A triple shock is converging on Africa’s food and nutrition security: collapsing official development assistance (ODA), escalating global instability and climate disruption. The international aid architecture that once cushioned countries against such crises is no longer reliable in timing, volume or political will. Africa must chart a different course.

Each successive global crisis, Covid-19, the war in Ukraine and now the conflict spreading across the Middle East, has laid bare how fragile financing to tackle malnutrition truly is, and how exposed African populations remain to shocks originating far beyond the continent. The full consequences of the current Middle East conflict are still unfolding, but the risk is already visible: up to 30 per cent of the world’s fertiliser exports is transported through the  Strait of Hormuz. A prolonged disruption there will not stay in the region. It will arrive on African farms, in African markets, and in African homes.

Food and nutrition security is not a humanitarian footnote, it is foundational to human capital and to the continent's long-term economic development. The costs of undernutrition are estimated at up to 16 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in parts of Africa, and the African Union cites  chronic undernutrition as a primary challenge to economic development, with half of African nations having high (over 30 %) prevalence rates of childhood stunting. No economy can absorb that toll indefinitely, and no development agenda can succeed while carrying it.

The moment calls for anticipatory action. Africa needs predictable financial flows that embed nutrition into health systems, food systems, and both humanitarian and climate response. Crucially, this need not always mean new money. Integrating nutrition across these sectors creates real opportunities for governments to work with existing budget lines, in agriculture, water, education and social protection, and direct them towards nutrition outcomes. It is an approach that builds political ownership, stretches available resources further and reduces dependence on external financing cycles.

We also need a fundamental shift in how development finance institutions think about nutrition, recognising that borrowing to invest in nutrition yields returns that rival, and in many cases exceed, traditional infrastructure investments. The return on each US dollar (USD) invested in nutrition is 23 USD, making nutrition the single most cost-effective development intervention. The African Development Bank has a significant role to play here, and the continent’s governments should be making that case forcefully.

African philanthropies also represent a significant and still largely untapped source of that ambition. These are institutions capable of absorbing longer time horizons and operating outside the political constraints that limit traditional aid. Bringing them into a more deliberate coalition with governments and regional development banks is one of the more promising levers available to us.

Encouragingly, some of the architecture for this shift is already in place. The Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement has been central to positioning nutrition within the African Union’s CAADP 2025 Kampala Declaration, and has supported regional bodies including ECOWAS and CILSS in mainstreaming nutrition across policy sectors,  agriculture, water, sanitation and beyond. These are not small achievements. They are the foundations on which a bolder, more self-directed approach to systems change can be built.

The coming weeks offer a concrete opportunity to press these arguments on the global stage. The One Health Summit in Lyon, France, on the 7^th April will assess progress against the 28 billion USD in commitments made at the Nutrition for Growth Summit in Paris in 2025. It is a moment to hold governments and institutions accountable, and to elevate nutrition within broader discussions of economic resilience and global health security. The subsequent Africa Forward Summit, to be held jointly by France and Kenya in Nairobi in May, carries these conversations to a continental audience. Africa should seize the opportunity to own and shape that conversation to make nutrition an essential pillar of the continent’s future economic security, not an add-on externally financed through aid.

The international system has shown through successive crises that aid flows alone cannot guarantee the predictability that nutrition financing requires. This is not a failure of intent, for many partners remain deeply committed, but a reflection of how geopolitics, fiscal pressures and competing priorities inevitably shape what is possible. The tools, the mandates and the momentum are there. The task now is to use them and to build the kind of African-owned, resilient nutrition financing architecture that can endure whatever the next global shock brings.

References and further reading:

Glauber, Joseph: The Iran war: Potential food security impacts. IFPRI, 05.03.2025.

World Food programme: Ending malnutrition.

African Union: The cost of hunger in Africa (COHA) report: Social and economic impact of child undernutrition.

Moalosi, Kefilwe: Elevating nutrition in Africa’s food systems transformation: the road from Nairobi to Addis Ababa. Scaling Up Nutrition, 28. 05.2025.

Website of One Health Summit

Rural 21 Dossier on "Food security and nutrition" 

Rural 21 Dossier on "Food systems" 

For several years, many development programmes have been running out of steam because they rely solely on "technical solutions" such as distributing inputs, offering one-off training courses or installing a few pieces of equipment. These isolated approaches do not change the rules of how markets operate or the power relations that determine who can participate and who cannot.

In contrast, the inclusive systems approach seeks to change the way actors interact, negotiate, cooperate and create value. Gender equality and social equity are not "add-ons" but structuring principles that guide the very design of the system.

This approach takes on particular significance in rural Mali, which is deeply affected by insecurity and mobility restrictions. Inclusive systems are at the heart of the Jigitugu project – which means “fulfilling hopes”. The project is co-financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Liechtenstein Development Service, and implemented by Helvetas. The project illustrates how to transform market systems by integrating rural women, young people, people with disabilities and people leaving prison — even in a tense environment.

But what does an inclusive systems approach really look like in the context of a security crisis? Applying the approach starts with understanding the mechanisms of exclusion.

From social norms to armed checkpoints – why the most vulnerable remain stuck

Economic exclusion cannot be explained solely by poverty. It stems from restrictive social norms, deeply entrenched power relations and inequality, and markets that do not recognise certain actors as "legitimate". In rural areas of Mali, these mechanisms particularly affect four groups: women, young people, people with disabilities and people who were formerly incarcerated.

Jigitugu began working with the group of people having left prison. Local prison authorities have approached the project, because the number of young detainees incarcerated for minor offences is large and there is almost no support for reintegration.

Reshaping markets to be more inclusive

Jigitugu's approach is based on a simple idea. Systems change when relationships between actors change. It is not a question of distributing resources, but of transforming the rules that have excluded certain groups.

To strengthen women's economic autonomy, the project collaborated with municipal authorities and traditional leaders to obtain authorisation for women to sell their products outside official markets. Agreements with heads of families also gave young people access to plots of land, either individually or collectively, where they could put the skills acquired during their training into practice. For people with disabilities, sectors such as poultry farming, market gardening, fattening and agri-food processing were adapted to meet their specific needs and capacities.

To strengthen women's economic autonomy and cope with market insecurity, women
in villages are forming groups to sell their products collectively.
Photo: HELVETAS

For incarcerated individuals, apprenticeship supervisors now work directly in prisons to offer vocational training that enhances their qualifications before being released. Social services have been mobilised to provide assistance with reintegration, and relationship-building meetings have been organised between former prisoners, business leaders and members of the community. These exchanges have helped to reduce fears and prejudices, which is an essential step in enabling these individuals to regain an active, productive and accepted place in society and the local economy.

Building connection through Local Service Providers

Local Service Providers (LSPs) also play a key role in ensuring that all groups have representation in the system. LSPs are locally based economic actors from the communities where the project is implemented. They act as an interface between small producers — including those from the most vulnerable groups — and other actors, such as traders, input suppliers and technical services.

These providers are autonomous actors engaged in real and sustainable economic activity. Their main function is to consolidate the production of dispersed producers, facilitate access to markets and organise commercial negotiations with buyers capable of absorbing large volumes.

LSPs also play a key role in strengthening skills and production quality. Depending on the sector, they may be directly involved in technical training, support the adoption of improved practices, or relay the quality requirements set by buyers.

The sustainability of the system relies on the fact that LPSs operate as real economic actors. Their income depends on commissions and repeat business, which gives them a direct economic incentive to support as many reliable producers as possible. This inclusive logic is reinforced by the makeup of the LSPs. Many are former learners, young cooperative members or local artisans who have faced similar barriers and now recognise the business opportunity in helping others succeed.

LSPs also play a key role in strengthening skills and production quality.
Photo: HELVETAS

Strengthening economic prospects

To strengthen women's economic autonomy and cope with market insecurity, women in villages are forming groups to sell their products collectively. These cooperatives — which also include people with disabilities – reduce risks and strengthen market access because women no longer need to travel to unpredictable weekly markets. Instead, traders come directly to the villages to buy in bulk.

The volume they can sell collectively makes the trip worthwhile for buyers and allows the group to negotiate better prices. LSPs then reinforce this dynamic by coordinating orders, aggregating products and ensuring that quality standards are met.

For people leaving prison, access to credit is provided through the granting of agricultural inputs rather than cash (e.g. poultry feed, veterinary products, seeds or small tools), which is distributed through mixed groups that collectively guarantee repayment.

Unlike traditional approaches focused on the simple distribution of inputs, the Jigitugu project has initiated a transformation of market dynamics by changing the behaviour of traders, input suppliers and other key actors — such as cooperatives, artisans, local authorities and service providers — who now actively contribute to strengthening market linkages. Thanks to the structuring role of LSPs, these actors now invest in training producers, buy directly from villages and develop local networks. These changes promote the inclusion of traditionally excluded groups, such as rural youth, women, people with disabilities and formerly incarcerated persons.

The Jigitugu experience shows that, even in a context of insecurity, it is possible to reconfigure systems to make them more inclusive to vulnerable groups. This evolution is the result of several years of trial and error, local intermediation and negotiations, and patient work to align and join local actors.

Rosaline Dacko is the Deputy Country Director at Helvetas Mali.
Contact: rosaline.dacko(at)helvetas.org

Nicolas Cacciuttolo is the Senior Advisor for Skills, Jobs and Income at Helvetas, Switzerland.
Contact: Nicolas.Cacciuttolo(at)helvetas.org

Read full-length article at Helvetas Website

Read more about Jigitugu Project

User testing of FarmerChat

The Phase II collaboration (2025–2027) focuses on structured, human-centred user testing of FarmerChat in India and Kenya, with particular attention to women, youth and underserved farmers.

The user testing includes several components:

• Real-world usability testing: Farmers and extension agents use FarmerChat in live field conditions, while researchers observe how they navigate the tool, what questions they ask and where confusion or friction occurs.
   
• Participatory feedback sessions: Facilitated co-design workshops and focus groups gather farmer input on clarity, trust, tone, cultural relevance and usability – with a focus on women and youth inclusion.
   
• Structured surveys and behavioural analytics: Survey instruments measure perceived trust, usefulness and usability, while backend usage data (query types, repeat engagement, follow-up questions) helps assess how advice translates into action.
   
• Agronomic and inclusivity review: Responses are evaluated for technical accuracy, contextual relevance and whether recommendations reflect the constraints smallholder farmers face (e.g. affordability, local input availability, labour realities).

