South Asia

This expert opinion states that if the world does not start acting now, the COVID-19 pandemic will results in increases of all forms of malnutrition. What to do: 1) Act now; 2) Maintain and increase essential nutrition programs; 3) Keep the supply of nutritious food moving; 4) Shore up incomes and food demand. »

This article states there are several hurdles to ensure sustainable seed production and consistent flow of improved legume varieties in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Diversification of seed sources by linking formal and informal seed systems is a fundamental tool to enhancing seed access to resource‐poor farmers especially those in remote areas. »

This paper states that quality seed is one of the first and foremost prerequisites for a healthy and vigorous crop and considered as an important factor for increasing crop yield. However, in Bangladesh resource-poor farmers have limited access to quality seeds. Without proper policy implementation for quality seed supply, it is very difficult to achieve food security and the sustainable development goals. »

This article examines the role of animal sourced foods (ASF) in stunting prevention and the effectiveness of programmes aiming to increase ASF consumption. A study across 46 countries find different patterns of consumption between regions and countries. Costs showed to be the biggest barrier of ASF consumption. »

The synthesis report reflects on the seed industry’s progress and the remaining challenges over this reporting period, against a changing global backdrop. The 2019 index demonstrates that seed companies continue to invest in providing access to seeds for smallholder farmers in index regions, through differing business models and approaches, providing increased evidence of their practices. »

This paper aims to explain finance innovations in a detailed way and generate insights on whether the services work as stated, create value for underserved customers, and ease age-old pain points in delivering financial services to underserved customers. Fintechs are innovating at every step of the financial services value chain, often through new value propositions. They are making financial services more affordable and accessible, are improving customere experience and accelerate use and engagement. »