Humidtropics, a CGIAR Research Program led by IITA

Integrated Systems Research is Changing Lives and Landscapes in Ethiopia

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For many years, Teklu Erkossa, a Humidtropics Researcher from IWMI, has been doing research on land and water resources in Ethiopia, a country where agricultural productivity is suffering from water scarcity and land degradation. "In addition, the soils often have quite particular water-related characteristics that are unsuitable for many traditional crops. As a result, we have been exploring alternative cropping options to restore and preserve highly degraded areas in the country. Our platform-driven research project has demonstrated that using Innovation Platform approaches is an … [Read more...]

Opportunities and Challenges for Multi-Stakeholder Platforms in Agricultural Research for Development

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Why multi-stakeholder platforms? Within Humidtropics, multi-stakeholder approaches play an important role towards achieving research for development outcomes. Multi-stakeholder platforms aim to foster technological and institutional innovation by facilitating continuous interaction and collaboration in networks of farmers, extension officers, policymakers, researchers and other relevant stakeholders in the agricultural system. In doing so, they are seen as a promising vehicle to stimulate collective action to address soil fertility, climate change, nutrition and other agricultural … [Read more...]

Youth, an Engine of Growth for Sustainable Development in DRC

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As part of the integration of their research for development (R4D) activities, IITA-Kalambo and the Catholic Archdiocese of Bukavu in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have initiated a joint program to pursue agricultural R4D to improve the livelihoods of farmers. Implemented under the framework of Humidtropics, the program involves women and youth in agricultural research, capacity development and Farmer Field Schools. The Archdiocese has made land available to establish R4D farm trials, using them as a basis for training women farmers and youth in different agricultural enterprises with … [Read more...]