CGIAR Initiative on Excellence in Agronomy

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/117888

Part of the CGIAR Action Area on Resilient Agrifood Systems

Primary CGIAR impact area: Poverty reduction, livelihoods and jobs

https://www.cgiar.org/initiative/11-excellence-in-agronomy-eia-solutions-for-agricultural-transformation/

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Recent Submissions

Now showing 1 - 20 of 647
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    Advisory services boost bean farming in Malawi
    (Brief, 2025-02-11) Chideya, Yohane; Magwaya, Eunice; Nkhata, Wilson; Rubyogo, Jean Claude; Moyo, Nobel; Madzonga, Oswin
    The Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) has made a significant impact on smallholder bean farming in Malawi, especially during the challenging 2023-24 cropping season, exacerbated by an El Niño-induced drought. Through innovative advisory services, AID-I facilitated the adoption of climate-smart practices, including drought-tolerant seeds and improved soil management techniques. The initiative has empowered farmers like Monica Levison and Liden Mbengo to overcome challenges and increase their yields. By focusing on seed multiplication, effective agronomic practices, and extensive training, AID-I has enhanced food production and resilience among smallholders. The project has trained over 11,000 farmers, with a notable percentage of women, driving community-level agricultural transformation. These efforts have not only improved crop yields but also sparked long-term economic growth, food security, and resilience in Malawi’s farming communities.
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    AgriTech4Kenya Innovation Challenge 2024: Bootcamp report
    (Report, 2024-11-25) Menza, Gianpiero; Khader, Taija; Wafullah, Nekesah
    The AgriTech4Kenya Innovation Challenge Bootcamp, held from November 25 to 29 2024 at the Brackenhurst Conference and Retreat Centre in Limuru, brought together 25 innovative early-stage projects representing diverse regions and priorities within the Agri-Tech sector. Over the course of four days, these innovators engaged with partners, explored Kenya’s Agri-Tech ecosystem, and refined their solutions through workshops, expert masterclasses, farm visit, and one-on-one mentoring sessions. The AgriTech4Kenya Innovation Challenge is powered by CGIAR Accelerate for Impact Platform, the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, and co-organized with the CGIAR Excellence in Agronomy Initiative and CGIAR Initiative on Nature-Positive Solutions and funded by the Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale. The initiative is implemented in partnership with Micro Enterprise Support Programme Trust (MESPT), Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA), AGRA, Agriculture Sector Network (ASNET), Daystar University, iTATU Mercy Corps, DOB Equity, Climate Resilient Africa Fund, Sustainable Agriculture Foundation (SAF)
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    Excellence in Agronomy: Contribution to Kenya fertilizer access & nutrient use efficiency programme
    (Presentation, 2024-01) Nkomo, Mandlenkosi; Kinyua, Michael; Mathu, Samuel
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    Monitoring report on fertilizer validation trials under the Kenya fertilizer access and nutrient use efficiency program
    (Report, 2024-11) Kinyua, Michael; Mathu, Samuel; Kihara, Job; Nkomo, Mandlenkosi
    The Excellency in Agronomy (EiA) initiative in collaboration with Africa Fertilizer Agribusiness Partnerships (AFAP), Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), President’s Economic Transformation Secretariat (PETS), University of Eldoret and the Ministry of Agriculture are conducting fertilizer validation trials in Nandi County of Kenya. The aim of the fertilizer validation exercise is to: 1) Establish what are the localized NPK fertilizer recommendation for maize 2) Assess maize response to application of lime 3) Increase maize yields and profitability by at least 20%. To achieve the above objectives, three fertilizer recommendations were identified/developed for validation: 1) Agwise recommendation: different rates of NPK (17:17:17) depending on the sub-County’s soil nutrient levels 2) Agwise recommendation + lime: NPK (17:17:17) + Lime guided by sub-County’s soil pH levels 3) Blanket recommendation: Ministry of Agriculture recommendation for the County applied in form of Di- ammonium phosphate (DAP).
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    Maize yield responsiveness and profitability of fertilizer: New survey evidence from six African countries
    (Journal Article, 2025-05) Ragasa, Catherine; Takeshima, Hiroyuki; Asante, Seth; Amare, Mulubrhan; Ma, Ning; Olanrewaju, Opeyemi; Duchoslav, Jan
