News Overview

Small-scale irrigation drives the WEFE nexus. New tools in Pakistan, Mali, and Haiti show how balancing water, energy, and food ensures long-term sustainability.

Climate services across Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda are being scaled through the ECREA project by strengthening local advisory institutions, training extension officers and farmers, and expanding communication channels like radio, SMS platforms, and community groups.

Between 2024-2026 in Kagera, Tanzania, TARI, ACCELERATE and partners supported MAVUNO to pilot a grain trader-led seed model linking 921 farmers to improved groundnut seed and oil markets to boost adoption, productivity and reduce edible oil imports.

71.5 million African students are nourished by daily school meals. Home-grown school feeding (HGSF) programmes link these meals to smallholder farmers and local communities, yielding a ripple effect of increasing benefits.

The sixth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI-6), held from 16–19 February under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), marked an important milestone in the lead-up to COP17 in Yerevan, Armenia, under the theme “Taking Action for Nature.” SBI plays a critical role in reviewing progress, strengthening implementation, and addressing the operational dimensions of the Convention and its Protocols.

Crop insurance can help smallholder farmers in Africa and elsewhere manage climate risk and stabilize livelihoods in the face of droughts and extreme weather. · Although insurance has ​evolved to become more affordable, further innovation is needed to ensure high-quality products that cover farmers’ needs. · Scaling coverage requires better product design, farmer education, and links to credit and inputs and in some cases smart subsidies.

In Uganda’s bean-growing districts, the ECREA project is strengthening climate services by connecting meteorologists, researchers, extension agents and media to deliver localized advisories that help farmers make informed decisions.

This work demonstrates how mechanized rice straw composting and the 4R nutrient management principles can transform agricultural byproducts into high-value assets, significantly boosting farmer incomes while providing safe, organic produce for local school feeding programs in Vietnam.