Water, Land and Ecosystems - Rwanda

Scaling up Index-based Flood Insurance (IBFI) for agricultural resilience and flood-proofing livelihoods in developing countries

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 11:36:32 +0000

TypeReport

Languageen

Authors

Amarnath, Giriraj
Malik, Ravinder Paul Singh
Taron, Avinandan

This research report presents the first comprehensive framework of business models in terms of developing, marketing and scaling Index-based flood insurance (IBFI). The report evaluated ten case studies on agricultural insurance schemes (macro, meso and micro levels), globally, to develop public-private partnership business models for creating value (product development) and capturing value (product marketing). This report highlights four broad groups of interrelated factors that influence the uptake and scaling of agricultural insurance: (i) behavioral factors that influence farmers’ enthusiasm to invest in insurance; (ii) financial factors that stipulate governments’ willingness to provide financial support; (iii) legal and regulatory factors, which set ground rules for fair business and govern their adherence by stakeholders; and (iv) facilitating factors, including product design and development, business models, research and development, data availability, and awareness creation, which help ensure an efficient supply of insurance services. In summary, the report highlights the need for designing innovative IBFI and its potential benefits for uptake, and efforts for implementing IBFI as a potential risk transfer tool for comprehensive climate risk management among small-scale and marginal farmers.

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Amarnath, Giriraj; Malik, Ravinder Paul Singh; Taron, Avinandan. 2021. Scaling up Index-based Flood Insurance (IBFI) for agricultural resilience and flood-proofing livelihoods in developing countries. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 68p. (IWMI Research Report 180) [doi: https://doi.org/10.5337/2021.213]

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Open Access

Research Themes

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https://hdl.handle.net/10568/114748

Potential for soil organic carbon sequestration in grasslands in East African countries: A review

Anonymous — Sat, 10 Jul 2021 11:37:41 +0000

TypeJournal Article

Languageen

Authors

Tessema, Bezaye
Sommer, Rolf
Piikki, Kristin
Söderström, Mats
Namirembe, Sara
Notenbaert, An Maria Omer
Tamene, Lulseged D.
Nyawira, Sylvia
Paul, Birthe K.

Grasslands occupy almost half of the world's land area. Soil organic carbon (SOC) is a key indicator of soil fertility and grassland productivity. Increasing SOC stocks (so‐called SOC sequestration) improves soil fertility and contributes to climate change mitigation by binding atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). Grasslands constitute about 70% of all agricultural land, but their potential for SOC sequestration is largely unknown. This review paper quantitatively summarizes observation‐based studies on the SOC sequestration potential of grasslands in six East African countries (Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda) and seeks to identify knowledge gaps related to SOC sequestration potential in the region. In the studies reviewed, SOC stocks in grasslands range from 3 to 93 Mg C/ha in the upper 0.3 m of the soil profile, while SOC sequestration rate ranges from 0.1 to 3.1 Mg C ha‐1 year‐1 under different management strategies. Grazing management is reported to have a considerable impact on SOC sequestration rates, and grassland regeneration and protection are recommended as options to stimulate SOC sequestration. However, a very limited number of relevant studies are available (n = 23) and there is a need for fundamental information on SOC sequestration potential in the region. The effectiveness of potential incentive mechanisms, such as payments for environmental services, to foster uptake of SOC‐enhancing practices should also be assessed.

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Tessema, B.; Sommer, R.; Piikki, K.; Söderström, M.; Namirembe, S.; Notenbaert, A.M.; Tamene, L.; Nyawira, S.; Paul, B. (2020) Potential for soil organic carbon sequestration in grasslands in East African countries: A review. Grassland Science 10 p. ISSN: 1744-697X

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Open Access

Research Themes

Restoring Degraded Landscapes

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https://hdl.handle.net/10568/107070

Benefits of inoculation, P fertilizer and manure on yields of common bean and soybean also increase yield of subsequent maize

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 22:02:41 +0000

Regions

Middle Africa

TypeJournal Article

Languageen

Authors

Rurangwa, E.
Vanlauwe, Bernard
Giller, Ken E.

