Knowledge Portal

This article is addressing an action oriented research agenda towards the challenges that climate-change brings. The authors see a strong research-implementation gap, as the growing number of climate impact studies on crop yields, provides marginal increases in knowledge. Therefore, the authors call for the scientific agenda to turn its attention to practical options in the face of climate change. According to the authors, the new agenda will face four key challenges. »

This issue explores gender-based disparities in resource access and its contribution to uneven production levels between men and women. As farmers continue to develop methods of climate change adaptation, unequal access to resources could prevent women from adapting at the same pace as their male counterparts. Findings presented in the special issue demonstrate that providing women with engagement opportunities and adaptation resources will greatly reduce the variance in agricultural productivity between men and women, which currently range from four to 25 percent globally. »

This case study by USAID analyzes the extent to which dynamics between input suppliers and smallholders have changed in Zambia. This includes the extent to which input suppliers’ focus on smallholders as a viable market has persisted, reversed, or evolved, and what this means for smallholders; what external economic and policy factors supported or hindered smallholder input market growth; and what lessons policymakers and practitioners can draw from the evolution of the Zambian input supply sector over the past ten years. »

This article by Michael R. Carter, Sarah A. Janzen and Quentin Stoeffler suggests that insurance can help manage climate risk and food insecurity. If well-designed, insurance contracts can be implemented and priced at a reasonable level, despite the uncertainties that attend climate change. Evidence from the Index-Based Livestock Insurance (IBLI) index insurance project in the pastoral regions in East Africa suggest that practical difficulties can be overcome and that insurance can have the impacts that underlay the positive theoretical evaluation. »

This report by IPES-Food is about the changes that the agricultural sector should make to move towards a diversified agroecological system. This should stop the negative climate effects of the current industrial agriculture system. Input-intensive crop monocultures and industrial-scale feedlots are now dominate farming landscapes. The uniformity at the heart of these systems leads systematically to negative outcomes and vulnerabilities. »

This report recognizes the unique role of pastoral systems. It identifies the key challenges that pastoralism is facing. Its recommendations include enabling the mobility of pastoralists, strengthening the role of local pastoralist organizations, improving social services and market access for pastoral communities and strengthening security, tenure and title of customary lands, property rights and governance of grazing resources. »