Briefing

This briefing by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) highlights how small- and mediumscale farm models can outperform large-scale operations in terms of monetary return, food security, employment generation, local prosperity and avoiding land conflicts. With the right support, poorer households can develop market-oriented farming that contributes to local value chains at many levels. »

This info-note by CGIAR, USAID and FAO presents the results on the decrease in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by the Rwanda Dairy Competitiveness Program II (RDCP). It was estimated to have resulted in a strong decrease in the GHG emissions intensity of milk production. The increase in milk output was proportionally much larger than the associated increase in GHG emissions. This increase in the efficiency of dairy production systems was the basis for a transformation to more sustainable production patterns in intensive and extensive dairy systems. »

This policy briefing by IDS highlights the role of non-farm enterprise sector in the rural economy in Ghana. Non-farm enterprises have been viewed as one of the surest ways of reducing rural youth unemployment in the country. However, despite their potential, limited understanding of the diverse nature of the non-farm enterprise sector has led to policies that do not fully exploit its potential to reduce rural unemployment in Ghana. »

This brief by the CGIAR Research Program on Livestock and Fish introduces different streams of work to develop and test tools to assess the environmental impacts of livestock and fish production in developing countries. As demand for livestock products continues to grow, driven by rising population and dietary shifts, there is an urgent need to develop strategies to reduce the environmental footprints and GHG emission intensity from livestock. The first step in this process is to develop tools to estimate potential impacts of such strategies. »

This policy briefing by IDS focuses on the increasing of youth participation in livestock production in Kenya. Agriculture is a primary source of employment in Kenya. Most employment takes the form of smallholder crop and livestock farming, either as a main or supplementary livelihood activity. In recent years, youth have been found to prefer employment in non-farm livelihood activities to farming. »

This briefing by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) highlights how indigenous knowledge and practices play a crucial role in maintaining and enhancing genetic diversity, which reduces agricultural risk and increases resilience to climate change. Evidence from the SIFOR project (Smallholder Innovation for Resilience) in Kenya, India, China and Peru shows how these practices can significantly enhance productivity, incomes and resilience in harsh environments, contributing to the targets set out in Sustainable Development Goal 2. »