When researchers from the gender team at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) met the team working on Maisha Makutano, an edutainment soap opera tackling challenging social themes from financial inclusion to reproductive health, there was plenty to talk about. As the production team was defining the social themes to highlight in the new series, ILRI researchers were trying to
By Libere Nkurunziza, Arlindo Matsinhe, and Myrtel Anne Valenzuela Mozambique’s irrigation systems hold great promise, but much of it remains untapped. Smallholder farmers often operate public irrigation schemes without the knowledge or resources to maintain them. Pumps fall into disrepair, canals become clogged, and rice productivity suffers. Weak administrative structures with limited financial transparency, and gaps in technical training make
By Bushra Humaira Sadaf Arsenic in rice has long been linked to contaminated irrigation water, especially in the dry-season Boro crop. But new research in Bangladesh which covers 943 sites shows that rainfed systems also play a role, and understanding this better can help shape safer, more sustainable rice production. The study recently done by IRRI and Cranfield University looked at three
Author: Katherine Nelson At New York Climate Week September 21-28, 2025, the World Economic Forum’s First Movers Coalition for Food convened a session featuring global leaders from the agrifood industry, finance sectors, and public institutions. The conversation focused on the urgent transition needed to build resilient, low-emission, and climate-smart food systems. Bringing together multiple perspectives, the session highlighted breakthrough financing
By Katrina Kosec October 14, 2025 The International Day of Rural Women (October 15) highlights the essential roles that rural women play in sustaining households, managing natural resources, and contributing to rural economies. Yet even as they participate extensively in agriculture and local organizations, women’s ability to influence the policies and institutions that shape their lives often remains limited. To design more equitable
By Danica Louise C. Sembrano In Nepal, where agriculture supports more than half of the population, having sustainable access to quality and well-adapted seeds before the cropping season begins can make a difference. Research shows that quality seeds alone can lead to a 20-30% increase in yields (Devkota and Shrestha, 2020). Yet for maize and wheat farming households in the
From September 29 to October 3, the Bioversity International-CIAT Alliance campus hosted the Korea-Latin America Food and Agriculture Cooperation Initiative (KoLFACI), a multilateral initiative that promotes innovation and technological collaboration between Korea, Latin America, and the Caribbean. KoLFACI’s mission is to transfer advanced agricultural technology from CIAT (Palmira) to Latin American countries, with financial support from the Korean government, promoting
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