Initial findings on FarmerChat usability

Preliminary observations show that farmers are most engaged when the advice is locally relevant and specific (e.g. taking into account the crop growth stage, local weather conditions or generally available inputs). Trust increases significantly when the advice aligns with farmers’ practical experiences and existing advisory messages.

Voice-based interaction is particularly important for farmers with lower levels of education. Female users benefit from simplified onboarding and an introduction to the tool supported by peers. 

The official results of this structured testing phase will be published once the analysis has been completed.

Broader user feedback on FarmerChat

Beyond the IFPRI collaboration, FarmerChat is used by over a million farmers across a wide range of countries, Eric Firnhaber, director of global communications at Digital Green, says. Ongoing internal monitoring and independent research provide insight into how the tool is being used.

The majority of queries fall into the following categories: 

• pest and disease diagnosis (often with photos)
• fertiliser and nutrient management
• crop stage-specific agronomic practices
• weather-related decision support
• livestock health (in mixed farming systems)
• market price and timing questions

Many farmers use FarmerChat in a diagnostic mode - describing symptoms or uploading images - with subsequent follow-up questions on treatment or prevention.

Limiting factors and challenges

As with any AI-powered advisory tool, there are several challenges. For example, connectivity may be limited. In low-bandwidth environments, uploading images or voice responses may be slower. Similarly, there are limitations regarding inputs. Farmers sometimes lack precisely the recommended inputs (e.g. a specific brand of fertiliser), meaning that the advice needs to be tailored more flexibly.

Another challenge is building trust. Some users are initially sceptical about the reliability of AI-generated advice. Repeated positive experiences and coordination with advisory services strengthen trust over time.

Digital literacy gaps can pose a challenge for certain target groups. Women and those new to smartphones may need support with familiarisation before they can use the tool independently.

Participatory user testing and collaboration with research partners such as IFPRI are crucial, particularly for addressing these challenges.

Ines Lechner, editor Rural 21

Visit the Digital Green website

Growing up on her grandparents’ farm in Botswana, crop science PhD student Kelebonye Ramolekwa witnessed how low-yielding crops led to repeated poor harvests, experiences that sparked her long-standing interest in agricultural science. Those early losses planted the seed for an academic journey that included a bachelor degree in crop science in 2014 and a masters degree in agronomy in 2018, both from the Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

University World News: Ms Ramolekwa, what sparked your interest in agricultural research?

Kelebonye Ramolekwa: I was born and raised in a community where agriculture directly shaped livelihoods, which sparked my early curiosity about how crops grow, what affects their health, and how science can be used to improve food quality and productivity. I also became aware of the challenges faced by local farmers. This curiosity developed into a strong desire to understand the science behind sustainable agriculture and to contribute practical solutions to food security challenges.

As my studies progressed, I gained a deeper appreciation of how modern technologies can be applied to crop improvement. In particular, I became interested in the potential of induced mutation breeding using gamma radiation to improve crop productivity. This interest shaped my PhD research, which focuses on evaluating the effects of gamma radiation on cowpea to improve both yield and nutritional quality. Through this work, I aim to contribute to sustainable agriculture and improved livelihoods, which continue to drive my passion for agricultural research.

UWN:  Can you walk us through the research that earned you the L’Oréal-UNESCO award?

KR: The research is titled, ‘Unlocking cowpea potential: Evaluating enhanced mutant lines for yield and nutritional quality’. My study investigates the agronomic performance and food-related biochemical profiles of cowpea mutant lines developed through an induced mutation breeding programme. The primary objective is to assess their yield performance and food applicability, with the aim of supporting their potential release as improved varieties.

The research involves a comparative analysis of growth and yield parameters between the mutant lines and a locally preferred Tswana cultivar. It will help farmers identify high-yielding lines and inform consumers about their nutritional value, including nutrient bioavailability and digestibility. Overall, the work lays the foundation for developing a high-yielding cowpea cultivar with enhanced nutritional value that is suitable for dryland farming and food security. It also has broader relevance for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

UWN:  What drew you to researching this particular crop?

KR: I was drawn to cowpea research because of its critical role in food security, nutrition and sustainable agriculture, particularly in semi-arid and resource-limited environments. Cowpea is a climate-resilient crop that can thrive under drought conditions and in poor soils, making it well suited to regions vulnerable to climate variability, such as Botswana. Cowpeas are often grown as intercrops with cereals and contribute to long-term environmental improvement through biological nitrogen fixation, which enhances soil fertility and microbial diversity. This process converts atmospheric nitrogen into forms that plants can use, reducing dependence on synthetic fertilisers and supporting sustainable cropping systems.

From a nutritional perspective, cowpea is an affordable source of high-quality protein, micronutrients and dietary fibre, contributing significantly to household nutrition and livelihoods. Despite its importance, cowpea productivity remains constrained by biotic and abiotic stresses and suboptimal agronomic practices, resulting in low yields and limited nutritional outcomes. Bridging the gap between its potential and actual performance is what motivates my research, which aims to improve cowpea productivity, resilience and adoption.

UWN:  In your view, what are the most pressing food security issues that need urgent attention, and what solutions do you propose?

KR: The most pressing food security challenges include the impacts of climate change on agricultural productivity, declining soil fertility, limited access to affordable and nutritious food, and the low resilience of smallholder farming systems. Increasingly frequent droughts, erratic rainfall and rising temperatures are already reducing yields, particularly in semi-arid regions, while land degradation and nutrient depletion continue to threaten long-term sustainability.

Addressing these challenges requires an integrated approach that combines climate-smart agriculture, sustainable soil and water management, and the cultivation of resilient, nutrient-rich crops such as legumes. Research and promotion of drought- and pest-resistant varieties, alongside improved agronomic practices and farmer capacity-building are essential. Together, these measures can enhance productivity, strengthen resilience and support long-term food and nutrition security.

UWN:  How does food security intersect with issues such as education and poverty eradication, and what are the implications for sustainable development?

KR: Food security is closely linked to broader development challenges, particularly education and poverty reduction, with significant implications for sustainable development. Reliable access to nutritious food is essential for health and cognitive development. Food insecurity is often associated with malnutrition, which can undermine learning ability, school attendance and educational outcomes, ultimately limiting human capital development.

At household level, food insecurity and poverty reinforce one another. Many poor households depend on agriculture, yet low productivity and climate-related shocks restrict incomes and food availability. This, in turn, limits investment in education, healthcare and productive assets, perpetuating intergenerational poverty. Improving food security, therefore, supports progress across multiple SDGs, including zero hunger, quality education, poverty eradication and climate action, and requires a coordinated, cross-sectoral approach.

UWN:  What strategies can researchers and policymakers use to translate research into effective policies and practice?

KR: Researchers and policymakers can strengthen impact by creating collaborative platforms that enable early and continuous engagement throughout the research process. Co-designing research agendas helps ensure that studies address policy-relevant questions, while clear communication of findings through policy briefs, stakeholder forums and extension systems supports uptake.

In addition, pilot projects and impact evaluations can help bridge the gap between research and implementation by demonstrating what works in practice and enabling evidence-based scaling of successful interventions.

UWN:  Looking ahead to the next decade, what opportunities and challenges do you foresee, and how can they be addressed?

KR: Over the next decade, opportunities are likely to emerge from advances in agricultural research, digital technologies and climate-resilient innovations. At the same time, major challenges will include climate change, resource constraints and rising food demand.

Addressing these issues will require interdisciplinary collaboration and strong links between researchers, policymakers and farmers. Co-developing and scaling locally appropriate solutions can help improve resilience, productivity and sustainable development outcomes.

UWN:  What advice would you give to emerging agricultural researchers and students?

KR: Emerging researchers should focus on real-world agricultural challenges by conducting problem-oriented research rooted in local contexts. Strong foundations in research design, data analysis and scientific communication are essential, as are interdisciplinary collaboration and engagement with stakeholders.

Practical field experience, adaptability, and an understanding of policy and extension systems are also critical for translating research into meaningful and lasting impact.

Mary Abukutsa was interviewed by Clemence Manyukwe. The interview was first published in the Africa edition of University World News.

The partnership aligns with regional soil health frameworks, including the Lomé Declaration on Fertilizer and Soil Health (2023), the Nairobi Declaration (2024) and the ECOWAS Soil Health Roadmap (2023–2033). It also establishes a framework to operationalise collaboration at scale.

Under the agreement, the Regional Hub will align its 20 technical functions with the Soil Values Program’s nine strategic pillars. This enables integrated planning, shared data systems, and coordinated implementation across countries.

To date, the Regional Hub has moderated its efforts in parts of the Sahel – including Burkina Faso and Niger to avoid overlapping with Soil Values Program activities. The MoU resolves that constraint, clarifying roles and responsibilities and enabling a coordinated approach.

Focusing on shared governance, unified data systems and clear geographic roles

Under the partnership, both initiatives commit to governance, unified data systems and clear geographic roles, with the Soil Values Program leading implementation in the Sahel (Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, northern Nigeria) and the Regional Hub providing the broader technical platform across West Africa.

Supported by a 100 million euro grant from the Netherlands Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS), the Soil Values Program is a ten-year initiative (2024–2033) led by IFDC in partnership with SNV and Wageningen University & Research (WUR).

By leveraging over 300 million euros in private and development capital, the programme aims to shift soil health efforts from traditional aid models to sustainable investment. Seventy per cent of implementation will be delivered by local partners. This ensures ownership, resilience, and lasting outcomes. Performance-based assessments guide annual contracts and continued engagement with partners delivering results.

“One of the reasons I am particularly proud of this programme is the strength of our knowledge partners. Soil health transformation is complex and multi-dimensional, but with partners of this calibre, we have built a foundation that gives us both credibility and a strong pathway to success,” says Alain Sy Traoré, Program Director, Soil Values Program.

The Soil Values Program

Funded by DGIS, the Soil Values Program ​​addresses persistent soil fertility challenges in the Sahel region, namely Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, northern Nigeria, strategic countries being Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. It ​​aims to strengthen soil fertility and agricultural productivity in the face of climate change with a focus on regional connectivity and strategic interventions. The programme aspires to create a lasting impact on desertification and land degradation, backing landscape management, watersheds based on participatory planning and effectively integrating soil, water and biodiversity. The Soil Values Program ​​plans to promote financial incentive instruments encouraging farmers to invest in soil health by adopting sustainable soil management practices. 
More information: www.cifor-icraf.org/project/soil-values/

The Regional Hub

The Regional Hub for Fertilizer and Soil Health for West Africa and the Sahel is a collaborative initiative bringing together leading research, development and private-sector partners to deliver science-driven solutions for sustainable agriculture.

