Sustainable Economic Development Publications
A list of publications
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Is seed aid distribution still justified in South Sudan?
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Paper
Seed aid—or free distribution of seeds to farmers—is a popular intervention to simultaneously reduce food insecurity and dependency on food aid in fragile countries. However, seed aid distribution also has the potential to hinder or distort the development of local seed markets. This study analyses the targeting and impact of seed aid across the green […]
- Year of publication
- 2024
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How gender norms impact women’s role in forest use and forest management—illustrations from Ethiopia’s Bale Ecoregion
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Working Paper
This paper unravels the gender relations in rural forest-dependent communities in Ethiopia by taking a closer look at the country’s Bale Ecoregion, located in the Oromia regional state. Drawing on primary quantitative and qualitative data, the paper explores women’s roles as users of forest resources and in forest resource management, before reflecting on the construction […]
- Year of publication
- 2024
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Nestlé Income Accelerator Program: Progress Report of the Test-at-Scale Phase
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Report
In 2022, Nestlé launched the Income Accelerator Program in Côte d’Ivoire as part of their ambition to help close the Living Income (LI) gap in their cocoa supply chain and combat the root causes of child labour risks. The current test-at-scale phase involves 10,000 farming households in Côte d’Ivoire, following a previous one-year piloting period among 1,000 farming households. These […]
- Year of publication
- 2024
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Cocoa household income study approach
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Study
The cocoa sector has been working to deliver living incomes for cocoa farming households since 2015, but learning at the sector level aimed at achieving living incomes has been hampered by challenges in data collection and sharing. To address these challenges and to inform policy and strategy design and delivery with a focus on impact […]
- Year of publication
- 2024
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Vulnerability and resilience among farmers and market actors in local agri-food value chains in the face of COVID-19 disruptions: findings from Uganda and Kenya
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Paper
Countries which imposed strict containment measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic are thought to have faced particular socio-economic challenges. This study assesses the implications of COVID-19 disruptions on local agri-food value chain actors in Kenya and Uganda, as both countries enacted strict lockdowns to limit the spread of the virus. Using survey data from […]
- Year of publication
- 2024
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Contested representations: A comparative analysis of palm oil sustainability in Malaysian and Dutch media
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Research article
The emergence of palm oil as the world’s most produced and consumed vegetable oil has prompted various policy initiatives to help govern the industry in a sustainable manner. These initiatives include transnational sustainable certification schemes, such as the Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), and national level sustainability standards, such as Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil. […]
- Year of publication
- 2023
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Navigating competing demands in monitoring and evaluation: Five key paradoxes
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Research article
Evaluation in complex programs assembling multiple actors and combining various interventions faces contradictory requirements. In this article, we take a management perspective to show how to recognize and accommodate these contradictory elements as paradoxes. Through reflective practice we identify five paradoxes, each consisting of two contradicting logics: the paradox of purpose—between accountability and learning; the […]
- Year of publication
- 2023
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Living Income and Child Labour in the Cocoa Sector of Côte d’Ivoire
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Working Paper Series
KIT Working Paper Child labour remains a persistent human rights violation in international commodity supply chains, adversely impacting children’s physical and mental health and depriving them of educational opportunities (UNICEF, 2020). This holds true for the cocoa sector in Côte d’Ivoire; a country that produces 43% of all cocoa worldwide (ICCO, 2022). A nationwide study […]
- Year of publication
- 2023
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What Should I Aspire to? Peer Effects in Adolescents’ Friendship Networks
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Research article
In sub-Saharan Africa, economic aspirations often conflict with aspirations to follow traditional social obligations. We test whether adolescents are influenced by friends when deciding which one to prioritize. To do so, we elicit the preferences and perceived competition between economic and social aspirations of 533 Ugandan students, as well as their friendship ties. Using characteristics […]
- Year of publication
- 2023
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Frugal innovation and legitimacy
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Book chapter
While legitimacy related to frugal innovation has not yet received much attention, in this chapter we argue that the concept is of key importance to this field. We identify three legitimacy challenges for frugal innovation: the possibly exploitative tendencies associated with the dominant role of MNCs in local informal communities; how frugal innovations are often […]
- Year of publication
- 2023
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All in on Millet?
