Strengthening agrifood systems through Living Labs: An overview of approaches across the Global South

Living Labs have emerged as a promising approach to respond to wicked problems in agrifood systems. Notwithstanding the Western origins of the concept and the elevated number of Living Labs documented in Europe, the approach has emerged as critical to strengthening the socioeconomic resilience of Global South countries. Furthermore, its multistakeholder nature and cocreation principles make it a viable approach for the identification of locally-led solutions to contextual challenges. This study contributes to the existing Living Lab literature through an overview of different implementation approaches across the Global South. Drawing from the perspectives of researchers and practitioners, it aims to understand how the Living Lab approach is operationalized and to what extent implementers consider it effective at addressing emerging agrifood systems challenges in their respective countries or regions of intervention. Specifically, it enquires on the contribution of the Living Lab approach to the research infrastructure by looking at how stakeholders’ agency; data management; gender equality, youth, and social inclusion (GEYSI); and climate resilience are embedded, emergent, or absent within their operational logic. We use a mixed-methods approach that combines an online survey and semi-structured interviews with 14 participants working under seven different projects implementing a Living Lab approach or a closely related approach. For every project, we sampled one participant representing the overall project coordination perspective and another involved in the coordination of activities at country/regional level. Our findings show great diversity in implementation approaches both across our sample of projects and within the same projects. This diversity can be attributed to a range of factors, including funders’ orientation, the field of expertise of the leading organization, and implementers’ reinterpretation of the Living Lab approach. In alignment with other review of approaches in the Living Lab literature, this diversity provides evidence for the high adaptability of the Living Lab approach to a wide variety of settings and objectives. The following findings are reported on the different areas of focus of our study: • Stakeholder agencies: The involvement of different stakeholder groups varies between and within projects. The process of cocreation emerges as characterized by iterations between scientific and local knowledge, although stakeholders’ input varies significantly across the sample. Only some projects implement a specific governance approach in their Living Lab, while the possibility to minimize power imbalances within the group of stakeholders is generally considered difficult to achieve. • Data management: Most participants agree about the usefulness of data collected through a Living Lab for the communities, although data collection and sharing approaches differ significantly between projects. Some participants consider access to data as more critical compared to stakeholders’ direct involvement in the process of data collection and highlight the need for knowledge sharing platforms allowing circulation of knowledge and experiences across scales within (or beyond) the region of intervention. • Climate resilience and adaptation: Climate is considered an important concern within most projects. The unavailability of resources to track and monitor the effects of climate-smart innovations is highlighted as a challenge. It is also argued that the effectiveness of a Living Lab approach at strengthening communities’ resilience and adaptation to climate change is contingent on stakeholders’ commitment to the cause and on the priority attributed to climate objectives over other areas of focus. • GEYSI: Similarly, stakeholders’ different sensitivity towards gender equality, youth, and social inclusion influences the identification of objectives and implementation of activities. However, various participants consider the Living Lab approach as more effective at including views of marginal groups compared to other approaches used to inform agrifood systems’ interventions. • Advantages and challenges of a Living Lab approach: Overall, the multistakeholder and inclusive nature of Living Labs are highlighted as main strengths, while effectively mobilizing stakeholders and working under strict donor-funded projects are considered a challenge. While the range of implementation approaches documented in this overview does not allow for a unique characterization of Living Labs across the Global South, the experiences of implementers suggest that, within the framework of agricultural research for development, the Living Lab approach can effectively contribute to making the research infrastructure fairer and closer to the communities. We conclude by providing a few considerations derived from our participants’ experience that can offer some useful insights into a more sustainable and inclusive implementation of the approach, namely: (1) ensuring a Living Lab’s long-term sustainability; (2) discussing governance from the outset; (3) including marginalized groups in decision-making processes; and (4) the need for an inclusive, collaborative, and accessible knowledge sharing system.60 page

Maximum likelihood sampling properties of the estimator of the Smith selection index vector of coefficients