Common bean and soybean yield poorly on smallholder farms in Rwanda. We evaluated the benefits of inoculation combined with P fertilizer and manure on yields of common bean and soybean in three agro-ecological zones (AEZs), and their residual effects on a subsequent maize crop. In the first season, the treatments included inoculum, three rates of manure, and two rates of P fertilizer, with nine replications (three per AEZ). Both legumes responded well to inoculation if applied together with manure and P fertilizer. Grain yields varied from 1.0 t ha−1 to 1.7 t ha−1 in unamended control plots to 4.8 t ha−1 for common bean and 3.8 t ha−1 for soybean in inoculated plots with both P and manure addition. The response of common bean and soybean to inputs varied greatly between AEZs. In the AEZ with low and erratic rainfall (Bugesera), yields of both legumes and maize were low and maize after soybean failed to yield any grain due to drought. In this regard, early maturing legume varieties are advised in regions of low rainfall. Responses of maize to an input applied to the legumes strongly increased when other inputs were applied together to the legume. This allowed greater maize yields which ranged from 0.8 t ha−1 in control plots to 6.5 t ha−1 in treatments previously inoculated with P and manure added for maize grown after common bean and from 1.9 t ha−1 in control plots to 5.3 t ha−1 for maize grown after soybean. The amount of N2-fixed measured using the 15N-natural abundance method differed between the two legumes and varied between 15 and 198 kg N2 ha−1 for common bean and between 15 and 186 kg N2 ha−1 for soybean and differed enormously among treatments and AEZs. Application of inputs to the legumes also resulted in enhanced N and P uptake of the subsequent maize. The use of inoculum combined with manure and P fertilizer is a good option for smallholder farmers growing common bean and soybean in rotation with maize. We observed strong effects of environment and call for care when targeting crops and technologies for sustainable crop production.

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Rurangwa, E., Vanlauwe, B. & Giller, K.E. (2017). Benefits of inoculation, P fertilizer and manure on yields of common bean and soybean also increase yield of subsequent maize. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 1-13.

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Open Access

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https://hdl.handle.net/10568/88120

Soyabean response to rhizobium inoculation across sub-Saharan Africa: Patterns of variation and the role of promiscuity

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 22:02:41 +0000

Regions

Middle Africa
Southern Africa

TypeJournal Article

Languageen

Authors

Heerwaarden, Joost van
Baijukya, Frederick P.
Kyei-Boahen, S.
Adjei-Nsiah, Samuel
Ebanyat, Peter
Kamai, N.
Woldemeskel, Endalkachew
Kanampiu, F.K.
Vanlauwe, Bernard
Giller, Ken E.

Improving bacterial nitrogen fixation in grain legumes is central to sustainable intensification of agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa. In the case of soyabean, two main approaches have been pursued: first, promiscuous varieties were developed to form effective symbiosis with locally abundant nitrogen fixing bacteria. Second, inoculation with elite bacterial strains is being promoted. Analyses of the success of these approaches in tropical smallholder systems are scarce. It is unclear how current promiscuous and non-promiscuous soyabean varieties perform in inoculated and uninoculated fields, and the extent of variation in inoculation response across regions and environmental conditions remains to be determined. We present an analysis of on-farm yields and inoculation responses across ten countries in Sub Saharan Africa, including both promiscuous and non-promiscuous varieties. By combining data from a core set of replicated on-farm trials with that from a large number of farmer-managed try-outs, we study the potential for inoculation to increase yields in both variety types and evaluate the magnitude and variability of response. Average yields were estimated to be 1343 and 1227 kg/ha with and without inoculation respectively. Inoculation response varied widely between trials and locations, with no clear spatial patterns at larger scales and without evidence that this variation could be explained by yield constraints or environmental conditions. On average, specific varieties had similar uninoculated yields, while responding more strongly to inoculation. Side-by side comparisons revealed that stronger responses were observed at sites where promiscuous varieties had superior uninoculated yields, suggesting the availability of compatible, effective bacteria as a yield limiting factor and as a determinant of the magnitude of inoculation response.

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van Heerwaarden, J., Baijukya, F., Kyei-Boahen, S., Adjei-Nsiah, S., Ebanyat, P., Kamai, N., ... & Giller, K. (2018). Soyabean response to rhizobium inoculation across sub-Saharan Africa: patterns of variation and the role of promiscuity. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 261, 211-218.

