One of the challenges to understanding the dynamics of agricultural systems has long been the fact that while many decisions are made at the individual farm household level, the landscape and market level consequences are more complex than a simple aggregation of those choices. My new paper in Food Policy journal, supported by Humidtropics, lays out an innovative modeling approach to better link local, landscape and market level processes. This is an example of the types of new approaches that Humidtropics is developing to better tackle the complexities of agricultural systems. ‘From … [Read more...]
High Demand for Livestock Intensification in Nicaragua
Demand for the commodities produced by farmers in Central America and the Caribbean is on the rise, potentially increasing availability of financial resources for the region's farmers. As more rural households improve their income by increased production and access to markets, there is a greater strain on the land, increasing demand to improve Natural Resource Management (NRM) and the need to aim towards production intensification. Livestock production holds a lot of potential for integrated forage systems and ecosystem services at farm level. The Quesungual Project has increased … [Read more...]
The Partnership Behind Uganda’s Fledgling Soybean Industry
One of the main bottlenecks to the development of Africa’s rural economy and agriculture sector is an often divergent agenda from the government, private sector, researchers and NGOs. Someone needs to “connect the dots†to enhance synergy, and avoid contradictory advice for farmers. East and Central Africa is facing many complex agricultural problems that no single actor can solve on their own. Researchers, farmers, policymakers, the private sector and development partners all provide a piece of the puzzle, whether this is a scientific innovation, a helpful policy, or access to a … [Read more...]