The Origin, Development And Structure Of Demand For Plant Genetic Resources. The Impact Of The In Trust Agreements To The CGIAR Collections Availability

The objective of this paper is to explore how the demand of germplasm held by CGIAR genebanks changed over time in order to assess the possible influence of the 1994 In Trust Agreements on germplasm demand. The proposed theoretic model motivates the realistic hypothesis that the consequences of the In-Trust Agreements lead to an enhancement of CGIAR germplasm utilization. Therefore the paper firstly examines the classical literature on biodiversity’s valuation and its recent developments and subsequently it investigates the origin of the agricultural biodiversity’s economic value, providing a basic conceptual framework to infer on factors determining the demand for germplasm. Two Bayesian estimation frameworks are applied to the IRRI accessions distribution’s time-series to provide formal evidence to the hypothesis, exploiting Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods, Gibbs sampling in particular. Evidence suggests that the demand variation implies a change in the genetic collections economic value, impacting therefore on their direct use search value.Crop genetic resources, germplasm collection, search theoretic framework, count data, changepoints, O19, Q18, Q57, C11,

Assessing the benefits of Andean crop diversity on farmers' livelihood: insights from a development programme in Bolivia and Peru

This paper analyses the impact of a development programme designed at promoting the sustainable use of Andean Grain diversity. Results demonstrate that knowledge-sharing on agronomic practices, on benefits derived from consumption, and improving Andean Grain quality had a positive impact on income generation and farmer livelihoods. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of programmes aimed at improving rural livelihoods through greater knowledge transfer and use of local agrobiodiversity, wherein private benefits may incentivise the public benefits of agrobiodiversity use and conservation. Findings warrant the need to further monitor and evaluate the potential of agrobiodiversity to improve the well-being of rural communities

Minor millets as a central element for sustainably enhanced incomes, empowerment, and nutrition in rural India

Minor millets comprise a group of cereal species that are genetically diverse and adapted to a range of marginal growing conditions where major cereals such as wheat, rice, and maize are relatively unsuccessful. Millets require few inputs and withstand severe biotic and abiotic stresses. They are also more nutritious than major cereals. Despite these advantages, neglect in several arenas has resulted in a steady decline in the cultivation of minor millets in India over the past few decades. As part of a United Nations global project on underutilized species, we undertook action research intended to stem the decline in cultivation and enhance the conservation and use of minor millets in 753 households spread across 34 villages in four states of India. Our aim was to improve incomes, nutritional status, and empowerment, especially for women. Overall, our holistic approach to mainstreaming species such as finger millet, little millet, foxtail millet, and barnyard millet indicates that these neglected and underutilized species can play a strategic role in improving many dimensions of livelihoods

On the international flow of plant genetic resources: Forecasting the impacts of an evolving legal framework on CGIAR genebanks.

Recognizing the linkages between the ITPGRFA and the CGIAR operations within the MLS, the present study aims at understanding the implications that the SMTA reform will have on the CG genebanks. To achieve its objective, the study starts by retracing the historical evolution of the legal framework guiding the international exchange of PGR. Then, it outlines the main features of the MLS reform processes currently being negotiated and identifies major challenges and sources of future uncertainties. By isolating those components relevant for CGIAR, the study constructs the different scenarios that might occur, and forecast the likelihood of different impacts and consequences for CG genebanks

Capitalizing CIALCA’s 15 years of multi-actor, multi-stakeholder, actionable and adaptive research support for inclusive and sustainable knowledge ecosystems in the Great Lakes Region

Born out of integrating multiple interventions working in the Great Lakes Region, the Consortium for Improving Agriculture-based Livelihoods in Central Africa (CIALCA) has been conducting applied research and supporting collaborative efforts of international and national organisations working in the agricultural sector. It has been generating information and scientific and practical knowledge about different parts of the agricultural sectors in Burundi, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda and to a lesser extent in Uganda and Tanzania. In addition, due to its continuity and intensive capacity development efforts, the knowledge and the science generated by CIALCA has been spreading for more than a decade and is currently being utilised by many researchers working in the Great Lakes Region

