Grants for agricultural innovation are common but grant funds specifically targeted to smallholder farmers remain relatively rare. Nevertheless, they are receiving increasing recognition as a promising venue for agricultural innovation. They stimulate smallholders to experiment with improved practices, to become proactive and to engage with research and extension providers. The systematic review covered three modalities of disbursing these grants to smallholder farmers and their organisations: vouchers, competitive grants and farmer-led innovation support funds.
In developing regions with high levels of poverty and a dependence on climate sensitive agriculture, studies focusing on climate change adaptation, planning, and policy processes, have gained relative importance over the years. This study assesses the impact of farmer perceptions regarding climate change on the use of sustainable agricultural practices as an adaptation strategy in the Chinyanja Triangle, Southern Africa.
Climate variability and change threaten and impact negatively on biodiversity, agricultural sustainability, ecosystems, and economic and social structures – factors that are all vital for human resilience and wellbeing. To cope with these challenges, embracing sustainability in food production is therefore essential. Practising sustainable agriculture is one way of ensuring sustainability in pro-poor farming communities in low-income countries.
This study, evaluates the intervening influence of extension services on livelihood impacts of drought tolerant maize adoption and the potential mechanisms through which extension can enhance or reduce impact of drought tolerant maize using cross-sectional household level data from smallholder maize producers in Zimbabwe. Specifically, we examine whether access to agriculture extension services influences the relationship between livelihood outcomes and the adoption of drought-tolerant maize varieties in selected districts in the country
This study aims to contribute to literature on climate smart agriculture (CSA) scaling by identifying institutional and policy strategies that can help effect scaling of CSA practices in developing regions particularly SSA region. Increased adoption rates are more likely to enhance the overall impact of CSA innovations on productivity, food security, livelihoods and overall sustainability of agriculture. Furthermore, the study seeks to highlight and suggest possible approaches/strategies that the research and development community can adopt in taking CSA to scale.
This presentation sets out a future research agenda for research on agricultural extension and advisory services, under influence of sustainability transitions and disruptive technologies such as digital agriculture technology, and synthetic foods. For a recording of the presentation see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03V7zSD63pw
Innovation Platforms (IPs) are seen as a promising vehicle to foster a paradigm shift in agricultural research for development (AR4D). By facilitating interaction, negotiation and collective action between farmers, researchers and other stakeholders, IPs can contribute to more integrated, systemic innovation that is essential for achieving agricultural development impacts. However, successful implementation of IPs requires institutional change within AR4D establishments.
Rapid Appraisal of Agricultural Innovation Systems (RAAIS) is a peer-reviewed research for development tool that has been developed, tested and used in 18 countries across 3 continents.
RAAIS supports the identification and analysis of complex agricultural problems in agrifood systems. The joint assessment of problems and identification of innovations to overcome these problems with farmers, policymakers, private sector and other stakeholders provides a starting point for collective action towards achieving development outcomes and impact.