Claire Brosnihan

New@paper « The potential of farmer training video for supporting agroecological vegetable production in Benin », is our newest paper in @Cogent Food & Agriculture, Volume 10 Issue 1, published online @today 30May2024. https://lnkd.in/gSTSPEhH. Vegetable farming is confronted with declining soil fertility, poor pest and disease management, and climate change. Agroecological farming offers a new paradigm of sustainable agri-food systems that counters these challenges. From August to December 2015, farmer training videos (FTVs) were sold to enable farmers to learn about agroecological techniques. In October 2022, we interviewed a sample of 180 vegetable farmers in four municipalities where the FTVs were sold, to find out which technical and organizational innovations were familiar to, and had been adopted by farmers. This study revealed that about seven years after FTVs were distributed, the proportion of conventional vegetable growers decreased from 95.5% to 51%, while agroecological vegetable growers increased from 4.5% to 30% and 19% of the famers started growing organic vegetables. Farmers were motivated to embrace sustainable vegetable methods for financial and health reasons. The study also showed how farmers’ association played a key role in creating favorable conditions for the development of sustainable (agroecological and/or organic) farming. The FTVs taught agroecological knowledge to farmers, many of whom were able to put these ideas into practice.   

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Food policy councils are growing in number and seem to have incredible potential as engines for grounded local #democracy, #resilience and #regeneration, by focusing on what truly sustains us - land/water, food and community, and ensuring equitable #wellbeing. This is happening this Thursday, October 24, 2024 from 2:00-3:15PM EST: "Food policy councils (FPCs) can play a vital role in addressing the severity of the climate crisis through advocacy, policy and planning, and narrative shifting efforts focused on climate mitigation and adaptation. The Food Policy Networks project at the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future invites you to join us to learn more about the relationship between climate change and the food system, how three FPCs are working to address climate change, and other strategies that you could employ with your FPC or organization. This webinar will also introduce attendees to a new resource, Shaping Policy for a Shifting Climate: The Role of Food Policy Councils, that offers strategies for FPCs to influence climate change policy and planning." https://lnkd.in/eVjgjwG9

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Africa faces severe food challenges; hunger and malnutrition, extreme weather, post-harvest losses, lack of access to financial services and many others. Our latest blog by Food Lead Claudia Piacenza explores how the power of networks could offer solutions to these challenges. Have a read here: https://lnkd.in/dwevGQjT cc: Thomas Caffrey Osvald, Nikita Waruguru, Priya Motupalli, Nico Janssen, Jolanda van Ginkel,  Lilian Mugure Githinji, Jonathan Said

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[Blog] Key Stakeholders and Experts Commit for Collective Vision on Draft National Agroecology Roadmap Sustainable agriculture plays a vital role in achieving long-term food and nutrition security, especially in the face of growing challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, degradation of natural resources, and concerns about human health. Agroecology is increasingly recognized as a key approach for transforming food systems by applying ecological principles to ensure the sustainable use of natural resources and the maintenance of essential ecosystem services. Defined as “an integrated approach that applies both ecological and social concepts to the design and management of food and agricultural systems,” agroecology is being acknowledged as a crucial driver for food systems transformation that contributes to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as various national and international commitments and priorities, such as the Paris Climate Agreement of 2015, National Agriculture Policy (NAP), Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), 16th Periodic Plan etc. In support to these goals, the initiative “Scaling up Agroecology in the Himalayas: Towards a Common Roadmap” has been launched. It is a joint international endeavor, aiming to facilitate the improvement of livelihoods and sustainability within the Himalayan region. The initiative contributes to the Indo-German Lighthouse Initiative on Agroecology and Sustainable Management of Natural Resources. It is financed by the Special Initiative ‘Transformation of Agricultural and Food Systems’ of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), which both are core partners of the initiative. World Future Council IFOAM - Organics International Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT CGIAR United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) #sustainability #agroecology #Roadmap #HAI #climateresilience #LuvOrganic #AgriculturePolicy #FoodPolicy #FarmersIncome #environmentalprotection Read full blog: https://lnkd.in/g-eSKd4h

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The Agroecology TPP Dialogues: Doing Science Differently Agroecology TPP (Transformative Partnership Platform on Agroecological Approaches to Building Resilience of Livelihoods and Landscapes) aims to foster transitions to more sustainable agricultural and food systems by accelerating and coordinating the actions of a range of institutions already working on agroecology across various scales, contexts, and locations. The first dialogue in this series focuses on Doing Science Differently. Date: Thursday, July 11, 2024 Time: 14:00 – 17:00 CEST Register here: https://lnkd.in/eU4ZdbRS #krishiupdates #onecgiar #digital #agriculture FAO | Agroecology Coalition | Agroecology Fund | IFOAM - Organics International