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Working Paper Series
This article explores the re-emergence of millet in domestic value chains and its use by private actors with innovative business models – using fortification or biofortification – to highlight millet’s smart food properties. While millet has been in the shadow of rice and wheat production for decades, recently there has been renewed interest in millet […]
- Year of publication
- 2023
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An external review of the PlantwisePlus proof-of-concept phase, 2021-2023
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Report
Launched in mid-2020, CABI’s PlantwisePlus programme builds on the organization’s previous Plantwise and Action on Invasives initiatives. It comprises new elements developed from the learnings of these two earlier programmes, which are designed to fill in any gaps and respond to identified opportunities PlantwisePlus is striving to help sustainably produce more and safer food for […]
- Year of publication
- 2023
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Connecting the Concepts of Frugality and Inclusion to Appraise Business Practices in Systems of Food Provisioning: A Kenyan Case Study
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Research article
Small and medium size business enterprises (SMEs) are the linchpin in systems of food provisioning in sub-Saharan Africa. These businesses occupy the middle of the agri-food chain and face a food security conundrum: they must ensure that smallholder producers of limited means can operate under fair terms while low-income consumers are supplied with affordable and […]
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Unique features of agricultural cooperatives in sub-Saharan Africa
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Book chapter
Agricultural cooperatives and other farmer-owned organizations are widespread acrosssub-Saharan Africa. The scant available data suggests that every other rural village in Africa houses a cooperative organization of some sort. The literature suggests that when farm-households join these organizations, they derive benefits from mutual support—for weeding, harvesting, and other labor-intensive activities, but also financing funerals, weddings, […]
- Year of publication
- 2023
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Impact of hybrid potato
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Book
This book describes the potential impact of the innovative hybrid breeding technology in potato. Conventional potato production is based on cumbersome breeding and multiplying of seed tubers. Seed tubers degenerate during the many generations of slow multiplication. Their bulkiness makes them difficult to store and transport. These issues are solved by hybrid true potato seed. […]
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“We have been invaded”: Wind energy sacrifice zones in Åfjord Municipality and their implications for Norway
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Research article
Following the “green” growth tradition, the construction of lower carbon energy (renewable energy) infrastructures, such as wind power, has gained prominence in Norway. This has led to indigenous Saami herders confronting pastureland dispossession, some citizens fearing the industrialization of nature, and municipal councils losing formal governance power in favor of national agencies and private-sector project […]
- Year of publication
- 2023
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CGIAR research through an empowerment and equality lens
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Book chapter
Serie: Advancing gender equality through agricultural and environmental research: Past, present, and future Over the past decade or so, there has been a renewed, and more concerted and comprehensive, interest in gender equality and women’s empowerment in the agricultural development sector. Renowned development organizations have put gender dynamics back in the spotlight by means of […]
- Year of publication
- 2021
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Toward structural change: Gender Transformative Approaches
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Book chapter
Serie: Advancing gender equality through agricultural and environmental research: past, present and future Almost a quarter of a century after the Beijing Declaration, and with 10 years left to meet the Sustainable Development Goals, The Guardian announced the SDG Gender Index’s finding that, “Not one single country is set to achieve gender equality by 2030” […]
- Year of publication
- 2021
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Effort and Social Comparison: Experimental Evidence from Uganda
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Research article
Individual effort is key to generate income and escape from poverty. In small-scale societies in developing countries, where effort and resulting income are easily observable, social comparison can influence effort in both positive and negative ways. To study the effects of social comparison, we use a lab experiment in which participants conduct a real-effort task […]
- Year of publication
- 2023
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Prices, profit margins and intermediary market power: evidence from the matooke value chain in Uganda
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Research article
There is widespread belief that intermediaries in African agri-food value chains have disproportionate market power. In this paper, the authors examine this belief by uncovering the purchasing and selling prices, costs and profit margins by farmers, intermediaries and retailers in the matooke (cooking banana) value chain in Uganda, and by analysing the prevailing value chain […]
- Year of publication
- 2023
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The Potential of Landscape Approaches for Addressing Child Labour in the Cocoa Sector
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Report
This synthesis of six case studies studies the impact of the “landscape approach” and offers recommendations for its design and setup, as this approach – in theory – has the potential to support effective and sustainable action to prevent and address child labour. Based on an operational definition of a “landscape approach” – an approach […]
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Out of Balance: Global–Local Tensions in Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships and the Emergence of Rival Initiatives in Producing Countries
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Research article
Studies on multi-stakeholder partnerships (MSPs) have highlighted the potential for conflict in MSPs, and particularly at the global–local interface has been identified as a key source of tension for partnerships in global value chains. This article uncovers the nature of global–local conflicts, how these conflicts can play out in global MSPs, and how this can […]
- Year of publication
- 2023
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Agriculture & Health are Inseparably Linked in Work Towards Sustainable & Economic Development
