More than 250 million Africans rely on the starchy root crop cassava (Manihot esculenta) as their staple source of calories. A typical cassava-based diet, however, provides less than 30% of the minimum daily requirement for protein and only 10%–20% of that for iron, zinc, and vitamin A. The BioCassava Plus (BC+) program has employed modern biotechnologies intended to improve the health of Africans through the development and delivery of genetically engineered cassava with increased nutrient (zinc, iron, protein, and vitamin A) levels.

The slow adoption of new agricultural technologies is an important factor in explaining persistent productivity deficits among smallholders in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Farmers delay in particular the uptake of technology packages. Since knowledge constraints are an important barrier to adoption, effective extension approaches are key. In recent decades, extension systems in many SSA countries have moved towards decentralized “bottom-up” models involving farmers as active stakeholders.

This document presents a proposed methodology for public expenditure review and analysis for climate change adaptation and mitigation in the agriculture sector (PERCC) and its application to a case study of Kenya. It starts by explaining the basic methodological concepts, classification and labelling of public expenditures that allow for calculating spending in agriculture related to climate change adaptation and mitigation.

This case study chronicles Uganda’s experiences developing a gender-responsive National Adaptation Plan for the Agricultural Sector (NAP-Ag) and related capacity development for gender-responsive planning, budgeting and policy formulation. 

Rising demand for agricultural commodities coupled with population growth, climate change, declining soil fertility, environmental degradation and rural poverty in the developing world call for strategies to sustainably intensify agricultural production. Sustainable intensification refers to increasing production from the same area of land while reducing its negative environmental consequences.

We examine the impact of ambiguous and contested land rights oninvestment and productivity in agriculture in Akwapim, Ghana. Weshow that individuals who hold powerful positions in a local politicalhierarchy have more secure tenure rights and that as a consequencethey invest more in land fertility and have substantially higher output.The intensity of investments on different plots cultivated by a givenindividual corresponds to that individual’s security of tenure overthose specific plots and, in turn, to the individual’s position in thepolitical hierarchy relevant to those specific plot

Given its superior importance of digital agricultural solutions to overcome challenges in agricultural activities, many of the solutions are in face of challenges to scale in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

This study explores one of the most important questions for alleviating poverty in sub-Saharan Africa, why are advancements in agricultural technology not taking root in this region? Using data from deep interviews of 42 small-scale farmers in Ghana and Cameroon, a conceptual analysis of drivers and factors of agricultural technology adoption in this region is made and represented as causal loop diagrams. Interviews also provide a basis for weighting factors that farmers consider before adopting a new technology.

This study examines the influence of farmers’ social capital on their decisions to deal with climate change and climate variability in Burkina Faso. The study is based on a household survey conducted among 450 households, randomly selected from three communities in Burkina Faso.

This study identified gender-based constraints affecting the production, processing and marketing of biofortified cassava in two states in Nigeria, using a mixed methods approach. The study identified major differences between the two study sites (Benue and Oyo). The scale of production of biofortified cassava is higher in Oyo state among adult men because of their active involvement and collaboration with research institutes within the state and the ease of transporting products to Lagos State for designated diverse markets.