Knowledge Portal

This report (PDF) by CGIAR CCAFS explores evidence and insights from five case studies that have made significant recent progress in addressing the challenge of insuring poor smallholder farmers and pastoralists in the developing world. »

This paper (PDF) by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) introduces an applied framework, named the kaleidoscope model, to analyze drivers of change in the food security arena, with a specific emphasis on agriculture and nutrition policies. Focusing on five key elements of the policy cycle—agenda setting, design, adoption, implementation, and evaluation and reform—the »

At the Green week in Berlin a publication (PDF) was presented that explains how the EU’s common agricultural policy (CAP) meets the EU’s commitment to policy coherence for development, which aims to minimize problems for developing countries due to policies. The paper stresses that an effective policy coherence for development (PCD) agenda for food security »

The Africa Agriculture Status Report 2014 (PDF) presents a comprehensive overview of smallholder agriculture in Africa and addresses the ‘climate-smart agricultural’ (CSA) sector in the continent. The role of soil fertility and plant nutrition in strengthening the vigor of farming systems and make them less vulnerable to climate change is explicitly addressed in this report. »

This case study (PDF) by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) focuses on China’s ability to get ‘more crop per drop’ by improving agricultural water use. The case study identifies four factors driving improvements: Chinese decision-makers’ balancing of needs for water for food versus growth; institutional and policy reform; major government investment; and local technical, economic and regulatory programmes. »

In this article (PDF) by Pablo Tittonell, conceptual differences between sustainable and ecological intensification as used in research, development, policy and the industry are examined. Particular focus is on the balance between agriculture and nature. The study compares different discourses on models of intensification. »