The main Smith selection index objective is to predict the unobservable plant net genetic merit ((Formula presented.)). When the phenotypic ((Formula presented.)) and genotypic ((Formula presented.)) covariance matrices are estimated, the estimator of this index ((Formula presented.)) is the best predictor of (Formula presented.) only if the estimator of its vector of coefficients (Formula presented.) ((Formula presented.)) is unbiased with minimum variance. The expectation and variance of (Formula presented.) provide an idea of the likely loss of (Formula presented.) efficiency but those have been an old unsolved problem till now. Assuming that the vector of phenotypic mean values and (Formula presented.) have joint multivariate normal distribution, we derived the maximum likelihood estimator (MLE) of (Formula presented.) when (Formula presented.) is known ((Formula presented.)) and when matrix (Formula presented.) ((Formula presented.)) is an MLE of (Formula presented.). We used the observed Fisher information matrix and the law of total expectation and total variance to show that (Formula presented.) is a minimum variance unbiased estimator, and we constructed confidence intervals for (Formula presented.) using the Bonferroni correction for (Formula presented.) and (Formula presented.). Using statistical hypothesis tests, we compared (Formula presented.) versus (Formula presented.) and their variances, var ((Formula presented.)) versus var ((Formula presented.)), assuming that (Formula presented.) and var ((Formula presented.)) are known. Since the estimator of the index variance ((Formula presented.)) and the prediction error variance ((Formula presented.)) depend on (Formula presented.) or (Formula presented.), and the variance of (Formula presented.) ((Formula presented.)) depends on (Formula presented.) or (Formula presented.), we compared the estimators of (Formula presented.), (Formula presented.), and (Formula presented.) for both cases using statistical hypothesis tests. We did not find significant differences. Therefore, the sampling properties of (Formula presented.) remain the sampling properties of (Formula presented.)

Soil fertility matters most: Rainfed maize productivity under integrated water and nutrient management on granitic sands in sub-humid Zimbabwe

Agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) faces the dual challenge of increasing food production while minimizing environmental degradation. Declining rainfed cereal yields are largely attributed to soil degradation, poor fertility management, and drought-related water deficits. While soil fertility and water conservation have traditionally been studied separately, integrated approaches may offer more sustainable solutions. This study evaluated the effects of water and fertility management practices on maize grain yield, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and volumetric soil moisture content at Domboshawa Training Centre, Zimbabwe, across multiple seasons. A split-plot design tested four tillage systems and four fertility regimes, replicated four times. Seasonal water availability was assessed using the Water Requirement Satisfaction Index (WRSI), where values above 50 % indicate sufficient moisture for maize growth. WRSI values ranged from 38 % to 69 %, with the highest rainfall and crop performance in the 2011/12 season. NDVI values peaked at 0.6 in the 2015/16 season, also higher under treatments combining water management with manure + basal fertiliser, compared to other fertility options. Tied ridging significantly increased topsoil moisture by 36.5 % in 2013/14 season, though these moisture gains did not translate into higher yields. Grain yield was significantly influenced by fertility regime and seasonal rainfall, but not by water conservation practices. Peak yields reached 4.6 t ha−1 in 2013/14, with manure + basal fertiliser averaging 4.3 t ha−1. Findings suggest that in sub-humid environments with 600–800 mm annual rainfall, integrating organic and inorganic fertility inputs, should be prioritized over water management interventions to sustainably improve maize productivity

Historical trends reveal significant increase in hot-dry extremes in Mexico’s Bajío region