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Working Paper Series
This working paper presents a framework to account for the links between agriculture and health in low- and middle-income countries. It is aimed at supporting public and private sector donors as well as practitioners in the design of strategies, interventions, applied research, and action towards strengthening the resilience of farmers and households by improving agriculture […]
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Projet de Développement Intégré des systèmes semenciers au Sahel – Méthodologie
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Review
Rapport de la collecte des données primaires pour l’évaluation du secteur des semences ISSD/Sahel
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Projet de Développement Intégré des systèmes semenciers au Sahel – Riz – Niger
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Review
Rapport de la collecte des données primaires pour l’évaluation du secteur des semences ISSD/Sahel
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Projet de Développement Intégré des systèmes semenciers au Sahel – Mil – Mali
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Review
Rapport de la collecte des données primaires pour l’évaluation du secteur des semences ISSD/Sahel
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Projet de Développement Intégré des systèmes semenciers au Sahel – Sorgo – Niger
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Review
Rapport de la collecte des données primaires pour l’évaluation du secteur des semences ISSD/Sahel
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Projet de Développement Intégré des systèmes semenciers au Sahel – Niébé – Niger
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Review
Rapport de la collecte des données primaires pour l’évaluation du secteur des semences ISSD/Sahel
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Projet de Développement Intégré des systèmes semenciers au Sahel – Arachide – Niger
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Review
Rapport de la collecte des données primaires pour l’évaluation du secteur des semences ISSD/Sahel
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Projet de Développement Intégré des systèmes semenciers au Sahel – Légumes – Niger
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Review
Rapport de la collecte des données primaires pour l’évaluation du secteur des semences ISSD/Sahel
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Guide de référence du secteur semencier du Mali
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Review
Cette revue de la littérature sur le secteur de semences au Mali se fait dans le cadre du projet « Développement Intégré du secteur semencier au Sahel » (ISSD/Sahel), dansle cadre de l’objectif 5, plus spécifiquement dans le cadre de l’activité 5.1: Étudier la performance des secteurs semenciers Sahéliens et formuler les stratégies d’interventions spécifiques […]
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Projet de Développement Intégré des systèmes semenciers au Sahel – Mais – Mali
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Review
Rapport de la collecte des données primaires pour l’évaluation du secteur des semences ISSD/Sahel
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Feuille de route nationale semencière du Mali
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Review
La Feuille de Route Nationale Semencière (FdRNS) est un document stratégique qui guide les acteurs du secteur semencier du Mali à œuvrer pour une augmentation de l’accès et de l’utilisation de semences de qualité de variétés améliorées par les agriculteurs. Le document est une contribution essentielle à l’élaboration des principales politiques publiques agricoles. Il peut […]
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Guide de référence du secteur semencier du Niger
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Review
Cette revue de la littérature sur le secteur de semences au Niger se fait dans le cadre du projet « Développement Intégré du secteur semencier au Sahel » (ISSD/Sahel), dansle cadre de l’objectif 5, plus spécifiquement dans le cadre de l’activité 5.1: Étudier la performance des secteurs semenciers Sahéliens et formuler les stratégies d’interventions spécifiques […]
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Feuille de route nationale semencière du Niger
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Review
La Feuille de Route Nationale Semencière (FdRNS) est un document stratégique qui guide les acteurs du La Feuille de Route Nationale Semencière (FdRNS) est un document stratégique qui guide les acteurs du secteur semencier du Niger à œuvrer pour une augmentation de l’accès et de l’utilisation de semences de qualité de variétés améliorées par les […]
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Projet de Développement Intégré des systèmes semenciers au Sahel – Arachide – Mali
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Review
Rapport de la collecte des données primaires pour l’évaluation du secteur des semences ISSD/Sahel
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Projet de Développement Intégré des systèmes semenciers au Sahel – Riz – Mali
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Review
Rapport de la collecte des données primaires pour l’évaluation du secteur des semences ISSD/Sahel
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Projet de Développement Intégré des systèmes semenciers au Sahel – Mil – Niger
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Review
Rapport de la collecte des données primaires pour l’évaluation du secteur des semences ISSD/Sahel
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Projet de Développement Intégré des systèmes semenciers au Sahel – Sorgo – Mali
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Review
Rapport de la collecte des données primaires pour l’évaluation du secteur des semences ISSD/Sahel
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Projet de Développement Intégré des systèmes semenciers au Sahel – Niébé – Mali
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Review
Rapport de la collecte des données primaires pour l’évaluation du secteur des semences ISSD/Sahel
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Projet de Développement Intégré des systèmes semenciers au Sahel – Légumes – Mali
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Review
Rapport de la collecte des données primaires pour l’évaluation du secteur des semences ISSD/Sahel
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Promoting the role of smallholder farmers in the mitigation of climate change
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Working Paper Series
This article explores the drivers for smallholder farmers’ participation in climate change mitigation. In particular it aims to describe the mechanisms by which smallholder farmers can participate in and benefit from programmes which offset or inset carbon emissions and offer incentives for the provision of ecosystem services.