Via  Accelerating the Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) and International Soil Reference and Information Centre (ISRIC), the Hub leverages data, soil testing and fertiliser technologies to enhance productivity, efficiency and resilience across regional food systems. With financial backing from the World Bank through CGIAR’s AICCRA project and OCP Africa, it is committed to translating research into actionable solutions for farmers and policy-makers, promoting long-term soil health, food security and sustainable development for West Africa and the Sahel.

More information: soilhealthwa.iita.org

(IITA/wi)

Further reading:

Rural 21 issue no 2/2022: "Healthy soil – healthy people – healthy planet"

Although South Asia is home to a quarter of the world’s population, it holds less than 5 per cent of global freshwater resources. The water supply-demand gap is considerable; South Asian economies are highly reliant on hydropower, while their agricultural systems account for a third of all global groundwater pumping. The interconnectedness of water, energy and food security is especially pronounced in the region, where many critical river basins flow across national borders and climate vulnerability is acute.

A systems or nexus approach, which considers the interconnections between water, energy, food and environmental (WEFE) systems, has great potential, but can become paralysing for decision-makers if not supported with capacity building and a clear operational plan. Historically, progress on creating secure WEFE systems has been hampered by a siloed focus. As a result, policies designed to solve one problem have inadvertently created another. For example, in Pakistan, as estimated 12 billion cubic meters of water are not optimally used, flowing to thirsty crops like rice and sugarcane, which generate relatively low economic returns for the high volume of water they consume.

So, how do we move from the theory of a nexus systems approach to its practical application? Outputs from the Water-Energy-Food-Environment (WEFE) Nexus Policy work of the CGIAR Policy Innovations Program provided a strategic regional roadmap to make a systems-based nexus approach an operational reality in South Asia.

A WEFE roadmap for a complex region

The starting point is a clear-eyed view of the on-the-ground challenges. Interestingly, the primary barriers to progress are often institutional rather than technical. Through extensive stakeholder consultations, the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) identified six key challenges to operationalising a nexus approach in South Asia. These include fragmented governance and institutional silos, competing priorities and policy trade-offs, data and information gaps, financial constraints, limited private sector engagement, and inefficient regional cooperation and transboundary challenges.

To overcome these challenges, experts from IWMI and the Asia Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC) proposed a strategic roadmap for the region, focusing on actions such as promoting cross-sectoral collaboration, strengthening data collection and enhancing international cooperation for shared water resources. While these directives apply to the whole region, experts emphasise that implementation must be context specific. For instance, sustainable hydropower and watershed conservation are priorities for upstream nations like Bhutan and Nepal. In contrast, for India and Pakistan, the priority shifts to managing the energy-groundwater nexus to prevent aquifer depletion. Meanwhile, for Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, the focus is heavily tilted toward climate resilience, managing salinity intrusion, and pollution control in deltaic and coastal systems.

Practical tools to measure success

A high-level roadmap, however, requires practical tools to guide specific decisions and measure progress. This is where decision support systems (DSS), including those developed by IWMI research teams, come into play. These analytics platforms provide policymakers with information dashboards on the competing demands on agriculture and water resources and the overall impact of policy decisions on the WEFE nexus.

A key feature of IWMI’s newly-developed Water-Energy-Food (WEF)-Nexus DSS is the ability to generate the WEF Nexus Index; a composite scorecard that measures the combined health of interconnected systems. This involves combining availability and productivity indicators for the trio of water, energy and food into a single, normalised score: the WEF Trade-off Index (WEFTI). Crucially, it allows policymakers to quickly see if a chosen policy is a net positive or negative for the system as a whole.

Mapping the potential for nexus gains: These maps generated by the WEF-Nexus DSS illustrate the Water-Energy-Food-Environment Trade-off Index under a business-as-usual scenario compared to a 20% increase in irrigation efficiency. Graphic: IWMI

Other complementary tools like the Water Productivity Atlas models specific scenarios at the district and basin level. For example, a scenario presented for Haryana district in India, modelled a shift away from thirsty crops like rice and sugarcane, towards more diverse and nutritious crops like millets and vegetables. The Water Productivity Atlas showed clear, measurable gains. The groundwater footprint was reduced, total energy consumption fell by 13 per cent, and economic water productivity nearly doubled. The WEF-Nexus DSS then synthesised this data, and the resulting visual ‘radar charts’ showed a dramatic improvement in the overall WEFTI score, providing a clear, evidence-based case for this crop diversification strategy.

Crop diversification scenarios: The radar charts from the WEF-Nexus DSS show the nexus benefits of replacing 50 per cent of water-intensive crops with diverse alternatives. They compare two land allocation methods: dividing the land equally (EQ) versus weighting it by Economic Water Productivity (EWP). The visual demonstrates that EWP-weighted allocation yields significantly higher nexus gains, highlighting the value of data-driven crop diversification.
Graphic: IWMI

Turning tools into tangible impact

These tools and roadmaps are crucial, but making them work in the real world requires a focus on implementation. The adoption of new, integrated approaches is often driven by policymakers feeling a ‘pain point,’ such as dwindling financial resources, which pushes them to seek more efficient solutions.

For the way forward, several key considerations emerge. First is the need to document and share ‘stories of success’ to prove the value of these tools and build momentum for their adoption. Second, in the complex political reality of South Asia, creating smart incentives for stakeholders is often more effective than top-down legislation. Finally, success requires institutional champions and collaborative structures, like inter-ministerial committees, to break down silos.

By combining a strategic regional roadmap with practical analytical tools and a clear focus on real-world implementation, the aspiration of a systems approach can be turned into a confident reality.

Alok Sikka was the country representative for India and Bangladesh at IWMI, Bunyod Holmatov is the research group leader for WEFE Nexus at IWMI, Claudia Ringler is the co-lead for WEFE Nexus Policy at CGIAR Policy Innovations Program, and director of Natural Resources and Resilience at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), and Mohsin Hafeez is the WEFE Nexus Policy lead and strategic program director for Water, Food and Ecosystems at IWMI.
Contact: B.Holmatov(at)cgiar.org

This article was first published at IWMI Website.

Links:

• Water-Energy-Food-Environment (WEFE) Nexus Policy work
• IWMI's Water-Energy-Food (WEF)-Nexus DSS
• CGIAR Policy Innovations Programme

“Adaptation must move from being treated as a project-based kind of environmental issue to being mainstreamed into economic planning and public finance systems and sectoral policy,” says Emmanuel Siakilo, senior climate adaptation and resilience advisor with the AU Commission. In an interview with SciDev.Net, Siakilo warns against “copy-paste kind of interventions” and “pumping money in interventions that don’t necessarily work for the continent”.

He says that locally-led adaptation needs to be contextually relevant and well-coordinated to deliver measurable resilience, adding that interventions must be embedded in national planning and budgeting processes. “Adaptation must move from being treated as a project-based kind of environmental issue to being mainstreamed into economic planning and public finance systems and sectoral policy,” Siakilo notes.

Four critical locally led interventions by politics across Africa needed

With parts of Africa set to experience warming of between two and six degrees Celsius by 2025, climate adaptation is “not only a developmental priority but a survival imperative”, warns the climate adaptation study. The report “The Comprehensive Study on Climate Adaptation Interventions in Africa”, published on the 25^thFebruary by the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, identifies four critical locally-led interventions which governments across the continent could embrace. These include climate-smart agriculture and agro-ecological practices, integrated with traditional knowledge, and early warning systems where meteorological data is paired with local response planning.

However, for these interventions to be successful, buy-in is needed from the private sector as well as government, says Siakilo. “The resources that the public institutions have, at national level, are not sufficient to manage adaptation interventions in the continent,” he explains.

“In fact, countries in the continent have been utilising resources meant for critical social sectors like health and education to adapt to the impacts of climate change […] creating more challenges with the communities in these specific countries,” Siakilo adds.He also highlights the importance of including gender, youth, Indigenous Peoples and civil society in climate adaptation, adding that this must go beyond “tokenism”. “We do not just have to be talking about engaging these groups at the consultation level,” he says.

“What is critical here is that participation must influence budgets, it must influence authority. We need to have direct representation of Indigenous Communities, of youth, of gender, of civil society, in adaptation decision-making bodies and spaces.”

(SciDevNet/KnowledgeHub/wi)

More information

Link to Study

Link to Global Health Strategies

Yet another spike in inorganic fertiliser prices is expected as the war in the Persian Gulf hits oil prices and shipping routes. Oil and fertiliser prices are closely connected, and about a third of fertiliser trade flows through the Strait of Hormuz. The net result is higher food prices, severe impacts on foreign currency reserves of poorer countries, and lower yields if fertiliser use drops. And this is not the first hit on fertiliser prices, given the Russian invasion of Ukraine, supply chains disrupted by COVID and the oil crises in 1973 and 1979.

Such trends have many negative impacts for the food systems of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Take Ethiopia, for example. With high fertiliser prices in 2023, fertiliser application rates were reduced by smallholder farmers, more so by those with the smallest farm sizes. This is problematic as fertiliser use increases yields substantially. With high fertiliser prices, fertilisers became unprofitable for half of the maize and teff producers and a third of the wheat producers. The gains in yields from agricultural development in Ethiopia are at risk of being slowed or even turned around, and disparities between smaller and larger farmers grow.

It’s time to rethink the SSA fertiliser value chains – bringing in both high tech solutions and agroecology. But let’s be clear – fertiliser use can hardly be reduced, so that is not a solution. Average fertiliser use in SSA by smallholder farmers is very low – below 20 kg per ha. Compare that to the European Union, with above 120 kg per ha. Fertilisation is especially important on the old Gondwana surfaces of Africa where the sandy soils are inherently nutrient-poor. And nutrient mining – removal of nutrients through crop production without sufficient and balanced nutrient inputs – is a widespread component of soil degradation in SSA.

