In 2016, Victoria Mwafulirwa took her first steps into Malawi’s small-scale agrifood processing landscape. Her venture, Homes Industries, began almost by accident in the northern district of Karonga. After completing a lucrative catering contract with a local company, Mwafulirwa shifted her focus to producing groundnut flour, seizing a market opportunity that has since blossomed into a beacon of hope for thousands
Methane (CH4) is a super pollutant gas that is roughly 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO2) over a 20-year period, making it a major contributor to global warming. However, unlike CO2 (which can remain in the atmosphere for centuries) methane only remains for approximately a decade. This means that cutting methane emissions offers the quickest and most impactful
Scientific collaboration and innovation informed the UN Convention on Biological Diversity Conference of the Parties in Cali, Colombia, October 2024. Cali is still humming with purpose after 15 days of intense discussions on the future of biodiversity. For two weeks, the streets teemed with diplomats, scientists, and advocates from all corners of the world, each making their way to
As Northern Ghana faces the severe impacts of prolonged droughts exacerbated by climate change, the adoption of climate-resilient agricultural strategies has become critical for sustainable farming. The Alliance and the Industrial Research’s Crops Research Institute (CSIR-CRI) are implementing the smart soils and production component of the Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR’s Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) project in five communities in
Participatory video is a technique that puts cameras in the hands of farmers. Researchers Melissa Bonilla, Maria Delfine, Charles Mwizerwa, Rhys Manners and Anna Muller share how this approach can provide insights for more inclusive agriculture. What do Rwanda’s picturesque landscapes look like to the farmers who grow maize, beans and potatoes there? What do they focus on when deciding
As part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a partnership between the Ethiopian Government, CGIAR centers and national and international universities bore fruit, leading to the creation of a digital platform to address the challenges faced by Ethiopia’s seed system. The Ethio-Seed Hub Platform aims to improve the exchange of seed-related information, connecting seed producers with seed consumers in
Strengthening livestock production in the tropics and subtropics involves much more than just technical improvements and environmental considerations. Our recently published paper on “Leveraging Gender, Youth, and Social Networks for Inclusive and Transformative Livestock Production” delves into the social dynamics that shape these systems, underscoring how addressing gender roles, youth participation, and social networks can lead to livestock production systems
Climate resilience is a vital pillar of sustainable development, especially in regions where communities rely on rainfed agriculture and pastoralism, such as the Turkana and West Pokot counties of Kenya. Resilience includes the capacity of communities, ecosystems, and economies to recover from the adverse effects of climate-related shocks in a timely and effective manner. By strengthening climate resilience, we not