Young student researcher from Taita Taveta University - supported by the project led by the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT- AICCRA - are applying science to serve farmers in Machakos County through the ECREA project, linking research, learning, and community resilience against climate change. This is the experience in the student's own words.
In the streets of Addis Ababa or Butajira, food environments are filled with youth purchasing affordable snacks from small, informal vendors on the sidewalk. These vendors, just a few steps away from school gates or public transport hubs sell fried biscuits, chips, and other snacks that are easy to share with friends. You see young people often standing in groups after class; some pooling their pocket money to buy enough for everyone, ensuring no one is left out. Socializing and reinforcing friendships through sharing is a daily affair where big, individual meals are not always feasible, and where material scarcity is quite evident.
Meeting the agricultural challenges of today while preparing for the needs of tomorrow requires a constant expansion of the tools available to farmers. At the heart of this effort is the Future Seeds genebank, managed by the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, which serves as a global resource for identifying plant materials that can adapt to changing environments and production demands. By diversifying the options available to producers, it becomes possible to provide farmers with a wider range of options tailored to their land.
A learning exchange in Kenya inspired Ugandan farmers: by integrating a community seed bank, diversified farming, value addition activities and cultural pride, communities can build a sustainable future by cherishing their neglected and underutilized crops.
As climate uncertainty grows, so does the pressure on Nigeria’s farmers to make the right decisions at the right time. Nigeria is addressing this challenge through a public–private partnership approach that enhances the accuracy, accessibility, and timeliness of weather and climate information and an early warning system (EWS) for farmers.
In the fields of Kenya, smallholder farmers are reviving ancient, eco-intelligent pest control methods, blending traditional knowledge with nature to build safer, resilient food systems.
Popular TV show demonstrates the power of connecting weather data with farming decisions across Zambia.
In this post, we examine that challenge and propose a solution to enable a rapprochement between content producers and data-hungry AI developers: content licensing agreements.