That is the purpose of the CGIAR Scaling for Impact (S4I) program, a global initiative that seeks to ensure that solutions developed by its centers and partners do not remain as pilots or isolated cases, but instead scale responsibly, considering not only technical feasibility but also the social, economic, institutional, and environmental factors that determine their long-term success. On August
In Malawi’s Machinga district, irrigation and the AID-I initiative are helping smallholder farmers transform once-idle land into productive bean farms, boosting yields, incomes, and climate resilience year-round. In the early morning light of Mdere, a quiet farming community tucked into Malawi’s southern Machinga district, rows of green bean plants stretch across what was once parched, underutilized land. Hanifa Kondwani walks between the rows with
When Mary – a smallholder farmer in Runyenjes – first heard about Gender Transformative Socio-Technical Innovation Bundles (GTSTIBs) she wasn’t sure what to expect. Farming has always been tough. The rain was unpredictable, seeds were costly, and others made most decisions about what to plant or sell in her household. Through the pilot program, Mary decided to try something new. She
The Clearinghouse Established 6 years ago, funded by the Gates Foundation in support of the African Development Bank (AfDB)’s TAAT (Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation) flagship program, the Clearinghouse has proved a very effective scaling mechanism to drive CGIAR technology scaling across 34 African countries. Second, the Clearinghouse has demonstrated its ability to leverage AfDB’s Agricultural Development Fund (ADF) grants
By Daniela Arce Gómez, Communications Coordinator, Climate Action Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) at the Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT, and regional communications focal point for the CGIAR Scaling for Impact program in LAC; Ana Carolina Rodríguez, Scaling Innovation Specialist (CIP–Peru); and Juan Sebastián Rivas, Senior Research Associate. In the world of agricultural research and food systems, there is
By Tamsin Zandstra and Derek Headey “A decade ago, many experts were skeptical about agriculture’s importance for nutrition, but the AReNA project really dispelled those concerns. AReNA showed us that the real prices of healthy foods vary enormously around the world and explain the massive nutritional inequalities we observe across countries; that there are huge opportunities to improve child nutrition through animal-sourced foods
In the rolling hills of Embu, a quiet revolution is taking root. For years, smallholder farmers—especially women and young people—have faced challenges including poor yields, changing climates, and limited market access. But something new is happening: farmers are not just receiving innovations, they are co-creating them. Welcome to the world of Gender Transformative Socio-Technical Innovation Bundles (GTSTIBs)—a mouthful, yes, but
La Montañita (literally “little mountain” in English) is one of the municipalities in the department of Caquetá, Colombia, where dual-purpose livestock farming is the predominant productive activity, and where many rural women have a very active role in it. Despite the sector’s relevance to the well-being of women and their households, women’s role in livestock production, and how these roles