Category Archives: Value Chains

Africa RISING takes part in preseason agribusiness networking forum in Tamale, Ghana
AVRDC / Event / Ghana / IITA / ILRI / Knowledge and Information / MAIZECRP / Scaling / Value Chains / West Africa

Africa RISING takes part in preseason agribusiness networking forum in Tamale, Ghana

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Partners of the Africa RISING project in northern Ghana recently took part in the Annual Preseason Agribusiness Networking and Exhibition Forum. The event took place on 4 April in Ghana’s northern region capital of Tamale, bringing together about 300 participants including farmers, researchers, agro-input dealers, and service providers from the Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Savannah and North East regions. Continue reading →

Africa / CIMMYT / Crop-Livestock / Crops / Ethiopia / Extension / Fertilizer / Ghana / ICARDA / ICRISAT / IITA / ILRI / Impact Assessment / Intensification / Livestock / LIVESTOCKCRP / MAIZECRP / Mali / NRM / Report / Scaling / Tanzania / Value Chains / Zambia

Africa RISING Phase I—what it took, what it gave, our proudest achievements

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Through the voices of seven Africa RISING implementing partners from Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Mali, Tanzania and Zambia; we get insights about what it took to implement Africa RISING phase I in different contexts and countries, what the first phase of the program gave to the farmers and global knowledge community (outputs), and some of the partner’s proudest achievements from working in the project over the years. Continue reading →

Crop Residues / Crop-Livestock / East Africa / Field Day / IITA / ILRI / Intensification / Knowledge and Information / Scaling / Southern Africa / Tanzania / Value Chains

Lessons from Tanzania on the benefits of collaboration in Africa RISING

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Recent field visits in Tanzania shared experiences and strengthened project collaborations across the three Africa RISING projects (Ethiopian Highlands, East and Southern Africa, and West Africa). Kindu Mekonnen, chief scientist in the Africa RISING project in Ethiopia, reflects on the visits. Continue reading →

CIAT / CIMMYT / CIP / Crop-Livestock / East Africa / Ethiopia / Feeds / HUMIDTROPICS / ICARDA / ICRAF / ILRI / Intensification / IWMI / LIVESTOCKCRP / Report / Value Chains

Technology showcases in Africa RISING Phase II in Ethiopia

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During its first phase (2012-2016), the Africa Research in Sustainable Intensification for the Next Generation (Africa RISING) project in the Ethiopian highlands implemented various action-based on-farm research activities that align with the Ethiopian government priorities. A total of 22 action-related protocols alongside 11 explanatory protocols were identified and grouped under seven thematic areas. Feed and … Continue reading →

Capacity strengthening / CapDev / East Africa / Ethiopia / Extension / ILRI / MAIZECRP / Scaling / Value Chains

Toolkits developed to support Africa RISING partners’ capacities in Ethiopia

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The Africa RISING project in collaboration with the Capacity Development Unit of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), has  developed a scaling strategy and capacity development toolkits that will synthesize and integrate the project’s thinking and approaches to enhance the scaling up the capacity of its partners. Continue reading →

Africa / Brief / Gender / IITA / Intensification / MAIZECRP / Research / Scaling / Value Chains / Women

Africa RISING guidelines for capturing gender-sensitive stories in agricultural research and development

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Africa RISING has developed  guidelines for capturing gender-sensitive stories. The guidelines focus on gender-aware selection of sources, stories and visual material, the elimination of stereotypes and the use of fair language. Continue reading →

Event / IITA / Intensification / Legumes / MAIZECRP / Malawi / MSU / Nutrition / Southern Africa / Value Chains

Partners map out transition plans for Africa RISING-led Malawi INVC Bridging Activity Project

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On 29 – 30 June 2017, Integrating Nutrition in Value Chains (INVC) Bridging Activity Project partners met in Lilongwe to review implementation progress and discuss transition from the Bridging Activity to the Agricultural Diversification for Incomes and Nutrition (ADIN) Project. Continue reading →

East Africa / Ethiopia / HUMIDTROPICS / ILRI / Innovation Systems / Intensification / Participation / Research / Scaling / SLS / Value Chains

Africa RISING partnerships increase scaling out of agricultural technologies in Ethiopia

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The final innovation platform meetings in all four regions where Africa RISING is present in Ethiopia took place in June and July 2016. These meetings offer a chance to look back at some of the achievements, issues and questions around the project and its upscaling efforts. Experiences from the platform meetings show that promising scaling up activities are taking place with strong support from partners. Continue reading →

Brief / CIAT / East Africa / Ethiopia / HUMIDTROPICS / ILRI / Intensification / Potato / SLS / Value Chains

Demand-oriented production key to sustainable and effective potato value chains in Ethiopia

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A recent addition to the Ethiopian diet, the potato—unlike cereals—has a short crop cycle, and, therefore, could substantially improve the incomes and livelihoods of producers, traders and other actors in the potato value chain. However, the value chain is generally underdeveloped. Continue reading →

Brief / CIAT / East Africa / Ethiopia / Faba bean / HUMIDTROPICS / ILRI / Intensification / Legumes / Potato / Seeds / SLS / Value Chains / Wheat

