Knowledge Portal

This article describes the main messages of a panel discussion on youth employment in rural Africa. One of the important challenge for Africa will be to make the rural economy a place of opportunity for the young. According to the young Africans who attended the discussion, one of the reasons that this is not yet happening is the lack of investment. »

This letter discusses the connection between groundwater depletion and global food consumption. Recent hydrological modelling and Earth observations have located and quantified alarming rates of groundwater depletion worldwide. This depletion is primarily due to water withdrawals for irrigation, but its connection with the main driver of irrigation, global food consumption, has not yet been explored. The letter analyzes regional and crop-specific groundwater depletion data to identify areas of concern. »

This report provides an overview of a study conducted in the NENA region in 2015-2016 focusing on the features and characteristics of small-scale family farming. Defining policies to support small-scale family farming by fighting poverty in agricultural households cannot be reduced to intensifying farming or stock-breeding practices. »

This blog discusses stories of resilience, change and achievement emerging from the testimonies of women running their own households. A recent study shows that many of the “unattached” women in the sample rated themselves as strongly empowered by their experiences with running their households and with managing their own farms. »

This webinar by Agriculture Finance Support Facility’s (AgriFin) looks at the role of digital infrastructures in driving efficiency and sustainability in the agricultural value chain. It dives into issues that surround emerging innovations, capacity strengthening, and the enabling environment of mobile service banking. »

This article assessed the effect of using certified seed potato (CSP) on yield, input use, and food security among smallholder farmers. The recent development of rapid seed multiplication technique has helped to shorten the duration of CSP production and increase the supply of seed. Results indicate that use of CSP is associated with increased yields, sales, and hence income. In addition, users of CSP were less food insecure than their counterparts. »