Plantain is one of the major crops of smallholder farmers in Nigeria. It is produced both for food consumption in the households and for cash through its transformation into various products that are marketed. Using Humidtropics' integrated systems approach, a team of researchers from FARA and IITA is working with key actors in the Nigeria Action Site to improve the plantain value chain (i.e. to effectively deliver valuable plantain products to the market, and to customers). Using the Rapid Appraisal of Agricultural Innovation Systems (RAAIS) diagnostic tool, the four Innovation Platforms … [Read more...]
Constructing Typologies to Capture Farming Systems Diversity
For Humidtropics, scientists of the Plant Sciences Department of Wageningen University, The Netherlands, have been working on a guideline for constructing typologies for farming systems. The guideline aims to support researchers that need to capture the rich diversity of farming systems. Background Farming systems in the humid tropics exist across a wide variety of cultures and landscapes. The biophysical, institutional, social and economic drivers differ between contexts, resulting in different responses of farmers and communities between and within areas. In addition, farms are in … [Read more...]
Humidtropics Creates New Synergies around Innovation Platforms in Uganda
Following the launch of Humidtropics in Uganda in August 2013, two Innovation Platforms were established, one in Kiboga-Kyankwanzi and another in Mukono-Wakiso. Both Platforms bring together different actors: national facilitators from Makerere University and the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO), international research institutions, universities, local governments, international and local NGOs, farmer organizations and the private sector. These actors meet regularly to discuss the best way to implement the researchable entry points selected in their respective … [Read more...]