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Open Access

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https://hdl.handle.net/10568/88072

Dilemma of nitrogen management for future food security in sub-Saharan Africa – a review

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 22:02:41 +0000

Regions

Middle Africa

TypeJournal Article

Languageen

Authors

Masso, C.
Baijukya, Frederick P.
Ebanyat, Peter
Bouaziz, S.
Wendt, J.
Bekunda, Mateete A.
Vanlauwe, Bernard

Food security entails having sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to meet dietary needs. The need to optimise nitrogen (N) use for nutrition security while minimising environmental risks in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is overdue. Challenges related to managing N use in SSA can be associated with both insufficient use and excessive loss, and thus the continent must address the ‘too little’ and ‘too much’ paradox. Too little N is used in food production (80% of countries have N deficiencies), which has led to chronic food insecurity and malnutrition. Conversely, too much N load in water bodies due mainly to soil erosion, leaching, limited N recovery from wastewater, and atmospheric deposition contributes to eutrophication (152 Gg N year–1 in Lake Victoria, East Africa). Limited research has been conducted to improve N use for food production and adoption remains low, mainly because farming is generally practiced by resource-poor smallholder farmers. In addition, little has been done to effectively address the ‘too much’ issues, as a consequence of limited research capacity. This research gap must be addressed, and supportive policies operationalised, to maximise N benefits, while also minimising pollution. Innovation platforms involving key stakeholders are required to address N use efficiency along the food supply chain in SSA, as well as other world regions with similar challenges.

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Citation

Masso, C., Baijukya, F., Ebanyat, P., Bouaziz, S., Wendt, J., Bekunda, M. & Vanlauwe, B. (2017). Dilemma of nitrogen management for future food security in sub-Saharan Africa–a review. Soil Research, 55(6), 425-434.

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Open Access

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https://hdl.handle.net/10568/89021

Improving the availability and effectiveness of rural and “Micro” finance for small-scale irrigation in Sub-Saharan Africa: a review of lessons learned

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 22:02:41 +0000

TypeWorking Paper

Languageen

Authors

Merrey, D. J.
Lefore, Nicole

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Merrey, D. J.; Lefore, Nicole. 2018. Improving the availability and effectiveness of rural and “Micro” finance for small-scale irrigation in Sub-Saharan Africa: a review of lessons learned. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI).. 46p. (IWMI Working Paper 185) doi: 10.5337/2018.225

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Open Access

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https://hdl.handle.net/10568/99045

A rapid assessment of anthropogenic disturbances in East African wetlands

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 22:02:41 +0000

TypeJournal Article

Languageen

Authors

Beuel, S.
Álvarez, M.
Amler, E.
Behn, K.
Kotze, D.
Kreye, C.
Leemhuis, C.
Wagner, K.
Willy, D.K.
Ziegler, S.
Becker, M.

The use of East African freshwater wetlands for agriculture has increased in recent decades, raising concerns about potential impacts on wetlands and the long-term sustainability of such land use trends. WET-health is an indicator-based rapid wetland assessment approach developed in South Africa. It allows determining the conditions of wetlands in four assessment modules (hydrology, geomorphology, vegetation, and water quality) by observing the degree of deviation of a wetland from its anticipated natural reference state. We tested the transferability of the WET-health concept for East African inland valley swamps and floodplain wetlands based on 114 assessment units at four study sites. Due to large wetland areas and different environmental settings in East Africa, we modified the original approach using a random selection of assessment units and an assessment scheme based on disturbance types (Appendices A and B). Estimated WET-health impact scores were matched with biophysical and socioeconomic variables using a generalized linear mixed model. Land use included largely undisturbed wetland units occurring side by side with seasonally cropped or grazed units, and drained, permanently cultivated units. A strong differentiation of impact scores between the four assessment modules was apparent with highest scores for vegetation and lowest scores for geomorphology. Vegetation and water quality responded most sensitively to land use changes. The magnitude of wetland disturbance is predominantly determined by management factors such as land use intensity, soil tillage, drainage intensity, and the application of agrochemicals and influences vegetation attributes and the provision of ecosystem services. The proposed modification of WET-health enables users to assess large wetland areas during relatively short periods of time. While further studies will be required, WET-health appears to be a promising concept to be applied to wetlands in East Africa and possibly beyond.