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Defining incentives and claims in Aquaculture Improvement Projects
Aquaculture improvement projects (AIPs) have recently emerged as a new form of market-based and non-state governance in the aquaculture sector. They embody multi-stakeholder efforts that leverage the influence of the private sector to drive improvements in aquaculture production and ensure that these changes endure through improved policy and management strategies. This paper is based on […]
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Myths about the feminization of agriculture – Implications for global food security
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Research article
The term “feminization of agriculture” is used to describe changing labor markets that pull men out of agriculture, increasing women’s roles. However, simplified understandings of this feminization persist as myths in the literature, limiting our understanding of the broader changes that affect food security. Through a review of literature, this paper analyses four myths: 1) […]
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Applying a Theory of Change based approach to Livestock Research for Development: Learnings from the CGIAR Research Program on Livestock agri-food systems
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Report
The CGIAR Research Program on Livestock provided research-based solutions to help smallholder farmers, pastoralists, and agro-pastoralists transition to sustainable and resilient livelihoods, and to profitable enterprises that will help feed future generations. An important component of the CRP Livestock research agenda is to demonstrate how livestock research can translate into impact through livestock value chain […]
- Year of publication
- 2022
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Livestock research for development: lessons learned from the CGIAR Research Program on Livestock agri-food systems
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Report
The CGIAR Research Program on Livestock provided research-based solutions to help smallholder farmers, pastoralists, and agro-pastoralists transition to sustainable and resilient livelihoods, and to profitable enterprises that will help feed future generations. The aim of the program was to increase the productivity and profitability of livestock agri-food systems in sustainable ways, making meat, milk, and […]
- Year of publication
- 2022
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Inclusive Business Models for Cocoa Nuseries in Ghana
The CocoaTarget project aims to develop and strengthen climate-smart strategies in cocoa production systems to improve the livelihoods of up to 800,000 Ghanaian smallholder farmers who depend on cocoa for income. The project uses a citizen science approach – which involves on-farm testing of cocoa varieties – so that farmers and their communities constantly update their knowledge on cocoa […]
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Final Evaluation of the Dutch Agreement on Sustainable Garments and Textile
The Dutch Agreement on Sustainable Garments and Textile (AGT) was signed in July 2016 to support companies in implementing due diligence, develop joint activities and projects, and ultimately address adverse social, environmental and animal welfare challenges in supply chains. This evaluation aims to assess the qualitative and quantitative progress achieved in relation to the AGT’s […]
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Pathways for closing the income gap for cocoa farming households in Côte d’Ivoire, a segmented approach
In 2015, Nestlé launched a program focusing on the ‘better-off farmers’, called the Elite Farmer program. The ‘elite farmers’ were hand-picked from ordinary farmers in villages, based on a number of selection criteria, and intensively trained and coached. The aim was to empower elite farmers to unleash their potential, both in cocoa production and in […]
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Critical stages for post-harvest losses and nutrition outcomes in the value chains of bush beans and nightshade in Uganda
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Research article
The reduction of post-harvest losses (PHLs) has been identified as a key pathway to food and nutrition security in sub-Saharan Africa. However, despite policy prioritisation, knowledge about the severity of PHLs remains scant, especially when it comes to nutrient-dense crops such as African nightshade and bush beans. This paper identifies loss hotspots, causes and effects […]
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Advancing Gender Equality through Agricultural and Environmental Research: Past, Present and Future
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Book
This book marks a shift away from a typical, instrumentalist outlook focused on how gender analysis can contribute to research objectives, such as improved productivity. Contributors intentionally flip the question to ask: How does agricultural and environmental research and development contribute to gender equality and women’s empowerment? By reframing the analysis, the book puts gender […]
- Year of publication
- 2021
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How to enhance the sustainability and inclusiveness of smallholder aquaculture production systems in Zambia?