This study provides a first-of-its-kind comprehensive analysis of temperature and precipitation extreme trends in the Bajío region of Mexico over the past four decades, utilizing high spatial resolution reanalysis data. Our findings reveal a compelling and consistent warming trend, characterized by a significant increase in warm days, warm nights, warm spell duration, and summer days, alongside a notable decrease in cold extremes. This widespread warming has profound implications for agricultural sustainability, primarily through increased heat stress and evapotranspiration. In contrast, precipitation trends exhibit a complex and spatially variable picture, with a predominant decrease in intense 5-day precipitation, consecutive wet days, and total wet-day precipitation, while 1-day extremes and the frequency of heavy rainfall days show more mixed or stable patterns. The exploration of a large set of global drivers provides a broader context for understanding these regional changes. Despite some limitations, such as potentially unbalanced data in composite analysis and the masking of certain extremes by reanalysis data, this research is crucial for understanding regional climate impacts and informing future studies. The observed shifts necessitate targeted adaptation strategies for water resource management and agricultural planning to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Bajío region

Determinants of modern agricultural machinery adoption in Northern Bangladesh: A multivariate probit analysis

Farm mechanization is expanding in Bangladesh, yet smallholders continue to face constraints such as fragmented landholdings, high machinery costs, limited access to custom hiring services, and insufficient training. This study examines these challenges using secondary data from 5053 households in the Eastern Gangetic Plains collected under the Sustainable and Resilient Farming Systems Intensification project. Although the dataset emphasizes conservation agriculture and contains few machine-specific variables, it remains appropriate for assessing technology adoption in smallholder systems. A subsample of 1761 farmers from Rajshahi and Rangpur districts of Bangladesh was analyzed to assess the joint adoption of four modern machines: the rotavator, laser land leveler, happy seeder, and combine harvester. Unlike studies that consider single technologies, this research investigates how farmers' adoption decisions interact. The descriptive statistics reveal that 56.8 % of households adopted the rotavator, whereas adoption of the other machines remained below 2.5 %. Multivariate Probit model identified that household size, family labor, off-farm income, machinery ownership, and institutional support generally encouraged adoption, while age, education, and limited familiarity with machinery reduced uptake for some technologies. Correlation results reveal both complementarities and substitution among machines. The findings underscore the need for targeted financial support, training, custom hiring services, and awareness programs to promote inclusive, region-appropriate mechanization. The study adds new empirical evidence by jointly analyzing multiple mechanization choices and clarifying the behavioral and structural conditions needed for sustainable agricultural intensification in smallholder systems

Integrating legumes to enhance cereal production: The relative inputs of fertiliser nitrogen and legume biological nitrogen fixation in major wheat and maize producing countries

Background: Cereal crops dominate arable agriculture and underpin global food supply. Cereal grain yield is closely related to crop nitrogen (N) uptake. However, excessive inputs of N fertiliser in cereal production systems can have negative environmental consequences and represent high financial risk for farmers. Scope: This review explores opportunities to reduce the current reliance of the global staples, wheat (Triticum aestivum) and maize (Zea mays), on N fertiliser by diversifying cereal-based cropping systems with legumes, in both time (rotation) and space (via intercropping). Increases in cereal grain yield and N uptake resulting from the inclusion of legumes in wheat and maize cropping systems are examined across different geographic regions. The role of grain legumes and legume-based forages, cover-crops and green manures is described for the 15 countries responsible for producing > 70% of the world’s wheat and maize and consuming > 80% of the global applications of N fertiliser to these two cereals. Estimates of the contributions from biological N2 fixation and legume residual N to cropping soils are provided for individual countries and compared to the N offtake in wheat and maize grain and the quantities of N fertiliser applied. The potential increased area of legumes required for the returns of legume N to match the current amounts of N removed in grain or supplied as fertiliser is assessed for each country, and the strategies that might be necessary to encourage farmers to increase the frequency of legumes used in cereal-dominated cropping systems are outlined

Soil carbon and nitrogen emissions under farmer managed conservation agriculture in Zimbabwe

