OPINION: Investing in soil health key to closing the yield gaps
Even without climate change, there is an enormous challenge to meet the growing demand for food with the current status of soil health in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)
Keith Shepherd
Keith D Shepherd is a Principal Soil Scientist at World Agroforestry in Nairobi, Kenya & the CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems with 40 years' research experience in tropical land management
The role of biodiversity in agroforestry and other types of smallholder farming
The global supply and consumption of food has increased over the last 50 years. However, due to our focus on increased productivity, our access to diverse and healthy foods has radically reduced. Many people remain hungry and increasing numbers have micronutrient deficiencies.
The missing middle: how enabling environments will translate global commitments into local action
Delegates at Global Soil Week 2019 push for effective land governance, local governance structures, extension services, and finance and markets to ensure sustainable and climate resilient agriculture.
Agroforestry: Development underdog headed for center stage in global sustainability efforts
When trees and crops are successfully farmed together, agroforestry does provide a wealth of environmental, social and economic benefits.
Reasons for low uptake of climate change technologies
Originally published by SciDev Factors such as lack of funding for scale-up are impeding uptake of climate change tech, writes Elizabeth Mwangi. As the world grapples with rising food insecurity and greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and...
Technologies for land restoration showcased
With Africa lagging behind in efforts to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land, widespread use of innovative technologies is critical for success. Land degradation leads to declines in soil fertility and the loss of productivity and ecosystem...
Mushrooms for prosperity in Chin State
A mushroom research and training programme in Myanmar is aiming to lift farmers out of poverty, improve their diets and slow outward migration. Researchers from the Centre for Mountain Futures, a joint lab with World Agroforestry’s East and...
Restoring drylands and empowering farmers: lessons from the Drylands Development Programme
Successful land restoration needs human capacity, innovative technologies and mass participation. The countries of the Sahel Region of West Africa are vulnerable to the impact of large-scale environmental and land degradation, poor soil infertility, climate change, population...
Beating Famine turns its attention to the Sahel
Land is being restored in Africa’s dry Sahel region to ensure food security The semi-arid region known as the Sahel stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea between the Sahara Desert and the Sudanian Savannah. Most...
Trees nurture nutrition
The Food Tree and Crop Portfolio helps with the selection of food-tree species along with complementary vegetable, pulse and staple crops.
Mekong Expert Group on Agroforestry: impact on ASEAN
The Group brought together experts from ASEAN and beyond to provide critical input to key regional guiding documents The Mekong Expert Group on Agroforestry for Food and Nutrition Security, Sustainable Agriculture and Land Restoration was formed in early...
Fostering public-private partnerships to enhance smallholders’ resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa
The Upper Tana Nairobi Water Fund was showcased as a proven public-private partnership at the African Green Revolution Forum 2018 By Jonky Tenou The African Green Revolution Forum was the biggest held on the...
“We started as a hungry nation” but trees on farms are now key
Interview with Secretary Chhabilendra Roul of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, the powerhouse which coordinates research and education in 98 national institutes, 14 national research centres, including India’s Central Agroforestry Research Institute, and 73 agricultural universities....
Coming soon: ASEAN Guidelines for Agroforestry Development
The guidelines are expected to successfully overcome institutional hurdles and will eventually lead to the wider adoption of agroforestry in Southeast Asia. Institutional hurdles perpetuate a string of knotty, interconnected issues not only in the policy sphere...