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Research article
Sustainability and inclusiveness are at the top of many international political agendas, and policymakers are asked to report progress against such priorities. A notable challenge confronting the development of the aquaculture value chain in Zambia is ensuring that the larger-scale commercial sector can continue to grow and generate economic benefits for the country, while simultaneously safeguarding inclusive […]
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Why a segmentation strategy matters for serving the women’s market
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Working Paper Series
Insights from Access Bank market research Financial Service Providers are increasingly realising that needs and preferences differ across the female economy. Differences vary depending on women’s age, class, ethnicity, marital status, religion, wealth, stage of business, profession, location and other socially defined characteristics and markers. These factors all influence and impact the way different women […]
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Inclusive Business Cases Linking Agriculture and Conservation
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Working Paper Series
Agricultural production frequently competes with forest conservation. The issue is particularly significant in developing countries where economic pressures frequently drive projects oriented at short-term economic gains at the expense of deforestation and long-term sustainable development. This working paper offers a review of business models combining agriculture with conservation objectives and portrays two illustrative case studies […]
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Herramientas para la toma de decisiones en Sistemas Alimentarios
Desarrollada por el KIT Royal Tropical Institute y Wageningen Centre for Development Innovation, con financiación de la Netherlands Food Partnership, esta herramienta genera recomendaciones prácticas para la política y la programación de la seguridad alimentaria y nutricional.
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Food Systems Decision Support Toolbox
Developed by KIT Royal Tropical Institute and Wageningen Economic Research, with funding from the Netherlands Food Partnership, this tool generates practical recommendations for food and nutrition security policy and programming.
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Assessment of the social impact of GAA’s ‘Best Aquaculture Practices’ certification
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Research article
This report reflects the findings and recommendations of a three-year impact assessment gauging the effectiveness of the Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) third-party certification program’s social and labor requirements. The study was commissioned by the Global Aquaculture Alliance in line with recent efforts to provide support to auditors to assess compliance on the labour and social […]
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West African Food System Resilience
The West African region supplies most of the food for its growing population, which now exceeds 400 million. West African countries meet most of the region’s needs for coarse grains, tuber and root crops, vegetables, fruits, and meat (excluding some areas of fast-growing consumption such as chicken). Generic data and their interpretations obscure the region’s […]
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Inclusive Business Models for Access to Quality Fish Seed and Technical Assistance
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Briefing paper
Insights from Ghana Over the past decade, Ghana’s tilapia farming has experienced tremendous growth in production; however, much of the growth has been driven by large-scale cage farmers around Lake Volta. It remains unclear how this growth is and can be made more inclusive of poor and young women and men. This study was conducted […]
- Year of publication
- 2020
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Evaluation of Dutch IRBC policy – Cross-country synthesis
This synthesis report forms part of the evaluation of Dutch policy on International Responsible Business Conduct (IRBC)1 by the Policy and Operations Evaluation Department of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (IOB), comprising (i) sector agreements on IRBC, (ii) frameworks for private sector instruments, (iii) Dutch Embassy activities, (iv) international cooperation and legislation, and (v) […]
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Evaluation of Dutch IRBC Policy – India Report
This report is the result of a case study conducted in India as part of the evaluation of Dutch policy on International Responsible Business Conduct (IRBC) by the Policy and Operations Evaluation Department (IOB) of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). The India study aimed to evaluate how different Dutch IRBC policy instruments manifest […]
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Evaluation of Dutch IRBC policy – Ethiopia Report
This report is the result of a case study conducted in Ethiopia as part of the evaluation of Dutch policy on International Responsible Business Conduct (IRBC) by the Policy and Operations Evaluation Department of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (IOB). The Ethiopia case study aims to evaluate how different Dutch IRBC policy instruments manifest […]
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Evaluation of Dutch IRBC policy – Colombia Report
This report is the result of a case study conducted in Colombia as part of theevaluation of Dutch policy on International Responsible Business Conduct (IRBC) by the Policy and Operations Evaluation Department of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (IOB). The Colombia study focuses on the mining sector and explores whether and how Dutch IRBC […]
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Evaluation of Dutch IRBC policy – Bangladesh Report