    Enhancing maize productivity growth is pivotal for revolutionizing the agrifood system in Africa, with inorganic fertilizer serving as a fundamental input for catalyzing this progress. However, concerns are mounting about the low and decreasing yield response and profitability of inorganic fertilizer use, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study aims to refine yield response and profitability models by incorporating recent data from nationally representative and panel datasets spanning six countries. Most countries exhibited low nitrogen yield responsiveness (4–7 kg), while Ghana and Uganda showed higher responsiveness (15–20 kg) per additional 1 kg of nitrogen. Analysis of fertilizer-to-maize price ratios from 2010 to 2023 showed a downward trend, with spikes in 2022 in Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, and Tanzania. Overall, except for those years, the data suggest a trend of increasingly favorable price incentives for fertilizer use. Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda experienced declines in the fertilizer-to-maize price ratio. Increasing inorganic fertilizer use would be profitable in Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, and Uganda at current market prices, but not in Malawi or Tanzania. Subsidies in Malawi and Tanzania have boosted profitability, but these may not be necessary in Ghana, Nigeria, or Uganda, which already have favorable price incentives; Malawi could benefit by substantially reducing its 80 percent subsidy while maintaining decent price incentives and farm profits. The paper proposes policy options based on factors influencing yield responsiveness and potential improvements drawn from new modeling and synthesis of the literature.
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    Agronomy solution profile for mechanized direct seeded rice (mDSR)
    (Report, 2024-12) Excellence in Agronomy
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    Agronomy solution profile for planting data advisory tool in Bihar, India
    (Report, 2024-12) Excellence in Agronomy
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    Agronomy solution profile for ATAFI rice
    (Report, 2024-12) Excellence in Agronomy
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    Agronomy solution profile for GeoAgro Misr digital farmer support tool
    (Report, 2024-12) Excellence in Agronomy
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    Agronomy solution profile for smart Nkunganire system
    (Report, 2024-12) Excellence in Agronomy
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    Feasibility of biochar technology to support the sustainable intensification and decarbonization of cocoa production in West-Africa
    (Presentation, 2024) Pulleman, Mirjam; Hougni, Deo-Gratias; Rahn, Eric; Barrio, Julian; Coppus, Ruben; Nguyen, Thuy Thanh; Roobroeck, dries; Talsma, Tiffany
    Decarbonization represents a major challenge for global commodity value chains, including cocoa. As biochar is increasingly presented as an effective carbon removal technology, it has attracted the attention of the chocolate industry. Moreover, potential agronomic and environmental benefits of biochar production and its utilisation in tropical soils could contribute to sustainable intensification of cocoa cultivation. Yet, scaling of biochar technologies has not yet been observed. We therefore explored the technical and environmental feasibility of biochar production in the context of smallholder cocoa farming in Ivory Coast and Ghana, responsible for more than 60% of the global supply. We combined extensive literature review with expert interviews to inform a carbon accounting model. The model calculates a carbon balance associated with different scenarios of biochar production and incorporation in soil under cocoa cultivation, compared to a baseline representing current practices. Next, we synthesised practical challenges and opportunities for adoption and scaling, based on the same interviews. The carbon removal potential of biochar is fully realised only if its production is coupled with bioenergetic applications that displace GHG emissions from non-sustainably sourced energy. In the most plausible scenario, the woody pruned residues and cocoa pod husks are gasified in improved cookstoves yielding ~20% biochar. Largest uncertainties arose from the use of fossil fuel powered machines for feedstock crushing, biochar grinding, and transport from and to conversion site. Additional challenges for scaling include labour demand, feedstock availability, application rates, equipment reproducibility at local scale, and lack of proven yield response. Opportunities include biochar co-composting in nutrient deficient soils, and application of biochar to seedlings exposed to drought conditions (nursery and replanting) and in light-textured, acidic soils. The study highlights consolidated knowledge and priorities for further research. Low technology readiness for current cocoa farmers, further exacerbated by economic challenges, will need to be addressed for farmers and industry to benefit from the opportunities of biochar.
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