Breaking barriers, facilitating trade
Intra-regional trade is key in promoting economic development and improving food security within East and southern Africa. However, due to higher costs, many countries here are trading more with distant countries. We want to change this and increase the trade in agrifood products within the region. The CABI team will be working with COMESA to review and simplify current measures and barriers to trade.
Institutionalizing the quality of commercial products
The soil in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa is hampering the production of good quality and plentiful crops. Many new bio-fertilizers, bio-pesticides and other agro-inputs have been developed and commercialized but often haven’t been properly assessed. CABI, working with partners, is supporting increased knowledge and information available to smallholder farmers and decision makers on commercial bio fertilizers and bio pesticides in order to support uptake and use and support regulatory mechanisms.
Measuring the livelihood impacts of invasive alien species in East Africa
Although a lot is known about the biodiversity impacts of introduced species in East and southern Africa, very little is known about the livelihood impacts that they have on communities that depend on the goods and services provided by ecosystems. The aim of this project is to determine the negative socio-economic impacts of selected invasive alien plants on poor rural communities, especially farmers, in East and southern Africa.
Managing Maize lethal necrosis disease in eastern and central Africa
Maize lethal necrosis disease (MLND) negatively affects maize crops and their seeds and is threatening food and economic security in East and Central Africa. This project researched solutions to minimize or eliminate the risks and effects of the disease in the region. Through use of various channels to reach stakeholders along the value chain, CABI disseminated information on the threat of the disease and ways to manage it.
mNutrition: Addressing hidden hunger through mobile messaging
One in three people in the developing world suffer from hidden hunger, or micronutrient deficiency, due to a lack of information on proper nutrition. This is a major cause of illness, poor growth, reduced productivity and impaired cognitive development. To help combat the problem, CABI and its partners in the DFID mNutrition initiative are developing content for a mobile phone-based messaging service aimed at increasing knowledge of nutrition and health within communities in 14 countries.