This report is the result of a case study conducted in Bangladesh as part of the evaluation of Dutch policy on International Responsible Business Conduct (IRBC) by the Policy and Operations Evaluation Department of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (IOB). The Bangladesh case study aimed to evaluate how different Dutch IRBC policy instruments manifest […]
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The potential of land shareholding cooperatives for inclusive agribusiness development in Africa
Land Shareholding Cooperatives centralize management over fragmented farmland by converting farmers’ plots into shares. While these cooperatives have been widely successful in boosting agricultural commercialization among rural smallholders in China, their potential has not yet been recognized in the African context. To fill this gap, this paper presents and discusses a theoretical framework based on […]
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Value Chain Approaches for Social Change
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Working Paper Series
Over the past decades, there has been an extensive transformation in global agri-food value chains, resulting in advances in efficiency, food quality, and food safety. Despite this transformation, many farmers and labourers active as primary producers in these chains have not experienced improvements in their living standards. Based on a study conducted in 2020 by […]
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Agricultural Cooperatives and COVID-19 in Southeast Africa. The Role of Managerial Capital for Rural Resilience
While the health impact of COVID-19 in most African countries appears modest, the impact of social distancing measures, closing of markets and reduced mobility is felt across the board. This study uses pre- and during-shock data on agricultural cooperatives from Southeast Africa to understand how resilient these smallholder-owned organizations are.
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OeEB Gender Action Plan
Beginning in 2019, KIT worked with the Austrian Development Bank to develop a 5-year Gender Action Plan to highlight key steps and targets for integrating gender into the bank’s investment processes, for different sectors and portfolios. OeEB is committed to contributing to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 5 on Gender Equality and the empowerment […]
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Towards a Typology for Agribusiness-based Advisory Services
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Working Paper Series
Model Description and Analysis Extension services play a crucial role in providing farmers with the tools and knowledge they need to increase their yields, improve their food security and livelihoods and build resilience against climate shocks. While private sector-led extension services are increasingly complementing government efforts in many countries, their models and approaches remain widely […]
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Professionalising a dairy cooperative’s extension services: experiences from Kenya
Extension capacity building requires an integrated approach that works at both the management and implementation level to be successful. The functioning of an agricultural extension team can be substantially improved through the increased use of virtual communication – made more apparent by Covid-19 – between team members themselves, and with farmers. Extension services are much […]
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Assessment of the local service provider model in Bangladesh
The LSP model has gained some popularity in Bangladesh in recent years and has been implemented by several projects. This assessment focuses on the LSP models implemented by Aquaculture for Income and Nutrition (AIN) and Improving Food Security and Livelihoods (IFSL), specifically. This study intended to (1) describe how the models were implemented, (2) what […]
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Loss and waste in fish value chains: A review of the evidence from low and middle-income countries
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Research article
Globally, around 14 percent of food produced is lost from the post- harvest stage up to, but excluding, the retail stage. Highly nutritious material is lost or nutritionally compromised, affecting the diets of millions of people, including in regions where undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies are endemic (FAO, 2011). The magnitude of the issue led the […]
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Aquaculture value chain analysis in Zambia
Although Zambia is endowed with natural water resources that offer significant opportunities, about 50% of the estimated fish demand is unmet. Zambian capture fisheries are operating at a fully exploited or over-exploited level. Aquaculture production is beginning to respond to the ever-increasing demand for fish, along with imports that have increased markedly
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Aquaculture value chain analysis in Cambodia
Aquaculture development in Cambodia is recent compared to its neighbouring countries in South East Asia. Production has been growing in the last decade, whilst imports of farmed fish from Vietnam and Thailand remain high. Despite general availability of land and less polluted water in Cambodia, the value chain (VC) is suffering from low sanitary standards […]
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Gender Lens Impact Investing: Catalyst for Change in Commodity Value Chains
Gender lens investing has gained great momentum during the last few years. As a result, there are multiple gender lens impact investing initiatives, funds and tools available for different stakeholders in the (impact) investment world. This paper shows how the field of gender lens investing is emerging and how that is relevant for the work […]
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The impact of voluntary sustainability standards on small-scale farmers in global commodity chains