Let’s embrace fertiliser sovereignty

One component of this is fertiliser production plants in Africa. They are coming, some of them even with the latest green technology. In Kenya, plans for what is perhaps the world’s first geothermal-based ammonia plant have been launched. It is projected to produce 300,000 tonnes of ammonia-based fertiliser per year and create 2,000 jobs. Another green ammonia plant in Kenya is running on solar energy. The inputs needed for green ammonia are simple: air, water and a source of renewable energy. Research and Innovation Strategist Philip Thornton shows that green ammonia production has high potential in several locations in SSA where these resources and demand are abundant.

But low-tech agroecological practices should also be on the cards. This includes attention to good old fashioned agricultural practices, such as intercropping, rotation with nitrogen-fixing legumes and incorporating organic residues in the soil. To illustrate the potential, the average yield improvement in Africa for the first maize crop after a legume rotation was nearly one ton/hectare (114 studies). Soybean-maize rotations will retain the maize yield with applications of 25 kg/ha nitrogen (N) less than in maize monocrops. Unfortunately, fertiliser subsidies, while helping to increase nutrient additions to depleted soils, have also been responsible for less attention to good practices, contributing to the growing trend towards monocropping. Rethinking subsidies is one key to solutions.

A range of new soil amendments are being developed, too, from low-tech to high-tech. In Malawi, an organo-mineral fertiliser is being trialled – Mbeya; a composted mixture of inorganic fertiliser, manure, bran and ash. It can be homemade from local materials, and while it only has 20 per cent of their inorganic fertiliser content, it is performing nearly as well as the 100 per cent inorganic fertiliser applications, but at a much lower cost. It is also impacting soil health positively.

At the high-tech end, there is the buzz around many different possibilities: nanofertilisers, microbial biostimulants that help plants absorb nutrients, biological compounds inhibiting nitrification, soil additives to sequester carbon, to name a few. As an example, we now have the “Initiative for Biofertilizer Innovation and Science” (IBIS), funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation and the Bill Gates Foundation, which will attempt to catalyse the development and deployment of effective biofertilisers.

In 2024, the Nairobi Declaration called for a tripling of domestic fertiliser production, enhancing accessibility for smallholder farmers, and restoring 30 per cent of degraded land. Now is a good moment to make a huge push on the the Nairobi declaration.

Are we going to wait for yet another fertiliser price surge, or are we going to move rapidly to fertiliser sovereignty in SSA? 

Bruce Campbell is a Senior Advisor at the Global Center on Adaptation and Chief Innovation Strategist at Clim-Eat.  Previously, he was the Director of the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS). He works on adaptation to increased climatic variability and progressive climate change, and on low emissions development. His work has involved research for development in more than 20 countries. He was previously based in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Indonesia and Australia, and is now living in Denmark. Bruce has published over 180 journal articles and more than a dozen books, and his passion is getting knowledge into action.
Contact: bruce(at)clim-eat.org

References:

Assefa, T.W., Berhane, G., Abate, G.T. and Abay, K.A., 2025. Fertilizer demand and profitability amid global fuel-food-fertilizer crisis: Evidence from Ethiopia. Food Policy, 133, p.102785.

Bloomberg. Iran War Snarls Key Global Hub for Fertilizer Supplies

Campbell, B.M., Nyirongo, J., Botha, B., Duchoslav, J., Munthali, M.W., Nyondo, C., Sunga, I. and Wollenberg, E.K., 2023. From input subsidies to compensating farmers for soil health services. CompensACTION Policy Brief, Clim-Eat.Diab, S. and Karaki, M.B., 2023. Do increases in gasoline prices cause higher food prices?. Energy Economics, 127, p.107066.

Clim-Eat. Innovation Pulse: Green hydrogen-based ammonia

https://clim-eat.org/green-ammonia/

Falconnier, G.N., Cardinael, R., Corbeels, M., Baudron, F., Chivenge, P., Couëdel, A., Ripoche, A., Affholder, F., Naudin, K., Benaillon, E. and Rusinamhodzi, L., 2023. The input reduction principle of agroecology is wrong when it comes to mineral fertilizer use in sub-Saharan Africa. Outlook on Agriculture, 52(3), pp.311-326.

Shewangizaw, B., Agegnehu, G., Desta, G., Legesse, G., Desalegn, H. and Tigabie, A., 2025. Nitrogen Fertilizer Replacement in Legume Cereal Rotations. CGIAR Sustainable Farming Science Program Report.

Thornton, P., 2025. Locating decentralised green ammonia production facilities. Technical Brief, 1.

Vos, R., Glauber, J., Hebebrand, C. and Rice, B., 2025. Global shocks to fertilizer markets: Impacts on prices, demand and farm profitability. Food Policy, 133, p.102790.

https://vespertool.com/knowledge-hub/fertilizers/types-of-data/historical-data/

https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/AG.CON.FERT.ZS

https://foodsystems.tech/

https://novonordiskfonden.dk/en/news/new-biofertiliser-initiative-aims-to-advance-sustainable-and-affordable-food-production

Historically isolated, the region gained greater economic and commercial importance after the construction of the Interoceanic Highway in 2010. But this road construction has also intensified logging, commercial agriculture, cattle ranching, gold mining and illegal activities. These changes could push the region towards a "tipping point"; the social-ecological systems of rural households could lose their resilience and become less stable and sustainable.

The MAP Region – three countries, three realities

Thanks to its unique confluence of factors, the MAP region is considered a laboratory for studying how infrastructure development, diverse land-uses, nature conservation and institutional structures evolve across national borders and under conditions of climate change.

The MAP region, the Interoceanic highway and neighbouring protected areas.
Map: R. Capella

Researchers at the Institute for Environmental Sciences (iES)/RPTU (University of Kaiserslautern-Landau) and University of Bonn’s Center for Development Research (ZEF), both in Germany, show in a study that, despite sharing the same ecological conditions, the three MAP countries have evolved toward distinct social-ecological systems. In Pando (Bolivia), the system’s stability has traditionally relied on the Brazilian nut trade. However, the combination of volatile international prices and political instability has weakened local institutions and made the economy, which, being dependent on non-forest timber products, more fragile.

In Acre (Brazil), the economy is dominated by cattle ranching. Driven by steady market demand and a lack of effective control measures, the primary threat to its resilience consists of forest being conversed to pasture remains. Meanwhile, in Madre de Dios, in Peru, the economy has diversified significantly, with activities such as farming, ecotourism and mining on the rise. While this diversification has provided an economic buffer to a certain extent, the state struggles to control the rise of illegal mining and logging, which degrade the environment and the social fabric.

Understanding complex systems in real life

In real-life situations, things are connected in ways that are hard to understand, such as how a community, its environment and its economy all influence each other. That is why such contexts are called complex systems. The study of complex systems helps us to uncover these connections and explore ways to prevent harmful situations.

We see this clearly in the MAP region, where land uses, economic activities and institutional settings interact. Now, with added pressure from external forces like climate change, these systems risk evolving towards decline and even collapse, reaching, technically, a tipping point.

Crucially, such complex systems cannot be investigated in isolation. To understand them, we must involve the people who affect and are affected by the system in all its dimensions. This inclusive process is the basis of our research approach: participatory systems analysis.

The Participatory Systems Approach

Modelling complex social-ecological systems remains a challenging field and an unfinished task in academia. Our approach, which combines stakeholder analysis and participatory systems analysis, has produced results that are, first, locally legitimate and, second, plausible, and they aim to be applicable in the short term.

Screenshot components interaction in the Acre systems model. 

How to strengthen the systems’ resilience

Our participatory systems analysis suggests that all three sites show a strong tendency towards instability. This can be caused by the dominance of one component or by conflicts between several components, forcing systems in different directions. Therefore, strategies to prevent tipping points must be tailored to each site. However, two overarching measures appear appropriate for all three sites: promoting economic diversification (in line with forest care) and strengthening governance.

In the first case, Madre de Dios (Peru) shows considerable progress in diversifying its local economy, while efforts in Acre (Brazil) and (Pando) Bolivia remain timid. In the second case, all three sites face a difficult path; improved governance would begin with resolving the volatility of their institutional landscape, a consequence of chronic political struggles.

If successful, the following priorities should be established: in Madre de Dios, formalising the informal/illegal sectors, in Pando, stabilising the institutions that govern forest products, and in Acre, decoupling regional development from extensive cattle ranching.

Dr Daniel Callo-Concha is an associated researcher at the Center for Development Research (ZEF), University of Bonn; and Lecturer at the RPTU Koblenz-Landau, Germany.
Professor Oliver Frör leads the Environmental Economics group at the RPTU Koblenz-Landau, Germany.
Contact: d.callo-concha@uni-bonn.de

This research was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) through the awarded grants 01LC1824A to 01LC1824F.

Reference:

Callo-Concha, D. and O. Frör (2025): Resilience and tipping points in social-ecological systems of the southwestern Amazon: a participatory systems analysis. Ecology and Society 30(4):50. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-16624-300450

Overcoming hunger and poverty remains a central goal of German development cooperation. This is confirmed by the reform concept recently presented by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The ministry spends around 20 per cent of its funds on food security, agriculture and rural development, and will place an even stronger focus on sub-Saharan Africa in the future.

Development policy aims to halt renewed increase in hunger

Climate change, price increases as a result of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and the effects of the Covid pandemic are seriously jeopardising the successes achieved in recent decades in the fight against hunger and malnutrition. In some parts of Africa, more people are going hungry again and food crises are on the rise. While around 45 per cent of the population in Africa was affected by moderate or severe food insecurity in 2015, this figure rose to 59 per cent by 2024.

DEval provides important basis for decision-making

Knowledge transfer and capacity building are key instruments of development cooperation because they empower people to take action to improve their food security. In a synthesis study of the international evidence available, DEval examined the effectiveness of knowledge transfer and capacity development measures along agricultural supply chains and for local consumers.

The study is the first of its kind because it presents the effects of a wide range of development policy measures on all six dimensions of food security: (i) food availability, (ii) food utilisation, (iii) food access, (iv) food system stability, (v) food system sustainability, and (vi) the agency of local people. It highlights the types of measures that have proven effective.

Measures should be combined

The core message of the study is that knowledge transfer and capacity building measures have a positive impact on the various dimensions of food security. However, DEval also found that no single type of measure is effective in all six of them. The synthesis study shows which measures can achieve success in which dimensions. It can thus support government and civil society development actors world-wide in planning combinations of measures and provide them with an important basis for decision-making.