Contributions of CIALCA to technical and scientific knowledge ecosystem of agriculture-based livelihoods in the Great Lakes Region

Since 2016, The Consortium for Improving Agriculture-based Livelihoods in Central Africa (CIALCA) has been conducting research, generating information and scientific and practical knowledge about different parts of the agricultural sectors in Burundi, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda and to a lesser extent in Uganda and Tanzania. In addition, due to its continuity and intensive capacity development efforts, the knowledge and the science generated by CIALCA has been spreading for more than a decade and currently being utilized by many researchers working in the Great Lakes Region

Livelihood assets' influence on Ugandan farmers' control practices for Banana Xanthomonas Wilt (BXW)

AbstractThis study analyzes the influence of livelihood assets on Ugandan farmers' decisions to control Banana Xanthomonas Wilt (BXW), a disease that has threatened banana production and the livelihoods of Ugandan farmers since 2001. The BXW control strategy is based on the simultaneous implementation of four cultural practices: de-budding, infected plant removal, disinfecting tools, and using clean planting materials. The Sustainable Rural Livelihood (SRL) framework represents a very useful theoretical architecture for examining the interplay between livelihood systems of rural Ugandan households and the external context. Empirically, this study applies a double-hurdle model with the base assumption that the two adoption decision processes (whether to adopt and the intensity of adoption of the cultural practices) are separate. Results indicate that the vulnerability context and the human, social, natural, and physical capitals are the factors that drive farmers to adopt the identified strategy. Farmers' decisions about the extent of adoption are instead negatively influenced by natural capital and positively associated with social capital. These findings highlight the importance of supporting the improvement of livelihood assets to enable tailored support to farmers. It is particularly important to support the social and natural capitals that facilitate information exchange and provide critical resources for the adoption of the BXW control strategy

Livelihood assets’ influence on Ugandan farmers’ control practices for Banana Xanthomonas Wilt (BXW)

This study analyzes the influence of livelihood assets on Ugandan farmers’ decisions to control Banana Xanthomonas Wilt (BXW), a disease that has threatened banana production and the livelihoods of Ugandan farmers since 2001. The BXW control strategy is based on the simultaneous implementation of four cultural practices: de-budding, infected plant removal, disinfecting tools, and using clean planting materials. The Sustainable Rural Livelihood (SRL) framework represents a very useful theoretical architecture for examining the interplay between livelihood systems of rural Ugandan households and the external context. Empirically, this study applies a double-hurdle model with the base assumption that the two adoption decision processes (whether to adopt and the intensity of adoption of the cultural practices) are separate. Results indicate that the vulnerability context and the human, social, natural, and physical capitals are the factors that drive farmers to adopt the identified strategy. Farmers’ decisions about the extent of adoption are instead negatively influenced by natural capital and positively associated with social capital. These findings highlight the importance of supporting the improvement of livelihood assets to enable tailored support to farmers. It is particularly important to support the social and natural capitals that facilitate information exchange and provide critical resources for the adoption of the BXW control strategy

Management of Banana Xanthomonas Wilt: Evidence from impact of adoption of cultural control practices in Uganda

Banana Xanthomonas Wilt (BXW) is an important emerging and non-curable infectious plant pathogen in sub-Saharan Africa that can cause up to 100% yield loss, negatively impacting sustainable access to food and income to more than 100 million banana farmers. This study disentangles adopters into partial and full adopters to investigate the factors that are relevant to sustain the adoption process of BXW control practices and quantifies the impact of adopting the practices. Data from a randomly selected sample of 1200 banana farmers in Uganda where the disease is endemic was used. A multinomial logit model was used to determine the factors affecting adoption of control practices and augmented inverse probability weighting was employed to estimate the impacts of adoption on banana productivity and sales. Results show that training a woman farmer and having diverse sources of information about BXW control practices increased adoption of the control practices and reduced the disease incidences. Farmers who adopted all the recommended control practices achieved significantly the highest values of banana production and sales. We conclude that improving information access through farmers’ preferred communication channels, having women-inclusive trainings, and a combination of cultural practices are effective ways for sustaining adoption of the control practices