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Working Paper Series
Since their emergence in the mid-1990s, voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) have been propelled from specialty niches into mainstream markets due to rising demand among consumers, buyers and producers to address socio-economic, environmental and food safety concerns. VSS range from efforts by single firms or NGOs, to industry associations and social movement organisations, business-NGO collaborations, multi- […]
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Sexual & Gender-Based Violence in Mining in Africa
This study offers a thorough review of the evidence around Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in the mining sector in sub-Saharan Africa, with a particular focus on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda. Whilst SGBV can be experienced by anyone, this paper predominantly explores the experiences of women. Notably, it […]
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Lindt & Sprüngli Farming Program: Impact Evaluation Ghana
Executive Summary This report presents the findings of an impact evaluation of the Lindt & Sprüngli (L&S) Farming Program in Ghana carried out by KIT Royal Tropical Institute in 2019. Based on quantitative and qualitative methods, the evaluation covered a variety of topics in line with the program’s Theory of Change. To track change over […]
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Harnessing blockchain technology for commodity chains
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Working Paper Series
With a wide range of potential benefits – such as improved traceability, food safety, and environmental sustainability, as well as increased farmer income– blockchain has become an increasingly popular technology option for commodity value chains. Yet, there is little knowledge among agri-food professionals of how the technology works, and there is (still) limited evidence of […]
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Alternative finance in commodity chains
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Working Paper Series
Working Paper Alternative Finance How small entrepreneurs and farmers can benefit from novel ways of financing. Access to affordable and reliable financing in agrifood commodity chains is of key importance for all actors along the chain, to use as working capital, and to invest in capital assets. There are a wide range of financing instruments […]
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Implementing Gender Transformative Approaches in Agriculture
The European Commission project, “Taking gender transformative approaches to scale for impact on SDG2 – food security, nutrition and agriculture” aims to embed Gender Transformative Approaches (GTAs) in policy dialogue, programs and working modalities of the United Nations Rome-Based Agencies (RBAs). It will do this by strengthening understanding of GTAs of relevant staff and partners; […]
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L’essor des petits producteurs agricoles au Burkina Faso
L’approche du Projet d’Amélioration de la Productivité agricole et de la Sécurité Alimentaire. Le Projet d’Amélioration de la Productivité agricole et de la Sécurité Alimentaire (PAPSA), financé par la Banque mondiale, avait pour objectif « d’améliorer la capacité des petits producteurs pauvres à accroître les productions vivrières et assurer une plus grande disponibilité de ces […]
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Guidance manual on calculating and visualizing income gap to a Living Income Benchmark
The Living Income Community of Practice (LICoP) has identified the need for guidance to support researchers and practitioners in assessing the gap between actual farming household incomes and estimates of the Living Income Benchmark in a particular location The Living Income Benchmark is the net income required for a basic, but decent, standard of living. […]
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Innovating legal education: Experiences from Indonesia
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Working Paper Series
Project Brief 2022 This project focuses on five concrete themes: legal reasoning, ethics, law in context, gender, and teaching methods, is an effective way to increase the legal education sector’s contribution in strengthening the rule of law. Demand-driven innovation of legal education promotes sustainable changes that match local realities. To realize a demand-driven collaborative process, […]
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The SLEEI Approach for Innovating University Courses
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Working Paper Series
SLEEI Working Paper In designing their efforts to strengthen the educational offerings of their universities, SLEEI partners made a number of important choices that shaped the SLEEI approach. These became known as the five principles of the SLEEI approach. Lasting changes in education can only be realized if they are accepted by the institution and […]
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Working paper series: Strengthening Legal Education in Eastern Indonesia
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Working Paper Series
How can legal education in Indonesia become more relevant for supporting the rule of law and providing legal services that common citizens need? The SLEEI project aims to strengthen legal education, which is a crucial part of maintaining the rule of law. Many Indonesian citizens cannot realise their rights and continue to face a lack […]
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Evaluation of the Dutch RBC Agreements 2014-2020
Are voluntary multi-stakeholder approaches to responsible business conduct effective? This report presents the findings of the evaluation of sector-level agreements on Responsible Business Conduct (henceforth RBC agreements). The evaluation was commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the context of its project ‘Putting Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) Measures in Perspective’ to evaluate and […]
