a hands-on and process-oriented approach for practitioners interested in upgrading existing or developing new contract farming schemes that are inclusive for small-scale producers and their farmer organisations.

The “Green Innovation Centres for the agriculture and food sector” (GIC) project, implemented by the GIZ, aims to enhance the agricultural value chains in various countries by promoting sustainable practices and innovations. The “Atingi”-platform, which was created as part of the project, can be seen as a knowledge hub that provides access to the various knowledge outputs of the initiative.

The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development cooperation (BMZ) commissioned the Global Project “Green Innovation Centers for the Food and Agriculture Sector” (GIC) to intensify measures to combat Post Harvest Losses (PHL). In this context, a study on the economic sustainability of post-harvest investments has been conducted in June 2023. The objective of this study is to provide an objective and economically differentiated analysis of investments targeting PHL in the selected partner countries.

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.