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🚜 Farmers across Europe are pushing back against policies they believe threaten their livelihoods, highlighting the need for policies that truly address the needs of rural communities.   🏡 "Rural proofed" policies can be used to tackle the challenges faced, which include: 🔹 Access to services such as healthcare and housing  🔹 Gaps in digital and physical infrastructure   🔹 Policies that fail to account for trends in migration and depopulation     🌱 Rural regions hold significant potential as innovation hubs, but the gap between urban and rural areas in many OECD countries is widening. =  This growing divide alongside rising levels of distrust in national governments fuels frustration and a sense of being left behind.     📊 The new OECD - OCDE report "𝗥𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 – 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗨𝗻𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲" provides actionable solutions to bridge this gap, including:    🔹Diversifying rural economies through investments in digital and physical connectivity and skills development. 🔹Unlocking opportunities in the green economy through innovation, niche markets, and sustainable practices. 🔹Ensuring rural policies reflect the realities of rural citizens and equip communities to handle future challenges.   Read the report 📖 https://oe.cd/5OW

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Agricultural extension and advisory services (EAS) already play a role in promoting climate change adaptation and mitigation, but there are additional roles they could play. The @USAID Enabling Farmers for Agricultural Transformation project reviewed and analyzed over 500 journal articles and other documents to determine: ✅ The current roles and functions played by EAS in climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts ✅ The challenges EAS face when it comes to effectively contributing to climate change adaptation and mitigation in agriculture ✅ Recommendations to enhance the contributions of EAS to climate change adaptation and mitigation https://lnkd.in/epxmMmh3

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Climate-Smart Agriculture Program – Small Grants Round 1 has now opened. Small Grants are for small-scale projects at the grassroots and community level that will support farmers and land holders to adopt sustainable agriculture best practices, as well as facilitate and implement practice change. The grants will improve management of our natural resources and increase sustainable on-farm productivity and resilience to climate change. The grants allow for a wide range of projects and initiatives, providing opportunities for information delivery and extension as well as scaling up of existing local initiatives. New or innovative, as well as tried and tested, climate-smart, sustainable agricultural practices are in scope. Intended outcomes: Outcome 1: Farmers, land holders and community groups have increased knowledge and skills in implementing best practice, locally applicable, climate-smart, sustainable agriculture approaches, including practices that conserve natural capital and biodiversity. Outcome 2: There is an increase in the number of farmers, land holders and/or communities that have adopted climate-smart, sustainable agriculture practices. The grant opportunity will also focus on strengthening First Nations engagement and participation in climate-smart, sustainable agriculture projects and initiatives. Grants valued between $10,000 and $100,000 ex GST Projects to be completed by November 2026 Applications close 7pm 4th June 2024 (WA time) for more information Current Grant Opportunity View - GO4745: GrantConnect (grants.gov.au)

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Day 3 of The Regional Agroecology Conference Today marked the final day of this eye opening series of discussions, presentations and knowledge sharing on aspects of #Agroecology it's relation to climate change mitigation and adaptation,it's position in local and regional agriculture policy, it's connection to indegenous knowledge systems etc. As agroecology is a new name for an old tradition, I'm compelled to share wisdom from a lady called Amai Jeche (pictured below. ) She stated that #traditional knowledge systems and practices often assist her as a rural farmer to predict rainfall patterns for a given season, where the meteorological department will issue blanket statements of guidance such as normal to above normal rainfall expected, time old practices of observing the behavior of nature often provides more detail. #She relayed: If bird nests by their local waterbodies are built low nearer to the water it indicates that there is likely to be little rain that season, however if nests are woven high above the water it indicates that there will be lots of rain and thus informs the planting decisions of the season. It bought to mind the importance of our indegenous knowledge systems, their importance in guiding decision making in tandem with nature and in preserving biodiversity through respected and often sacred guiding principles of use. Personally I'm of the view that documentation of traditional knowledge and folklore is key in avoiding loss of amazing knowledge systems often passed on via song, dance, and stories to ensure that age old wisdom is etched into time immemorial . The conference ended with a resolution of sorts to adhere to working on 9 key areas identified during the conference as detrimental to the success of the agroecology movement, namely : 1. Accelerating the implementation of the agroecology strategy 2. Investing in public financing of agroecology activities ( post SADC's presentation,this was ammended to investigating strategies for farmer led and CSO supported financing mechanisms) 3.  Capacity development of students, farmers, extension officers and stakeholders on agroecology practices. 4.Documentation and evidencing of best practices (creating a regional hub to share) 5. Supporting market access opportunities for agroecology products 6.Strengthening collaboration and partnerships 7. Prioritizing women, girls and youth 8. Supporting the various institutions doing agroecology 9.Product and technology development (organic fertilizers and biopesticides) Emmanuel Sackey Christopher Munguma ARIPO VSO CGIAR CIMMYT Academy #Agroecology #Climatechange mitigation #TraditionalKnowledge #Seedsovreignty #Biodiversity #suisgeneris #IntellectualProperty #GAP #meetjeche