Worldwide agriculture operates under the threefold challenge of adapting to climate change and mitigating its effects while aiming for sustainable agricultural intensification to meet the food demands of a growing population. Conservation agriculture (CA), a combination of reduced tillage, diversified crop rotations, and mulching, claims to target all three challenges at the same time. However, major knowledge gaps regarding CA’s mitigation potential remain. This study used a mobile, closed chamber system to determine soilborne, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from rainfed, farmer-managed CA- and conventional agriculture (CONV), in northern Zimbabwe. Measurements were carried out in locations of contrasting soil fertility (Arenosols and Luvisols) and under contrasting environmental conditions (cold-dry, cold-moist, warm-dry, warm-moist). Additionally, a horizon-specific soil fractionation with consecutive soil carbon and nitrogen quantification was conducted. The GHG emissions from a total of 8 farms depended on soil temperature and moisture and tended to be higher in CONV fields, although differences were statistically not significant. Field emissions were highest under warm-moist conditions, which are prevailing for large parts of the growing season. Mean carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Luvisols were 3.0% lower in CA fields (583 mg CO2 m2 h−1) than under CONV (601 mg CO2 m2 h−1), respectively 7.6% lower in CA fields (464 mg CO2 m2 h−1) than under CONV (502 mg CO2 m2 h−1) in Arenosols. Conservation agriculture reduced mean nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions by 17.5% from 0.27 mg N2O m2 h−1 (CONV) to 0.23 mg N2O m2 h−1 (CA) in Luvisols and by 54.7% from 1.16 mg N2O m2 h−1 (CONV) to 0.53 mg N2O m2 h−1 (CA) in Arenosols. The upper soil horizons of Luvisols had higher concentrations of particulate- and mineral-associated organic matter compared with Arenosols and lower soil horizons but no differences were noted between management systems. Our data indicate that the mitigation effects of CA are highly site-specific and that CA management practices can have unexpected negative effects on GHG fluxes. The unimodal rainfall distribution with a long dry winter period of 7 months and recurrent dry spells in northern Zimbabwe may prevent a net carbon sequestration under CA management that would have occurred in the humid tropics

Soil biological quality and microbial functional diversity under diversified conservation agriculture systems in the Indo-Gangetic Plain

The intensive rice-wheat system leads to deterioration of soil quality, groundwater pollution and land degradation due to excessive use of tillage, fertilizers, pesticides and irrigation water. Conservation agriculture (CA) practices and diversification of cropping systems offer potential pathways to restore soil quality while supporting food and feed demands to cater the human needs. The current study undertaken under a long-term CA experiment during 2022-23 and 2023-24 to (i) evaluate the effects of diversified CA system scenarios on soil organic carbon (SOC), nutrient availability, microbial biomass, enzymatic activity, and microbial functional diversity, and (ii) identify sensitive biological indicators using PCA and correlation analysis to derive SBI. In this study, seven contrasting production scenarios-ranging from conventional to conservation, traditional to futuristic diversified systems, farmers' practice to improved agronomy, residue removal to retention were practiced and evaluated. Results showed that diversified CA scenarios significantly improved soil quality indicators compared with the conventional rice-wheat system (Sc1). Among the different scenarios, rice-wheat-mungbean (Sc3) and maize-mustard-mungbean (Sc4) managed with ZT and residue retention recorded significantly higher soil organic carbon (by 67.9 and 43.4%), available N (by 25.2 and 20.2%), available P (by 48.7 and 35.5%), and available K (by 37.6 and 30.2%), respectively over Sc1. These systems also recorded significantly increased microbial populations, including nitrogen fixers (75.6 and 55%), Azotobacter (203 and 207%), Actinomycetes (212 and 243%), and Thiobacillus (28.8 and 4.1%) compared to that of Sc1, respectively. Functional diversity measured through average well color development (AWCD), Shannon index, and substrate utilization patterns confirmed higher microbial metabolic capacity under diversified systems being highest with Sc3 and Sc4. Principal component analysis identified nitrogen-fixing bacteria, alkaline phosphatase, AWCD, phenolic compounds, Thiobacillus, and amines as key sensitive biological indicators contributing maximum to a composite soil biological index (SBI), which was highest under Sc3 (+246%) and lowest under Sc1. Overall, diversified rice-wheat-mungbean (Sc3) and maize-mustard-mungbean systems following conservation agriculture practices stood out as a potential cropping system for restoring soil fertility and biological quality in intensively managed Indo-Gangetic Plain