For example, along agricultural supply chains, measures to advise agricultural actors on climate-adapted farming methods are suitable for improving access to food and increasing its availability. At community meetings, participants can be taught nutrition-related knowledge to promote dietary diversity in their households. This additional knowledge can also increase their capacity to make nutrition-related decisions. DEval concludes that combining measures can increase their effectiveness in terms of food security.

In addition, a combination of measures is essential in order to reach particularly marginalised population groups. “It has been shown that particularly vulnerable groups such as women, children and Indigenous Peoples often cannot benefit from a single capacity-building measure,” study leader Cornelia Römling emphasises. “They often lack resources such as money or machinery to implement what they have learned.”

Furthermore, these groups have no or only limited ownership or usage rights to land for growing food. According to Römling, this argues in favour of putting together packages of measures and combining, for example, knowledge transfer with the distribution of seeds or cash transfers or advice on land rights.

Outlook – food security and multilateralism

DEval also plans to evaluate the effectiveness of multilateral development cooperation in the area of food security this year. In doing so, it will simultaneously deepen two priority areas of German development cooperation in accordance with the BMZ‘s reform plan: multilateralism and the fight against hunger. In this manner, DEval will continue to generate important findings on food security for the BMZ's evidence-based policy-making in the future.

(DEval/wi)

More information:

• Link to DeVal study: “The Effects of Capacity Strengthening Interventions on Food Security and Nutrition”  
• Link to BMZ reform plan: "Shaping the future together globally“

Within this national framework, in Jhanda Tola village, in the Mohgaon block of Mandla district, Madhya Pradesh farmers have been innovative and established a practical solution that is based on locally available bioresources. A fully automated Bio-Input Resource Centre (BRC) has been established in collaboration with the State Rural Livelihood Mission (SRLM). Based on the principle of circularity of local bioresources to improve soil health, this BRC recycles and reuses the animal waste, primarily the cow urine as a source of nutrients for agriculture. Located next to a cowshed constructed under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the centre brings together different public schemes to support climate-resilient agriculture at village level.

Women at the centre of the enterprise

The BRC in Jhanda Tola village is managed by twelve women from the Shakti Self-Help Group (SHG). What began as a livelihood opportunity has gradually evolved into a structured rural enterprise. For the women involved, the shift has been significant. They are no longer only members of a savings group; they are producers, trainers and enterprise managers. They maintain production schedules, manage accounts and coordinate with farmers. “We used to depend on others for inputs. Now, farmers come to us,” one member reflected during a training session. Today, that shift represents more than just access to bio-inputs – it marks the women’s transformation from passive recipients to trusted providers, shaping agricultural practices in their villages.

Their work does not stop at production. The group regularly conduct awareness meetings at SHG level, encouraging other women farmers to test bio-inputs on small plots before expanding their use. This peer-to-peer approach has built trust and accelerated adoption.

Over a hundred farmers across eight villages are now using locally produced bio-inputs, which has reduced dependency on external inorganic inputs and hence lowered production costs. All this has been achieved through a single village-level Bio-Input Resource Centre. What began as a modest initiative is now demonstrating that regenerative agriculture can be practical, profitable and locally managed.

SHG women preparing bio-inputs. Photo: PRADAN

Financial performance of the input centre

The SHG managing the bio-input centre has been able to produce up to 8,000 litres per month. Out of this, 7,200 litres were sold at 10 rupees per litre. So far, this has generated revenue of 72,000 rupees (~700 euros) and a net income of 42,300 rupees (~400 euros) over five production cycles. The majority of the income is being reinvested into the enterprise to strengthen working capital and support future production. A small portion of the profit is distributed equally among the group members as an incentive for their efforts.

Impact and adoption

In the beginning, the idea of running a bio-input centre felt almost impossible. However, with consistent effort and strategic partnership with Agriculture community resources persons (CRPs), the SHG integrated the use of BRC into local crop planning. This led to wider acceptance and adoption among farmers in the village. Around 100 farmers are already using the product on crops such as paddy and pulses. For many of them, the centre represents the first dependable local source of natural farming inputs. Today, the group proudly sees itself as entrepreneurs. The women who run the centre no longer identify only as women farmers; they now call themselves women entrepreneurs. As one of the members shared, they had never imagined that they would be able to manage a production unit and encourage villagers to adopt bio-inputs at this scale.

BRC entrepreneurs showcasing the bio-inputs prepared by them in BRC.
Photo: PRADAN

Automation that supports adoption

The bio-input produced from the automated unit undergoes multi-stage filtration and standardised processing, significantly improving consistency, potency, and field usability.

1. Production workflow: Raw materials – including cow dung, crop residues and local microbial cultures – are procured according to a monthly plan aligned with cropping seasons. Fermentation and bio-input preparation follow defined protocols, with temperature, pH and aeration monitored at each stage to optimise microbial activity and product efficacy.
2. Quality assurance: Multi-stage filtration and standardised dosing protocols ensure homogeneity. Samples are periodically tested for microbial counts and nutrient composition, and any deviations trigger corrective action
3. Inventory and record-keeping: Stock levels, batch numbers and distribution schedules are meticulously documented. The SHG maintains digital and physical records of production, sales and raw material consumption, facilitating transparency and accountability.
4. Outreach and application support: The women coordinate logistics for distribution across seven to eight villages and provide guidance on crop-specific usage. SHG-level training sessions reinforce proper handling, while farmers’ feedback informs subsequent production cycles.

By simplifying production and application, the BRC lowers one of the main barriers to regenerative farming: uncertainty. Farmers can experiment on part of their land without taking excessive risks, while the standardised product ensures consistent results and ease of use – particularly for women managing both farm and household responsibilities.

More than an input centre

The Bio-Input Resource Centre in Jhanda Tola (or hamlet) is more than a production unit. It represents a shift in how climate resilience, public programmes and women’s collectives can intersect. By combining policy support and grassroots leadership, the centre demonstrates that regenerative agriculture is not only about changing farming practices. It is also about building local systems that reduce dependency, create income and strengthen rural confidence. In Mandla, soil restoration is going hand in hand with women’s economic empowerment – and that may be the most resilient outcome of all.

Linking village enterprise with national ambition

Beyond infrastructure, the women entrepreneurs received structured support under the Carbon Offsetting Rice Emissions (CORE) programme, part of the Fund for the Promotion of Innovation in Agriculture (i4Ag). The Indo-German cooperation project is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, with UN Women as a consortium partner. Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN) supports grassroots mobilisation and capacity building.

Through project training in marketing, institutional linkages and business planning, the women strengthened their ability to position the BRC as a viable enterprise rather than a subsidy-driven activity.

The experience in a small village in Mandla shows that regenerative agriculture essentially needs quality alternate inputs as well as local ownership, reliable supply systems and confidence at farm level. By placing women at the centre of climate-resilient agriculture, the Mandla BRC demonstrates that sustainability and economic empowerment can reinforce one another. What began as a small village enterprise is steadily becoming part of a wider ecosystem of natural farming support. With the right mix of policy backing, technical innovation and community leadership, regenerative farming can move from concept to everyday practice – not as a pilot, but as a locally anchored replicable rural enterprise model.

Navin Vivek Horo is Project Lead (DV), Carbon Offsetting Rice Emissions (CORE), i4Ag at GIZ India, working on climate-resilient agriculture with a focus on enhancing rural livelihoods, promoting youth engagement and supporting sustainable value chains in India.

Amarpreet Kaur is a Junior Knowledge Management Advisor, Soil Matters at GIZ India, supporting communications and knowledge sharing in sustainable agriculture initiatives.
Contact: amarpreet.kaur(at)giz.de

References:

Press Note Details: Press Information Bureau

Tajikistan, a landlocked Central Asian nation of ten million people, relies heavily on irrigation for its agriculture. Of its 720,000 hectares of arable land, only about 515,000 are effectively used. Historically, water management followed administrative boundaries rather than hydrological realities. As a result, local authorities often lacked a basin-wide understanding of water availability, competing demands and ecosystem needs. Climate change has intensified these structural weaknesses. Rapid glacier melt increases floods and mudflows in spring, while prolonged summer droughts create water scarcity precisely during peak agricultural demand.

To overcome these structural weaknesses, the government adopted the Water Sector Reform Programme (2016–2025). It marked a shift from fragmented, administrative water management to one based on natural river basins and the principles of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM).

A multi-level transformation

Funded by the Swiss Government and implemented by Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation, GIZ International Services (Project Phase 1 and 2), the NGO Acted and partners, the National Water Resources Management (NWRM) project supports the reform process by linking national policy change with practical implementation. It combines basin-level planning, climate-resilient agriculture and disaster risk reduction measures to improve rural livelihoods.

The project follows a simple principle. Sustainable water management requires coordination across levels and sectors. It connects policy frameworks at the top with tangible actions at the farm level, covering scales from the national basin to local watersheds, irrigation schemes and Water User Associations (WUAs).

At national level, NWRM contributed to drafting the new Water Code, adopted in 2020. This milestone paved the way for the creation of the River Basin Organisation and River Basin Council and for the preparation of River Basin Management Plans to guide long-term water governance. At the basin and watershed levels, the project works in the Aksu, Isfana, Tomchasay and Khojabakirgan sub-basins (see Map).

Building institutions and skills

Three project phases have gradually expanded activities from one pilot watershed to several. Phase I (2014–2018) piloted the first Integrated Watershed Management Plan, focus on applying nature-based solutions for watersheds rehabilitation and disaster risk reduction in the Aksu watershed, showing promising results. The approach was replicated in the Isfana watershed during Phase II (2018–2022), and again in the Khojabakirgan watershed in Phase III (2022–present).

Beyond field activities, the project has strengthened legal and institutional foundations for Integrated Water Resources Management. The Water Code and subsequent River Basin Management Plan (2021–2025) have given Tajikistan a comprehensive legislative and organisational framework for basin-based planning for the first time.

In all three phases, the project has provided assistance to irrigation agencies, Water User Associations and farmers to improve irrigation water efficiency at the farm and irrigation scheme levels. In its current phase, the project is helping to integrate basin and watershed plans into the socio-economic development strategies of the Sughd province and local districts.