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Inclusive Business Models for Access to Quality Fish Seed and Technical Assistance – Insights from Ghana
Over the past decade, Ghana’s tilapia farming has experienced tremendous growth in production; however, much of the growth has been driven by large-scale cage farmers around Lake Volta. It remains unclear how this growth is and can be made more inclusive of poor and young women and men. This study was conducted to analyze different […]
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The IDEAL Impact in Uganda
Assessing the social contract between local governments and their citizens Inclusive Decision at Local Level (IDEAL) is a programme implemented by VNG International (VNG-I) which supports local governments in building bridges with all their citizens and allows them to better cope with fragility and its associated risk. This infographic document presents the mid-line results of the IDEAL program […]
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The IDEAL Impact in Somalia
Assessing the social contract between local governments and their citizens Inclusive Decision at Local Level (IDEAL) is a programme implemented by VNG International (VNG-I) which supports local governments in building bridges with all their citizens and allows them to better cope with fragility and its associated risk. This infographic document presents the mid-line results of the IDEAL program […]
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The IDEAL Impact in South Sudan
Assessing the social contract between local governments and their citizens Inclusive Decision at Local Level (IDEAL) is a programme implemented by VNG International (VNG-I) which supports local governments in building bridges with all their citizens and allows them to better cope with fragility and its associated risk. This infographic document presents the mid-line results of the IDEAL program […]
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The IDEAL Impact in Palestine
Assessing the social contract between local governments and their citizens Inclusive Decision at Local Level (IDEAL) is a programme implemented by VNG International (VNG-I) which supports local governments in building bridges with all their citizens and allows them to better cope with fragility and its associated risk. This infographic document presents the mid-line results of the IDEAL program […]
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The IDEAL Impact in Rwanda
Assessing the social contract between local governments and their citizens Inclusive Decision at Local Level (IDEAL) is a programme implemented by VNG International (VNG-I) which supports local governments in building bridges with all their citizens and allows them to better cope with fragility and its associated risk. This infographic document presents the mid-line results of […]
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The IDEAL Impact in Mali
Assessing the social contract between local governments and their citizens Inclusive Decision at Local Level (IDEAL) is a programme implemented by VNG International (VNG-I) which supports local governments in building bridges with all their citizens and allows them to better cope with fragility and its associated risk. This infographic document presents the mid-line results of […]
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The IDEAL Impact in Burundi
Assessing the social contract between local governments and their citizens Inclusive Decision at Local Level (IDEAL) is a programme implemented by VNG International (VNG-I) which supports local governments in building bridges with all their citizens and allows them to better cope with fragility and its associated risk. This infographic document presents the mid-line results of […]
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Towards demand-driven services? The role of feedback mechanisms in agribusiness-based advisory services for smallholder farmers
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Research article
In many developing countries, agribusinesses are highly engaged in providing services to smallholder farmers, including agricultural advisory services or extension. As private service providers depend on farmers’ choices, eliciting farmer feedback and learning from farmers’ demands are important. However, the phenomenon of agribusiness-based advisory services has received relatively little attention in the study of advisory […]
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Small Producer Organization (SPO) Development, Strengthening and Resilience
Research on Small Producer Organization (SPO) development, strengthening and resilience was commissioned by Fairtrade International to the Royal Tropical Institute (KIT) in the Netherlands. The study is a qualitative-led mixed-method six country study (Côte d’Ivoire, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico and Peru). The objective of the research was to provide insights into processes of development and […]
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Market Concentration and Price Formation in the Global Cocoa Value Chain
Is market concentration among large cocoa firms responsible for the widespread poverty among cocoa farmers? Probably not. While market concentration has increased, particularly among cocoa processors, the report does not find evidence that this concentration is excessive or that market power is being abused to keep prices artificially low. Instead, there are two other key […]
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Ideation of Small Medium Enterprise services in cocoa growing communities in Ghana
KIT Royal Tropical Institute was commissioned by Solidaridad, in partnership with Marks & Spencer, to understand the unmet needs of cocoa growing communities in Ghana, ideate new SME service concepts and develop high-level business models. The study was to also provide Solidaridad with a roadmap to foster SME development. This is a summary of the […]