Vegetable farming in the South Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is essential for food security and income. Vegetables are vital in the local diet, providing essential nutrition. However, vegetable farmers face numerous challenges in maintaining…
Eastern Africa
Rwanda’s farmers have long struggled to obtain quality lime to improve their soil for better crop productivity. The most common lime available was unprocessed, requiring large quantities – of between 2.5 and 4 metric tons (mt) per hectare, and…
Size matters in seeding success: Small packs drive market penetration for improved seed
Seed systems in the Great Lakes Region are still at the nascent stage, characterized by diversity in actors, and in production and distribution models.…
Discovering how Human-Centered Design (HCD) and User Research can help switch perspectives in Ethiopia
Location-specific and season-smart fertilizer recommendations for smallholder farmers are a prominent feature of innovative decision support tools (DSTs) currently being developed in the ICT4Ag space. In Ethiopia, a coalition of the CGIAR Excellence in Agronomy Initiative (EiA), GIZ-Ethiopia of…
Harnessing scaling partnerships in the Great Lakes region for large-scale impact
The USAID-funded “Great Lakes Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative Rapid Delivery Hub” (AID-I GLR) harnesses the partnership with innovations development actors, the private sector, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations to deliver agricultural and nutritional practices and technologies to hundred thousand…
How digital tools help tackle the most ravaging banana disease in Rwanda
Patrice Muhimbabwenge no longer has to uproot his entire banana plantation to address the threat posed by Banana Xanthomonas Wilt (BXW), the most notorious banana disease in Rwanda. This is a major shift from his usual practice prior to…
CGIAR collaborates with Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) to create Rwanda Soil Information Service
Effective and adequate fertilizer and amendment applications to soil produce a good yield within an integrated soil management approach in a sustainable manner. It is important to gather relevant information about soil properties, including soil types, soil fertility, nutrient…
Rwandan Farmers and Extension Agents commend IITA’s digital tools for sustainable banana production
Digital tools are gradually improving the reality of farmers and ground-level evidence is critical to support further development and scaling at various levels. Recently, farmers and farmer promoters (local extension agents) in Rwanda have expressed very positive sentiments about…