Multi-level and cross-sectoral approach for implementation of IWRM

Participation and partnership

Effective water management needs collaboration. The project engages a wide range of actors, including the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources (MEWR), the Agency for Land Reclamation and Irrigation (ALRI), the Committee of Environment Protection, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Committee of Housing and Municipal Services. At basin level, the project cooperates with Sughd regional authorities, District and Jamoat administrations. At the irrigation scheme level, the project works together with the Agency of Land Reclamation and Irrigation and the Water User Association. At the watershed level, the project cooperates with local communities and civil society organisations.

Installing pipe irrigation. Photo: Helvetas Tajikistsan

Stakeholders across all levels consistently prioritise five goals: efficient water use, stronger cross-sector collaboration, climate-resilient agriculture, modernised irrigation systems and effective disaster risk reduction.

Overcoming challenges through learning

Introducing IWRM in Tajikistan has not been without obstacles. Despite the adoption of an IWRM-oriented new Water Code, the sectoral silos approach of public administration persisted. Moreover, limited delegated authority for new basin organisations has hindered progress. However, the project has addressed these constraints through policy dialogue, capacity development and visible demonstration projects.

Long-term project engagement has allowed institutional learning and development. Improved irrigation systems and participatory planning have helped build trust among communities and government bodies. The inclusion of women and youth in basin forums has further strengthened representation and shared responsibility for managing water resources.

Results and impact

Agriculture uses about 90 per cent of the region’s available water resources. Increasing irrigation efficiency has therefore been a top priority. The project supports irrigation agencies and Water User Associations in rehabilitating canals and applying water-saving technologies such as drip irrigation and improved scheduling. Over 3,000 farmers have adopted more efficient practices, which have increased yields in crops like cotton, potatoes and orchards while conserving water and soil. Here are the results in detail:

• At national and basin level, the National Water Code has been aligned with IWRM principles.The River Basin Management Plan (2021–2025) has been implemented, and the River Basin Organisation and Council were established in 2020. Furthermore, a Basin Forum of Women and Youth that amplifies local voices has been created.
• At watershed level, integrated watershed management has been successfully applied in multiple basins, while Disaster Risk Reduction models with Nature-based Solutions have piloted and established (e.g. reforestation that reduces landslides and sediment runoff, stabilises river systems and mitigates downstream flood damage), and active watershed dialogues have been held.
• At community level, farmers have gained higher productivity via water-saving tech. More than 3,000 land users have adopted sustainable agriculture practices improving soil stability and water conservation. Women are playing an increasingly recognised role in water user associations and basin forums.
   

Water efficiency training for women farmers. Photo: Helvetas Tajikistan

Looking ahead

The next phase will deepen the integration of basin and watershed plans into regional planning, strengthen institutional capacities, an­­­d continue expanding nature-based disaster risk reduction measures. Mobilising investments for critical water infrastructure and monitoring systems will also be key.

By linking policy reform, institutional development and tangible benefits for rural people, Tajikistan’s National Water Resources Management project has shown how Integrated Water Resources Management can move from concept to practice, building a more resilient future in a water-scarce region.

Marian Wojciech Szymanowicz is a Project Manager at HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
Contact: marian.szymanowicz@helvetas.org

Further reading:

Rural 21 issue no 1/2020: "Water for Food and Agriculture"

Tenure security is a crucial catalyst of responsible land governance, and rights over the control of land and decision-making about its use enable better productive and environmentally sustainable decisions, foster stability and peace and give people the confidence to invest. While there has been some progress in establishing and expanding land tenure security and governance at the international and national policy levels, it has been slow, and its impact on the ground even slower, underscoring the need for stronger political commitment and inclusive policies.

A prerequesite for long-term food security

“Land insecurity is one of the most damaging forms of inequality, paid for in lower productivity, weaker resilience and poorer nutrition. Secure land tenure enables sustainable investment and is the difference between short-term survival and long-term food security,” said FAO Chief Economist Maximo Torero Cullen presenting the report.
“Too many people still live with the fear of losing their land and homes, with women and young people remaining among the most excluded,” confirmed Marcy Vigoda, Director of the International Land Coalition.

According to the authors, the new report draws on a wide set of inputs and complements two decades of guidance embedded most notably in the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests (VGGT). Moreover, it responded to the growing demand to link land rights with climate action, biodiversity protection, gender equality and rural transformation.

"When we generate evidence with and for all stakeholders, we create the foundation for stronger, more transparent, and more equitable public policies – both nationally and internationally,” Sélim Louafi, Deputy Director for Research and Strategy at Cirad, comments.

Some key facts of the report

• States have legal ownership of more than 64 per cent of land world-wide; this includes customary land with designated tenure rights but without documented ownership.
• A little more than a quarter of all land is known to be owned privately by individuals, companies or by collectives. For the remaining 10 per cent or so, tenure status is unknown. More specifically, around 18 per cent of the world’s land, or 2.4 billion hectares, is owned by private individuals and corporations.
• Globally, when agricultural land is considered (about 37 % of the global land area), the top 10 per cent of the largest landholders operate 89 per cent of all agricultural land in aggregate terms.
• The world’s largest farms, those spanning more than 1,000 hectares, operate more than half of all farmland, while 85 per cent of the world’s farmers manage less than two hectares, or just 9 per cent of it.
• Men are more likely than women to own or have secure rights to land in almost all the countries with data, and the gender gap exceeds 20 percentage points in nearly half.
• Land tenure systems vary enormously across regions. In sub-Saharan Africa, 73 per cent of land is held under customary tenure, with a mere one per cent formally recognised as such and most of the rest undocumented and under state ownership. In Eastern and South-Eastern Asia, state land dominates, at 51 per cent, with only 9 per cent of land in the region privately held. Private land ownership accounts for 32 per cent of land in North America, 39 per cent in Latin America and the Caribbean, and 55 per cent in Europe excluding the Russian Federation where state land dominates.
• The gap between real tenure and legal documentation is exemplified by the fact that while Indigenous Peoples and other holders of customary tenure rights occupy 5.5 billion hectares or 42 per cent of the world’s land, only one billion hectares, covering just 8 per cent, have clear ownership rights.

Focus on customary lands

The report examines customary land systems in detail, as befits their large share of the world’s land. These systems – stewarded by Indigenous Peoples, pastoralists and tribal groups – do and can deliver significant contributions to biodiversity and climate challenges.

Around 77 per cent of all reported customary lands, equal to 4.2 billion hectares, has been mapped, albeit often only indicatively. Thirty per cent is in North America and Europe, including large tracts in the Russian Federation, 28 per cent in Africa, 18 per cent in Asia and 12 per cent in both Latin America and the Caribbean and Oceania regions.

Those mapped customary territories hold an estimated 45 gigatons of irrecoverable carbon – which cannot be put back in time to avoid climate damage, found mostly in forest biomes – or 37 per cent of the global total.

The report also focuses on the fact that customary lands are threatened by growing anthropogenic pressures such as urban expansion, transport infrastructure, large-scale industrial agriculture, oil and gas extraction and mining. Some climate solutions geared to renewable energy, biofuels, conservation and carbon offsets are increasing such pressures, especially on lands which lack formal recognition or protections. Preliminary analysis shows that 19 per cent of intact forest landscapes, 15 per cent of irrecoverable carbon hotspots, and 7 per cent of key biodiversity areas on mapped customary lands lack formal government recognition.

(FAO/ILC/CIRAD/sri)

Link to report

Further reading:

Rural 21 no 4/24: "Land matters"

Rural 21 Dossier on "Land"

Bringing together ten visionary leaders across diverse regions and industries, including food, fashion and insurance, the B4L Champions’ Council will serve as a high-profile advocacy platform under UNCCD’s flagship B4L Initiative. Its mission is to mobilise corporate action to restore 1.5 billion hectares of degraded land by 2030, while inspiring other companies to adopt land-positive and regenerative business models that deliver both environmental and economic impact. 

“The B4L Champions’ Council reflects a pivotal shift in how we address land degradation: by placing the private sector at the forefront of sustainable land management and people at the heart of the process. Restoring land is not just a government priority, it is a global economic necessity,” said UNCCD Executive Secretary Yasmine Fouad at the launch event in Davos on the 23^rd of January.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented at the launch by Deputy Minister of Environment and Advisor to the COP16 Presidency Osama Ibrahim Faqeeha, served as the inaugural Chair of the B4L Champions’ Council.  

Faqeeha said that land restoration was a smart investment in our collective future. “With the launch of the Business4Land Champions’ Council, we are creating a platform where private sector leaders can commit, collaborate and catalyse real-world impact,” he added.

Integrating the B4L Council into the UNCCD COP processes

The Chair role will integrate the Council’s work into UNCCD COP processes and align business leadership with national and global commitments on land restoration and drought resilience. The COP17 Presidency of Mongolia, represented by Deputy Minister of Environment Munkhtamir Batbayar, will assume the Chair in August 2026, continuing this leadership through the next year and beyond.

“The Champions’ Council is not symbolic, it is designed to lead private-sector action on land restoration and drought resilience. From Mongolia’s perspective, we want business engagement to shift in three ways: from commitments to measurable land outcomes, from isolated pilots to investable pipelines, and from ‘do no harm’ to land-positive value creation. Engaging with our Steppe Action Agenda, the Council can drive collective leadership that moves markets, influences peers and creates a race to the top on land stewardship,” stated Batbayar.

“We want to bring companies the finance and technology needed to speed up land restoration and sustain livelihoods for people,” said Bayanjargal Byambasaikhan, Vice Chair, Business Council of Mongolia.

As the world looks toward UNCCD COP17 in Mongolia, the B4L Champions’ Council marks a key milestone in placing land at the centre of business strategies. With resources and priorities stretched across multiple global challenges, it is more essential than ever that companies invest in regenerative, land-positive solutions to secure a sustainable future for people, nature, and economies. 
(UNCCD/wi)

More information:

• Link to the full text of the UNCCD press release 
• Website of the UNCCD Business4Land Initiative

Further reading:

Rural 21 issue no 4/2024: "Land matters"

Rural 21 Dossier on "Land"

Zambia, Southern Province near Lake Kariba. At the roadside, shrouded in brown hot dust, the silhouette of a woman breaking stones with a hammer, a child on her back, another beside her in the sand. Less than ten metres away, heavy trucks rumble along the sandy track, leaving clouds of dust in their wake. They are carrying coal to fuel the copper mines in the north of the country. A sunless, dystopian landscape symbolising the harsh effects of the energy transition, which is causing environmental destruction and social conflict in the Global South.

