Ethiopia’s agricultural sector, which is dominated by smallscale, mixed crop, and livestock farming, is the mainstay of the country’s economy. It constitutes more than half the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP), generates more than 85 percent of the foreign exchange earnings, and employs about 80 percent of the population. Ethiopia’s...

The publication of this report will help move the discussions on agricultural mechanization from being on the banks to the mainstream of the debate on agricultural development in sub-Saharan Africa. Now is the “Time for a New Look” at agricultural mechanization in this region.

Tthese proceedings synthesise the deliberations of the iii world congress on conservation agriculture held in nairobi from 3 to 7 october 2005. the proceedings are published at a time when soaring food and energy prices have severely impacted on the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers and many more consumers....

Agricultural production remains the main source of livelihood for rural communities in Sub-Saharan Africa, providing employment to more than 60 percent of the population and contributing about 30 percent of gross domestic product. With likely long-term changes in rainfall patterns and shifting temperature zones, climate change is expected to significantly...

This study analyzes five marine protected areas (MPAs) in South Africa, which span three of the country’s four coastal provinces, namely, the Langebaan Lagoon MPA, the Maputaland MPA, the St Lucia MPA, the Tsitsikamma MPA and the Mkambati MPA. A biological, conservation-oriented fisheries science dominates the agendas of these MPAs....

Recent increases in the levels and volatility of food prices have created significant challenges to efforts to reduce levels of food insecurity both at national and household levels. As a result, significant political attention has been given to the promotion of improvements in food staples productivity in developing countries, both...

Discusses the Climate Change Adaptation in Africa program, which aims to establish a self-sustained African body of expertise on adaptation through capacity development and strengthening institutions.

This study discusses the social dimensions of MPAs in Tanzania, using the case of the Mafia Island Marine Park and the socioeconomic, political and cultural contexts within which Mafia people live their lives. Based on documentary surveys and interviews with residents of the island’s villages, national government officials, and the...

This Occasional Paper examines the role of agricultural mechanization in the agricultural and economic development of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The paper argues that in the light of global changes and challenges the time is ripe to reconsider the potential of mechanization and the priority that needs to be given to...

This report intends to provide key elements for answering these questions. Before starting the analysis, it is necessary to introduce the factors that have fuelled the adoption of certification in the banana industry and the main categories of schemes used.

Climate variability poses a severe threat to subsistence farmers in southern Africa. Two different approaches have emerged in recent years to address these threats: the use of seasonal precipitation forecasts for risk reduction (for example, choosing seed varieties that can perform well for expected rainfall conditions), and the use of...

Food insecurity and income poverty are rampant in Sub-Saharan Africa. Thirty-one percent of children under the age of five are malnourished and some 72 percent of the population lives on less than US$2 day. Forty-one percent lives on less than US$1 day. The impoverished and hungry are concentrated disproportionately in...

The Conference on Ecological Agriculture: Mitigating Climate Change, Providing Food Security and Self-Reliance for Rural Livelihoods in Africa was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 26-28 November 2008. It was organised by the African Union (AU), UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development...

This issue of Caravan describes some of ICARDA's work on climate change. It contains overviews of the key issues, and articles describing research in specific areas: for example, how genetic resources – landrace varieties, wild relatives, indigenous livestock breeds – can be used to make small-scale agriculture better adapted to...

Based on village surveys in diverse regions of Malawi, this paper explores the features of labor use in smallholder agricultural production in Malawi. Labor contracts found in the study villages were interrelated with the high risks in agricultural production and the problem of food deficit, and provided a means for...

 Agriculture is the basic economic activity of most African countries and the agriculture sector is essential for food and livelihood security and poverty alleviation. Over 75 percent of African population is rural composed of small scale holdings and family farming with a vast diversity of agroecosystems evolved over generations forming...

The Conference on Ecological Agriculture: Mitigating Climate Change, Providing Food Security and Self-Reliance for Rural Livelihoods in Africa was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 26-28 November 2008. It was organised by the African Union (AU), UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development...

This case study presents the status of conservation agriculture in Ghana. It is one in a series of eight case studies about conservation agriculture in Africa, which were developed within the framework of collaboration between CIRAD (French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development), FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the...

The study was carried out in four divisions of Rungwe District of the Southern Highlands of Tanzania to investigate the effect of market access on market orientation of smallholder dairy farmers. Multistage and simple random sampling techniques were employed in selecting 120 dairy farmers in villages across four divisions of...

This policy briefs elaborates on how Conservation agriculture (CA) can contribute to sustainable agriculture and rural development (SARD) by improving input use efficiency, increasing farm income, sustaining or increasing yields, and protecting the natural resource base. Recognizing that farmers must realize tangible livelihood benefits, CA is characterized by three interlinked principles:...