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Both #COP15 & #COP16 are watershed moments for #biodiversity. As we move from international consensus on the urgency of biodiversity action, it’s now critical that governments step up with ambitious and comprehensive national biodiversity plans (#NBSAPs) with #agroecology as a central pillar. The peer to peer dialogues are already enriching the national planning discussions. Hope more people will hop on and contribute, along the journey to #Cali!

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Can Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) Truly Drive Rural Prosperity? The sustainability of FPOs is pivotal in empowering smallholder farmers and strengthening rural economies. But how can these collectives overcome systemic inequities and ensure consistent value delivery for their members? An article by Prof. Pratik Modi, Dean of the School of Management at BML Munjal University, and Prof. Rakesh Arrawatia from Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA), published in The Hindu businessline, explores a transformative solution—integrating FPOs with social enterprises. This approach fosters market-linked, scalable ecosystems that address sustainability challenges and unlock rural prosperity. This research underscores BMU’s commitment to driving innovation through actionable insights, bridging academic expertise with practical solutions to create sustainable growth and empower communities. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/g2a6JF6T #BMU #Research #SustainableFarming #FPOs #RuralEmpowerment #SocialEnterprises #TheHinduBusinessLine #ThoughtLeadership

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No Place for Farmers in Our Food Security Strategy: A Call for Rethink In our pursuit of food security, it seems we have forgotten the very foundation that makes it possible—our farmers. While consumer interests are often prioritized in policy decisions, ensuring affordability and availability of food, the farmer—the most critical stakeholder in this system—is being neglected. This is both politically and commercially convenient, but is it the right approach? The statistics are alarming. Over 10,000 farmers in India took their own lives in 2021 alone, and more than 85% of Indian farmers are smallholders with less than 2 hectares of land. The volatility in prices, mounting input costs, and erratic market policies are making agriculture an unsustainable occupation for millions. Despite contributing 16% to India's GDP, the agriculture sector receives disproportionate attention, while when it comes to investing in long term plans to make agriculture financially sustainable for farmers less than little is done. Moves to change import or export policies have led to widespread disruptions in the rural economy, benefiting traders and middlemen at the cost of the farmer. We're putting band-aids on consumer inflation, but in doing so, we're ignoring the long-term viability of our food producers. Our food security strategy needs to evolve to put farmers at the heart of it. We must ensure fair pricing, better access to technology, and efficient supply chains that benefit those growing the food, not just those consuming it. It's time we rethink and realign our priorities before we lose our farmers to a broken system. If we fail to secure their future, how can we hope to secure our food?

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Road to #COP29: Family Farmers’ Organizations to Define Future of #ClimateFinancing "There appears to be a growing consensus on the inextricable nature of food and climate. Few argue that we can solve the climate crisis with our present form of high input industrial agriculture. Agroecology is emerging as the most effective form of climate resilient agriculture; and farmer organizations, as landscape stewards and food producers, are increasingly perceived as essential to scale agroecology up and out. Through peer to peer learning, they work with their constituencies to shift farmer practice while holding governments accountable to climate-friendly food systems. And yet, in a troubling trend, when it comes to climate finance, they are woefully underfunded." https://lnkd.in/gxjF_G46

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🌱 💡New publication on the #EquityPrinciples in Agricultural Systems - a set of guidelines that can help donors, researchers, and implementers innovate and scale for positive social outcomes. 🌱 🌟 Agricultural Innovation Systems and Agricultural Research for Development tools often overlook key social theories. Our systematic exploration identifies critical gaps, aiming to enhance AIS and AR4D effectiveness in achieving the #SDGs. This work provides new #AIS theoretical insights and practical guidance for #AR4D practitioners. 📈 Equity Principles for Social Transformation: 1) Recognize AR4D Power Dynamics 2) Define Goals and Anti-Goals 3) Build Global “Horizontal” Partnerships 4) Acknowledge Social Differences among Innovation Users and Non-Users 5) Innovate and Curate Innovation Appropriately 6) Assess Impact and Reflect 7) Develop Inclusive Systems Capacity ➡ Huge congrats to my brilliant co-authors: Eva Valencia, MAHA Al-ZU'BI, Ph.D., María Boa, Giang Luu Thi Thu, and Janelle Sylvester. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the CGIAR Independent Advisory and Evaluation Service (IAES) for their funding and support of this work. We also thank USAID and CGIAR or their reflective contributions on their own innovation and scaling systems. Additionally, we appreciate the many colleagues who reviewed the #EquityPrinciples. **Stay tuned for webinar and information products to integrate these into your institutions and research.** For now, if you're interested in engaging with #EquityPrinciples, sign-up here: https://lnkd.in/efn57kff #SDGs #InnovationImpact #InnovationEquity #ScalingEquity #ResponsibleResearch