Citation

Beuel, S., Alvarez, M., Amler, E., Behn, K., Kotze, D., Kreye, C., ... & Becker, M. (2016). A rapid assessment of anthropogenic disturbances in East African wetlands. Ecological Indicators, 67, 684-692.

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Limited Access

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https://hdl.handle.net/10568/78208

A rapid assessment of anthropogenic disturbances in East African wetlands

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 22:02:41 +0000

TypeJournal Article

Languageen

Authors

Beuel, S.
Álvarez, M.
Amler, E.
Behn, K.
Kotze, D.
Kreye, C.
Leemhuis, C.
Wagner, K.
Willy, D.K.
Ziegler, S.
Becker, M.

Citation

Accessibility

Limited Access

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/10568/77774

Agricultural Land and Water Management (ALWM) investment models for livelihood benefits

Amanda — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 09:10:00 +0000

Consolidates research/engagement across several initiatives, on profitability, feasibility, sustainability of AWLM for smallholder farming. Informs investors on where/how/when AWM technologies can work. The ALWM project funding under WLE continues to support identified gaps in farmer led irrigation projects and strongly builds on the ongoing work under the extension phase of Innovation Laboratory for Small Scale Irrigation (ILSSI), the IWMI-TATA Partnership (ITP), the recently funded project by SDC and Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) and the recently acquired GIZ project in India. The work under WLE aims at providing guidelines and tools for the private and public sector to sustainably out/upscale water lifting technologies and water solution packages as a bundle.

In 2020 and 2021 IWMI will use the scaling pathway for FLI under ILSSI with private sector and adapt these to identify scaling opportunities for suitable AWM solutions (irrigation and SWC) through public-private partnerships in 2 other African countries. Special emphasis will be given to ensuring that the scaling pathways is inclusive of women and youth. IWMI under WLE will initiate a solar review in 2020 to be completed in 2021 drawing on a review in Africa and Asia. The information available to establish a geodatabase on FLI for Ethiopia and Ghana was insufficient in 2019. In 2020 the scope is adapted by identifying changes in FLI irrigation using RS. Ministries, donors, private sector entities have requested access to the spatial information to guide investments in farmer-led irrigation.

Contact Person

Schmitter, Petra <p.schmitter@cgiar.org>

Lead Center

International Water Management Institute (IWMI)

Donors

International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)

Texas A&M University

Sir Ratan Tata & Allied Trust (SRTT)

Sir Dorabji Tata & Allied Trust (SDTT)

Global Affairs Canada

International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC)

Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC)

Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Partners

AMU - Arba Minch University, BDU - Bahir Dar University, FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, IFPRI - International Food Policy Research Institute, ILRI - International Livestock Research Institute, IWMI - International Water Management Institute, MoFA - Ministry of Food and Agriculture (Ghana), Texas A&M University

Completed

Start/End dateJanuary 01, 2017 — December 31, 2021

Cluster

2.1 ALWM Solutions for Resilient Smallholder Livelihood and Landscape Systems

Regions

Eastern Africa, Middle Africa, Southern Africa, Western Africa

Countries

Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Mali, Niger, Rwanda, Tanzania

Agricultural Land and Water Management (ALWM) investment options for scaling solutions

Amanda — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 08:36:00 +0000

This project is a continuation of the 2016 "Opportunity models for AWM" which piloted a evidence based framework for investment into ALWM in specific SSA countries. It contributes to activities in IWMI W3 project activity "ALWM investment models for livelihood benefits". This project is combined with P588 in 2019.

Contact Person

Lefore, Nicole and Schmitter, Petra <p.schmitter@cgiar.org>

Lead Center

International Water Management Institute (IWMI)

Donors

CGIAR

International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)

Partners

IWMI - International Water Management Institute

Completed

Start/End dateJanuary 01, 2017 — December 31, 2018

Research ThemeLand and Water Solutions

Cluster

2.1 ALWM Solutions for Resilient Smallholder Livelihood and Landscape Systems

Countries

Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Zambia