This study presents evidence of profound farm-level transformation in parts of sub-Saharan Africa, identifies major sources of dynamism in the sector, and proposes an updated typology of farms that reflects the evolving nature of African agriculture....

Agriculture holds special significance in Malawi, because most Malawian households depend primarily on this sector for income and food security. Therefore, legislation surrounding the agricultural sector, and the foundation it lays for the sector’s g...

In most low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), traditional markets represent the meeting of supply and demand for local food. They are the primary community locale that combines commerce, nutrition, social interaction, food safety and health. Last...

Approximately two billion people worldwide suffer deficiencies in at least one essential nutrient, and these deficiencies are major contributors to increased mortality, disabilities and impaired cognitive development.

Supporting agricultural interventions for youth requires a major increase in investment. The guidelines consider youth’s constraints, needs and aspirations to design investments, taking on board employment and empowerment in a holistic manner and in...

Health has been top of mind for most people around the globe during the last two years, as the Covid-19 pandemic upended daily life and critical systems. Beyond Covid-19, the world is facing a number of health crises exacerbated by poverty, including...

This paper describes the agricultural input sector in Ghana, compares farmers’ perception of fertilizer quality with those of input dealers, and analyses chemical tests of fertilizers performed in a laboratory. The fertilizers were sampled from selec...

Farmer-led irrigation is far more extensive in Zimbabwe than realised by planners and policymakers. This paper explores the pattern of farmer-led irrigation in neighbouring post-land reform smallholder resettlement sites in Zimbabwe’s Masvingo distri...

The implications of climate change for agricultural commercialisation – and the implications of agricultural commercialisation for climate change – are profound. On the one hand, agricultural production is, by nature, highly sensitive to climate chan...

Agricultural commercialisation has the potential to provide a number of beneficial outcomes, including higher incomes and living standards for smallholder farmers. However, for these outcomes to be achieved, commercialisation must be inclusive and br...

It is widely assumed that agricultural commercialisation leads to increased incomes and therefore better livelihood outcomes for farmers, including smallholders. But are the gains from commercial agriculture equitably distributed? Are there pathways...

Global maize production is worth billions of dollars annually and is key to global food security because it’s a staple food for billions of people. Most maize production relies on natural rainfall, making it vulnerable to changing rainfall patterns