 A woman digging for tin in an open pit. Photo: Bettina Meier

Located in southern Africa and rich in natural resources, Zambia is one of the countries hoping to benefit from the energy transition. Copper mining, which is essential for energy and transport infrastructure as well as electronics, accounts for 15 per cent of Zambia’s gross domestic product and over 70 per cent of its exports. Cobalt, nickel, lithium and manganese are abundant, and these minerals are needed for battery production. China and, increasingly, the Gulf States are investing heavily in Zambia's mining sector, while the USA is promoting the construction of a railway line from Zambia's Copperbelt mining province to the Angolan port city of Lobito, and the European Union already concluded a strategic raw materials partnership with Zambia in 2023. President Hakainde Hichilema wants to triple copper production to three million tonnes a year by 2031, and the mining of cobalt, nickel, manganese and precious stones is also being promoted. 

Mining is intended to increase government revenue and create jobs, as the population is young and poverty is widespread. The average age of Zambia's 21 million inhabitants is 17.7 years. According to the World Bank, 64.2 per cent of the population lived on less than 2.15 US dollars a day in 2022, with a Gini index of 51.8. This makes Zambia one of the poorest and most unequal countries in the world.

Coal for the energy transition

We are in the Southern Province of Zambia, a region that is primarily agricultural but where coal and precious stones have been mined since colonial times. However, since the boom in critical raw materials, people's lives have been changing rapidly. In the village of Sinazese, I speak with Jeff Kayamba, a social worker at the NGO Centre for Environment Justice (CEJ), which advises local communities on exercising their rights. He knows the area well, having grown up here. “Three years ago, we had two coal companies here,” Kayamba says. “Now there are fifteen. People are losing their land. Many have been displaced several times and have to start over again and again, which is hard.” Although the law provides for compensation and the allocation of replacement land and housing, most companies do not comply with this. “In most cases, those displaced receive only two kwacha, or about 50 euro cents, in compensation per square metre,” explains Kayamba.

CEJ has documented many such cases. The investigative platform Makanday Weekly also recently reported on 50 families who were resettled in half-finished, substandard houses on infertile land.

The village headman of Siamajele. The houses were demolished as part of the resettlement programme.
Photo: Bettina Meier

But, I ask Kayamba, doesn't mining also have positive aspects, such as creating jobs? Yes, he says, many young men are employed in the underground coal mines. “But their jobs are precarious. They work mostly as day labourers,” Kayamba explains. “ Very few of them have permanent contracts with social security and health insurance.” The hourly wage is 50 kwacha, about 1.70 euros, and the monthly wage is between 3,000 and 5,000 kwacha, or 120 to 200 euros. That's a good salary by Zambian standards, but most of the companies, which are Chinese, don't stick to the legal minimum wage. And the work is dangerous, whereas the safety standards are poor.

There is a certain irony in the fact that coal mining is booming right now. Coal provides the energy for the mines in the Copper Belt. Due to climate-related drought, the state-owned energy supplier, which depends on hydropower, is unable to deliver – so the mines operate their own coal-fired power stations. In order to produce the copper for the energy transition in the global North, massive investments are currently being made in fossil fuels in Zambia – an absurd state of affairs!

On the road from Maamba to Batoka, where the woman and her children are breaking stones, hundreds of heavy goods vehicles carrying 35 tonnes of coal each pass by every day. Now, at the end of the dry season, the dust pollution is enormous; it is difficult to breathe, and it is hard to imagine having to live near this road. 

Land loss and precarious compensation

Kayamba takes me to a meeting in the village of Siamajele, whose land belongs to the Chinese mining company Collum Coal, which has been mining coal here since 2000. Long cracks have appeared in the villagers' fields and between their houses because Collum is continuing to drive its shafts underground. As many as 167 families have had to leave their homes, and Collum Coal has to compensate them. Because this was not being done adequately, the state environmental protection agency ZEMA (Zambia Environmental Management Agency) ordered the mine to be closed in May 2025. This is a rare measure for the chronically underfunded and often inactive authority.

Cracks in farmers' fields in Siamajele. Photo: Bettina Meier

At the meeting, it turns out that many have already agreed to the compensation offered. Kayamba is angry because if they had acted together, they could have achieved more. The houses they are supposed to move into are not good, I am told. Most of the villagers remain on their land, even though it is dangerous. And they want the mine to reopen soon, because it is the only source of income in the area. When I speak to Kayamba on the phone in January, he tells me that almost all of the families have moved and are now living in tents. However, with the help of CEJ, nine families had hired a solicitor who had their property valued and arrived at a much higher compensation amount. "Collum offered between 20,000 and 45,000 kwacha per household. That's between 800 and 1,800 euros. For the loss of their homes, cattle sheds, fruit trees, granaries, maize fields – that's not enough!" says Kayamba.

Mining obviously causes enormous environmental and social damage. The water table is falling, drinking water wells are drying up and people are forced to obtain water from rivers into which companies discharge their waste water. Dust and toxins from the spoil heaps are damaging the health of humans and animals, and farming and livestock breeding are no longer possible. And the destruction of the landscape is accompanied by cultural alienation. “It's so sad to see the graves and shrines of our ancestors disappearing because of all the digging going on,” Kayamba laments. The connection to the ancestors, central to people's identity and self-esteem, is thus lost.

Critical minerals – licences for small-scale and  artisanal mining

However, it is not only the large mines, mostly operated by Chinese companies, that are destroying people's habitats and livelihoods. Small-scale and  artisanal mining, often illegal, has also led to massive problems.

In the district of Zimba, also in the Southern Province, I meet Namo Chuma, director of the NGO Environment Africa Zambia (EAZ). The discovery of lithium two years ago led to an uncontrolled rush of small-scale miners, causing environmental damage and economic losses, as stones were smuggled.  Finally, in January 2025, the army was called in to bring the situation under control. However, the visitor sees nothing of this. Outwardly, the area appears rural, with harvested cornfields, cattle and dried-up scrubland. Small mining companies, Chinese and Indian, are active here, mining lithium, precious stones, tantalum and tin in open-cast mines.

EAZ trains so-called Mining Action Groups, action committees that are supposed to defend the interests of the local population against the companies. After a detour to the office of the local Member of Parliament, who proudly shows us a list of 16 companies that currently hold mining licences in her constituency, we carry on to the village of Chalimongela. Ten members of the action committee are gathered at the school, including the elected community representatives on the district council and the traditional chiefs who are the custodians of the farmland. However, the mineral resources underground belong to the state, and mining licences are issued in the distant capital Lusaka by the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Development. Local authorities, even district councils, are rarely informed, let alone the farmers on whose land the mineral resources are being extracted. In conversation, I hear: "The investors come with their machines, mark our fields and cattle pastures, and start digging. When we confront them, they say they have permission from the highest office. We can't do anything."

Grazing land in Chalimongela. Photo: Bettina Meier

Similar to resettlement, there are also laws and regulations governing mining permits that are intended to protect citizens and the environment. For example, the granting of a licence is preceded by an environmental and social impact assessment, and a public hearing is also required. Yes, in theory it is possible to submit comments, says Namo Chuma. But the deadlines are short, the studies themselves can only be viewed at the ministry in Lusaka or online, and in reality the decision has often already been made. “The documents usually state that the communities have been consulted. But when we ask the people, they are surprised and know nothing about it,” says Chuma.

At the mercy of traders

The conversation with the committee is sobering. “We used to live off agriculture, we were cattle farmers,” I hear, “but because of climate change, the soil is so dry that cattle farming is hardly possible anymore. In addition, the rivers and streams have been silted up by mining, and our cattle no longer have any water.” In fact, Zambia's Southern Province is one of the country’s regions most affected by climate change. Rising temperatures and fluctuations in rainfall, with more frequent and intense periods of drought, threaten rain-fed agriculture, pastoralism, water availability and food security. Forecasts for the coming decades predict a further worsening of the situation. But how can people make a living if they want to stay in their homeland? For many, artisanal mining, is the only alternative.

A study published in 2024 by Caritas Zambia examined the human rights and environmental consequences of mining critical raw materials in Chalimongela. It found that communities are hugely dependent on small-scale mining for their livelihoods. The greater the environmental destruction caused by mining, the less livestock farming and agriculture are possible, and the more impoverished farmers dig for critical raw materials – a vicious circle.

“Nowadays, we earn our living by selling minerals that we dig up with hoes and pickaxes. Mobile traders, known as briefcase buyers, purchase the stones directly from our homes,” explain the committee members. What did they sell last week? Tin, tantalum, niobium and aquamineral, I am told. The entire community, women, children and young people, are in the bush. Tin mining is women's work, backbreaking labour because the stone is particularly hard. If you are lucky, you can collect a gram of tin in a day and sell it for 20 kwacha, which is less than a euro. 

People accept exploitation by traders even though they know that these resell at much higher prices. “People don't know the market prices, and they don't dare to confront the traders,” says Chuma. Through training, the group will learn how to talk to investors and traders and how to find out about prices, he explains. They will also learn what a mining licence issued by the ministry looks like so that they can check whether the papers they are shown are authentic.

The committee members show me a lithium mine whose Chinese operator had to give up under pressure from the local chief.  Now a cooperative runs the mine, but it looks deserted. Without machines to extract the mineral from the rock, operations are very labour-intensive. The quarry looks like a gaping wound in the hilly bushland.

A few kilometres further on, another Chinese company is digging for tungsten, which is used in mechanical engineering, lighting and the arms industry. An excavator tears two-metre-deep and approximately 20-metre-long trenches into the scrubland; it looks as if a giant animal has dug its claws into the earth. The security guards explain that nothing has been found yet. Whether they will fill in the trenches again if they don't find anything is questionable. In all likelihood, no one will check. The farmers, whose cattle can no longer graze here, are the ones who suffer. Many animals have already died miserably after falling into such pits, and children are also at risk.

Tungsten exploration in Chalimongela. Photo: Bettina Meier

What is the government doing?