Consumer preferences and segmentation in social commerce for shrimp in Bangladesh: implications for female entrepreneurship

Digital technology, and social media in particular, has opened up affordable and accessible business opportunities, especially for women who face cultural and financial barriers in traditionally male-dominated markets in many developing countries. Facebook has emerged as the key platform for "social commerce" in Bangladesh, enabling female entrepreneurs to sell a variety of products, including aquatic products such as shrimp. This study explores the factors shaping consumer preferences and identifies distinct consumer segments in Facebook-based social commerce for shrimp, with particular attention to female entrepreneurs. We conducted an online choice experiment in Bangladesh (N = 869) to examine consumer preferences and applied mixed logit and latent class models to analyze the data. The mixed logit results revealed that reliable reviews and safety indications had a statistically significant positive influence on consumer purchase decisions, whereas the attributes 'frozen', 'ready-to-cook', and price had a statistically significant negative impact. The gender of the seller was not a significant determinant in the model. The latent class analysis revealed a more nuanced picture, identifying four consumer segments with divergent priorities across different attributes. While some consumers value affordability and convenience, others prioritize trust-related attributes such as safety indication and reliable reviews. The largest two consumer groups still prefer male sellers, reflecting enduring cultural traditions. Nevertheless, two smaller consumer groups, accounting for about 31 % of all respondents, expressed a preference for buying from female entrepreneurs. This study provides practical insights for researchers and female entrepreneurs seeking to develop targeted strategies that align with diverse consumer preferences in social commerce for aquatic products

Unlocking soybean potential: Enhancing smallholder farmers' yields through rhizobia inoculation and phosphorus fertilizer in Ethiopia

Despite the promising potential of soybean [Glycine max L. (Merrill)] production in Ethiopia, smallholder farmers face challenges such as low yields and nutrient deficiencies, which limit their productivity and economic stability. Thus, the objectives of the input diagnosis/demonstration trials were to enhance the yields of smallholder soybean farmers, to explore the interaction and variations of soybean yield responses to phosphorus (P) and/or inoculant (I) applications across multiple locations, and to identify the economic benefits from phosphorus (P) and/or inoculant (I) use on the fields of many smallholder farmers, representing diverse agroecological conditions. The application of P, I, P + I, and control was evaluated on 78 farmers' fields in 10 districts. The result indicated that the combined use of I + P and P alone enhanced grain yield by 42% and 21%, respectively. The use of the inoculant only also increased the yield by 5% over P alone. Although P + I showed the highest yield and 80% of the farmers observed positive yield, the variability was very large (0.3-5.3 t ha-1). Moreover, the inoculant was more profitable compared to P. Notably, 15% of the total farmers experienced relative yield increases of 142%-368% under the combined use of P and I. In addition, about 52%, 50%, and 15% of farmers achieved at least 5000 ETB ha-1 (where ETB is Ethiopian Birr) of an economic benefit with the application of corresponding P + I, I, and P. Considering price fluctuation of variable cost by assuming 30% inflation after some years, use of the of inoculant alone and then integrated use of P and I were relatively more stable as 46% and 60% of the total farmers could respectively attain benefit to cost ratio >= 2. While most smallholder farmers benefited from the use of P + I or I only, a few of them still did not benefit from the technologies. This may need further investigation, particularly for nonresponsiveness soils. Therefore, understanding the causes of yield variability helps to cluster the best bet packages to groups of farmers who are expected to benefit most, reduce yield gain instability across the farm plots, and minimize higher risk for technology adoptions