Bringing wheat, potato and faba bean seeds to market in the Ethiopian Highlands

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In Ethiopia, seed systems for potato, wheat and faba beans are dominated by state entities, such as government bureaus and national, regional and locally-based research centres, local farmer cooperatives and cooperative unions. There are also some individual seed producers. An important function of research institutes is to produce and supply pre-basic and basic seeds. Continue reading →

Brief / CIAT / East Africa / Ethiopia / Faba bean / HUMIDTROPICS / ILRI / Intensification / SLS / Value Chains

Adding value in a changing world: Mechanizing small scale faba bean processing in Ethiopia

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Faba beans are a major pulse crop important in the Ethiopian diet. The bean is a major source of protein for urban and rural dwellers. Various traditional faba bean dishes such as ‘full’ and ‘shuro wot’ are eaten at breakfast and dinner. A common component of family diets, faba bean demand is high, potentially offering farmers a significant source of income. Continue reading →

Brief / CIAT / East Africa / Ethiopia / HUMIDTROPICS / ILRI / Intensification / Research / SLS / Value Chains / Wheat

Upgrading wheat grain quality along the value chain in Ethiopia

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Ethiopia is the second largest wheat producing country in Africa after South Africa. Wheat is a major grain crop grown for consumption and sale and demand for wheat quality products in Ethiopia is growing, particularly during fasting periods,creating opportunities for increased wheat production. Continue reading →

Africa / AfricaRice / East Africa / HUMIDTROPICS / Intensification / Research / Rice / Tanzania / Value Chains

More yields but less sales: Researchers seek solution to aroma preference conundrum in Tanzania’s rice sector

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Preference for aromatic rice by consumers is an open secret in the rice sector in Tanzania. But this preference for a distinct scent in rice could be a root cause of stagnating rice production in the country. Researchers from AfricaRice (through the Africa RISING project) in partnership with a local NGO, NAFAKA, have been implementing activities to find a middle ground for stakeholders involved in the rice value chain in Tanzania. Continue reading →

CIMMYT / HUMIDTROPICS / IFPRI / IITA / ILRI / India / Innovation Systems / Intensification / Research / South Asia / Trip Report / Value Chains

A photo trip report from the Africa RISING – CSISA cross learning exchange

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Technical leads of the Africa RISING project in West Africa, East and Southern Africa and Ethiopia took part in a cross learning exchange on sustainable intensification from 28 January to 4 February 2015. Continue reading →

Aflatoxins / Crops / East Africa / Food safety / Gender / HUMIDTROPICS / IITA / Intensification / Interview / Nutrition / Postharvest / Research / Tanzania / Value Chains

Securing the Future: The Story of Chacha Nyangi and how Africa RISING is mentoring the next generation of scientists

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Growing up in the remote village of Itiryo near the Kenya-Tanzania border, Chacha Nyangi could not have imagined his present life as a young Tanzanian scientist who is confronting the challenges facing smallholder farmers in the country and beyond. Continue reading →

Crops / Drylands / Food safety / Ghana / Humid Tropics / HUMIDTROPICS / ICRISAT / IITA / ILRI / Innovation Systems / Intensification / Mali / NRM / Research / Soils / Value Chains / Water / West Africa / Women

Call for MSc Candidates – Africa RISING Mali

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The Africa RISING program in Mali is looking to recruit two MSc Candidates from West Africa to join the team and contribute to ongoing activities. The program is currently working on establishing two research hubs (in Bougouni and Koutiala) in an effort to integrate multiple activities to achieve the overall objectives of the research program. Natural … Continue reading →

Crops / Drylands / Fertilizer / Humid Tropics / HUMIDTROPICS / IITA / Intensification / NRM / Soils / Southern Africa / Value Chains / Water / Zambia

Conservation agriculture is giving us more food and money: A Zambian farmer’s story

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Under the SIMLEZA-Africa RISING project, the implementation of conservation agriculture technologies is a key intervention. For just the past 2 years, the project has already seen positive outcomes on the practices and lives of its farmer-beneficiaries in its target communities in the Eastern Province of Zambia. Here we highlight one of our farmer ‘success stories’ who have been practicing CA technologies introduced in the country by the project. Continue reading →

CIAT / Crop-Livestock / Ethiopia / HUMIDTROPICS / Intensification / Value Chains

Africa RISING value chain report validation workshop underway in Ethiopia

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A two week value chain report validation workshop is underway at the ILRI campu in Addis Ababa. The workshop is jointly organized by CIAT and the Africa RISING project in Ethiopia. It aims to validate and finalize the value chain studies that were conducted earlier this year. Continue reading →

Africa / CIAT / Crop-Livestock / East Africa / Ethiopia / HUMIDTROPICS / Intensification / Value Chains

Africa RISING initiates market and value chain studies in Ethiopia

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Africa RISING’s research component (3) focuses on market value chains. The Ethiopia team working on these issues met this week to review the work plan for market and value chains in the project. They also discussed the tools to be used to collect relevant data and information. The team comprises staff from CIAT, ILRI, CIP, … Continue reading →