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🚀 Exciting Opportunity! 🚀 The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) on behalf of the CGIAR Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Impact Area Platform which it hosts, seeks to engage the services of an individual consultant or a group of researchers affiliated to an institution to synthesize scientific knowledge on various aspects of climate change and agri-food systems through thematic meta-reviews. A total of four to six such reviews will be commissioned. Each thematic review will focus on a critical area within agri-food systems, namely: 🌍 Overall impacts of climate change on agri-food systems on the entire value chain (from production to consumption) 🌾 Adaptation to droughts, floods, pests and diseases in the context of agriculture and agri-food systems 🌳 Mitigation and low emissions pathways in the agri-food sector and, ⚖️Just transitions in agri-food systems Expertise Required: ➤ Proven track record in conducting systematic reviews and meta-analyses, with publications ➤ Experience in assessing climate change adaptation and mitigation in agri-food systems ➤ Expertise in defining resilience just transitions, and social dimensions of agriculture ➤ Transdisciplinary teams including members from academia, non-academia, and with multiple disciplines are highly desirable Apply on or before August 19th! For more details and how to apply, check out the comprehensive information here: https://lnkd.in/g7Ke3yKK #ClimateChange #AgriFoodSystems #ResearchOpportunity #CGIAR #ClimateImpact #Consultancy

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I wanted to highlight the recent report on Hunger Hotspots | June to October 2024 Outlook According to the latest Hunger Hotspots report acute food insecurity is set to worsen in 18 hunger hotspots  from June to October 2024, with urgent action needed to prevent escalation and deterioration of acute food insecurity! Increasing outbreaks of conflict, extreme weather events and economic downturns will continue to push already vulnerable people into hunger, if appropriate action is not taken. Urgent action is required in the hotspots where starvation is a major threat such as in Sudan and South Sudan where we also see large scale forced displacement. #Climate, #Refugees, #Conflict https://lnkd.in/e98nDVan

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We need more funding and finance for agroecological food systems. Public climate finance should be contributing, but current levels are marginal (1.5%!). Rosinah Mbenya and I make the case for new funds for farmer organisations to support a shift to #agroecology, adapt to climate change, and implement solutions to phase out fossil fuels.

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🍅 New report: Holistic interventions for food, climate, and biodiversity🌿 Policy processes for achieving climate and biodiversity goals have historically operated in silos. Going forward, policymakers must capitalize on holistic policy interventions in agriculture and food systems to address the climate and biodiversity crises in tandem.     A new policy paper – “Biodiversity and Climate Action in Agriculture and Food Systems: Opportunities for Building Synergies” outlines opportunities for aligning these efforts, including a range of synergistic policy interventions needed to transform food systems for climate and biodiversity, including:    ➡️ Shifting to nature-positive food production – which uses natural resources in a regenerative, non-depleting, non-destructive manner.     ➡️ Ensuring sustainable governance of ecosystem services in both land and seascapes – including natural ecosystems and those dedicated to food production.    ➡️ Restoring terrestrial, aquatic, and marine ecosystems – such as agricultural lands, forests, wetlands, or mangroves.    ➡️ Reducing food loss and waste, which can save natural resources and alleviate pressure on ecosystems from food production as well as enhance food security.    ➡️ Shifting to sustainable and healthy diets that are underpinned by sustainable and diversified food production adapted to local ecosystems and sociocultural contexts.     ➡️ Fostering inclusive and equitable food systems governance. Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/e-t5xmpN WWF, Biodiversity Credit Alliance, Global Alliance for the Future of Food, Agroecology Coalition, Biovision Foundation haseeb bakhtary Anna Rynearson Ivan Palmegiani María José Rodezno Ayestas Georg Hahn #Biodiversity #ClimateAction #FoodSystems #FutureofFood    

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 New research found "the adoption of agroecological practices led to a significant improvement in farmers' net revenue and yield, and farmers that did not adopt any of the practices would have been better off if they had adopted them." We see this come to fruition with many grantee partners across the world, so we don't need studies to show us what's possible, but for funders who want to see "evidence" and "Impact" these studies will hopefully inspire and encourage deeper investments in #agroecology as climate, nutrition, and economic solutions. If you're a funder interested in exploring a conversation about how your investments can help create true #foodsystems transformation, please get in touch. https://lnkd.in/gZ-5ateb

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