So how can we better protect people and nature while at the same time promoting the extraction of critical raw materials? A law for the comprehensive modernisation of mining administration was passed in June 2025. The independent Minerals Regulation Commission is now responsible for issuing permits, and can also suspend them. In addition, supervision of occupational safety and compliance with health and environmental standards will be improved. Furthermore, the Ministry of Mines  and Mineral Development is to open offices in the provinces, a prerequisite for ensuring that supervisory duties are fulfilled. A support fund and a separate department within the Ministry of Mines have been set up for small-scale mining, whose training measures are also supported by Germany’s Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

It remains to be seen whether the reform will bring about any change. “On paper, these are good approaches, but the problem lies in their implementation. Do the authorities have sufficient financial and human resources to carry out their tasks? That is the key question,” says Chuma. And Kayamba adds: "If the new institutions are just as underfunded as ZEMA, they will not work. Our laws and regulations are fine in themselves, but there are far too few resources available to implement them." Civil society pressure on the government is therefore just as necessary as educating the local population about their rights and providing them with legal support. The upcoming presidential, parliamentary and local elections on the 13^th August 2026 will show who is committed to ensuring that the extraction of copper, lithium and other critical raw materials does not take place at the expense of the poor and nature.

Bettina Meier is the  Programme Manager for Zambia and Malawi at Brot für die Welt. She  is based in Berlin, Germany.
Contact: Bettina.Meier(at)brot-fuer-die-welt.de

More information on the Centre for Environment Justice (CEJ) and Environment Africa Zambia (EAZ) can be found here:

• CEJ Website
• EAZ Website 

References:

• CCG Policy Brief 28.05.2025: Does Zambia‘s Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Policy Approach Support Sustainable Development? Insights and Recommendations
• Caritas Zambia 2024: How Clean is Clean Energy? Transitioning to Renewable Energy in Zambia: Balancing Critical Minerals Extraction with Human Rights and Environmental Protection.
• Makanday Weekly, 23-26 January 2026: Coal Mine Displacement Leaves Sinazongwe Families Poorer and Unheard.

Further reading:

Rural 21 issue no 1/2024: Indigenous people - why rights and resources matter

Rural 21 issue no 1/2023: Energy – time for change

Using data from 98 study sites across 25 countries on six continents, the researchers found that non-native plants often grow faster than native species and are particularly successful in areas with intensive grazing and nutrient-rich soils. However, their success is significantly reduced in ecosystems with a high diversity of native plant species.

The success of non-native perennial plants in drylands depends on a variety of factors, according to the scientists who conducted the study. These factors include the local climate, soil quality and the diversity of native vegetation. “Greater biodiversity protects drylands from invasive plants,” says Dr Soroor Rahmanian of Leipzig University and the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv). She and Professor Nico Eisenhauer are the joint first authors of the study, which was published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution in February.

Drylands cover 45 per cent of the Earth’s surface and are home to 2 billion people

Based on data collected between 2016 and 2019, the team analysed how environmental conditions, plant-animal interactions and human activities combine to shape these drylands. Their focus was on perennial plants, and they examined 41 non-native plant species. These were generally found in small quantities, with only a few species being found particularly frequently in specific areas.

The map shows the dryland regions in the world and the most common non-native plant species in each region.
Source: Rahmanian et al., 2026

Drylands cover approximately 45 per cent of the Earth’s land surface and are home to more than two billion people. Despite their environmental and societal importance, our understanding of how various factors may influence the success of non-native perennial plants in these regions is still developing. “The establishment of these species seems to depend largely on local conditions,” explains Professor Eisenhauer of Leipzig University and iDiv.

“Non-native plants have spread most successfully in heavily grazed areas with nutrient-rich soils. These conditions are often found in less extreme drylands and favour fast-growing species that can tolerate disturbance,” says Dr Rahmanian. The researchers found that higher soil fertility promoted the growth of non-native plants, as did faster decomposition rates and greater fungal diversity.

The researchers further discovered that non-native plants tend to be larger, enabling them to absorb more nutrients from the soil. These traits help them take advantage of the nutrient-rich yet challenging conditions created by grazing.
(Leipzig University /wi)

Reference:
Soroor Rahmanian et al.: "Abiotic and biotic controls of non-native perennial plant success in drylands”, Nature Ecology & Evolution, February 2026

At the meeting, IFAD Member States came together for consultations for the fourteenth replenishment of the Fund – “IFAD 14” –, starting a year-long consultative process to set its strategic priorities for the 2028 to 2030 period and commit new financial contributions to support its work. Here, against the background of declining finance for development, the emphasis was on sounding out options to cooperate with the private sector.

Making farming a business

Three priorities guided the agenda for the consultations: investing in small small-scale farmers to make sure they have access to markets and to value chains – by providing them with know-how, technology and finance; fostering entrepreneurship and empowering rural youth and women to create rural jobs; and raising resilience of rural communities to food and climate shocks.

Impact assessments of IFAD’s work were said to have shown that the resilience of rural communities – climate or economic – could be improved through the measures by one third, Lario claimed, with one goal always being not only to invest in subsistence agriculture but to make farming a business as well.

Taking advantage of the demographic dividend

And here, young people constitute one of the key target groups – not as beneficiaries, but as leaders in the centre of rural transformation, the IFAD President said, reminding the meeting that there are 1.3 billion adolescents in the world today (defined by the United Nations as those between the ages of 10 and 19), making up 16 per cent of the world’s population. Roughly half of them live in rural areas in developing countries or emerging economies, where investment gaps have created an “opportunity deficit” that keeps them from reaching their full economic potential. Closing that gap was central to producing more food for a growing global population and creating jobs across the entire agricultural value chain, from farming to storage, processing, marketing and export, Lario maintained, insisting: “Investing in young entrepreneurs is therefore not a choice, but a necessity if we are to build sustainable and resilient food systems.”

Tony Elumelu (l.) and Alvaro Lario. Photo: IFAD/ Hannah Kathryn Valles

The philosophy of “Africapitalism”

“When we invest in young entrepreneurs, we do not just support individuals – we reduce poverty and enable rural communities to grow from within,” stressed guest speaker Tony Elumelu, Chairman of the United Bank of Africa (UBA) and pan-African investment group Heirs Holdings, as well. In a discussion with the press in the run-up to the consultations, Elumelu gave an insight into his philosophy of “Africapitalism”, which positions the private sector, and most importantly, African entrepreneurs, as the catalysts for the social and economic development and thus for spreading prosperity on the continent.

Getting the private sector on board

Emulelu called on the private sector – in Africa in particular – to invest in critical sectors that have the ability to catalyse economic transformation. He referred to the example of electricity. Without improvements in this sector, one would not achieve much – neither in industrialising Africa and in the digital revolution nor in creating employment and in helping to empower young Africans. “We cannot grow Africa without power and we cannot grow Africa without food,” said the Nigerian economist, who has funded over 24,000 young African business entrepreneurs with his Tony Elumelu Foundation, around a fifth of whom operate in agriculture and agribusiness.

Silvia Richter, Rural 21

More information:

• IFAD’s position paper “Matching the Moment: The role of the private sector in delivering rural transformation”
• Link to IFAD’s website
• Link to the website of the Tony Emulelu Foundation

Further reading:

Rural 21 issue no 3/2024: “Boosting entrepreneurship”

Rural 21 issue no 3/2023: “Joining forces for agri-food systems transformation"

Rural 21 issue no 4/2022: "Financing sustainable agri-food systems"

Rural 21 Dossier on “Rural Youth”

Globally, new trends are also emerging that aim to curb people’s voices and restrict civic participation. In response, Helvetas continues to navigate challenging situations and to evolve its advocacy approaches through learning and adaptation.

Risks imposed through restrictions on registration

As a development INGO, Helvetas operates in numerous contexts where rights-based civil society organisations are not permitted to function. On the one hand, this creates opportunities for Helvetas to engage in spaces that are otherwise closed. On the other hand, it requires significant expertise to navigate extremely narrow or closed civic spaces.

In many countries experiencing authoritarian rule or violent conflict, one of the main hurdles for development and humanitarian actors is restrictive NGO registration laws. Governments often impose lengthy, highly bureaucratic and sometimes nearly impossible conditions for civil society organisations (CSOs) and NGOs to register as legal entities.

The right to freedom of association is a fundamental human right, as it enables organisations to operate legally, receive funding and carry out legitimate activities. Without proper registration, NGOs cannot open bank accounts, receive or disburse funds, or provide essential services as legitimate actors. In many cases, already cumbersome registration processes are further complicated by increased scrutiny of NGOs’ work.

Authorities increasingly use AI and digital tools to review NGO projects, communications and public materials to identify any content perceived as critical of the government. This scrutiny now extends beyond project documents to include joint statements or solidarity positions taken with other civil society actors. Through the use of AI technology, authorities identify such materials and demand their removal. If organisations do not comply, registration processes are deliberately delayed using frivolous justifications.

This trend is not limited to one or two countries but is observed across continents where Helvetas operates. These measures, though often subtle, significantly reduce the space available for civil society. Restrictions apply not only to existing digital footprints; they also deter NGOs from participating in joint actions or collective advocacy in the future.

For large INGOs, this often presents a dilemma: whether to comply with government demands to remain engaged for the benefit of communities, or to withdraw due to an inability to legally register. In such situations, Helvetas makes informed decisions based on the best interests of the communities it serves. As a large NGO supported by donor governments, Helvetas is usually able to go through the registration process; however, local organizations encounter far greater barriers..

Helvetas continues to address the issue of shrinking civic space – particularly restrictions related to association laws – by engaging with donors and international and regional human rights mechanisms when local avenues are closed. At times, building informal NGO coalitions and advocating jointly through international human rights mechanisms has led to limited but meaningful successes.

Risks related to terminology

Governments are often highly sensitive to the terminology used in development projects, particularly when rights-based language is involved. Activities related to governance, inclusion, accountability or human rights are frequently labelled as politically sensitive. As a result, organizations may face restrictions on project implementation or limitations on public communication.

In some cases, Helvetas also encounters operational constraints, such as the denial of visas for international staff. These restrictions can leave local partners bearing increased operational responsibilities and risks. Consequently, local organizations may adjust their activities or limit public engagement, contributing to self-censorship and reduced civic participation.

In such contexts, integrating a human rights-based approach across all projects can help to navigate these challenges. It not only provides a critical link between development work and human rights but also serves as an important enabler for working around sensitive terminology.

Risks of working in violent and fragile contexts

In countries affected by violent conflict, INGOs such as Helvetas and their local partners face significantly heightened risks and threats. In these contexts, the boundaries of protection under international humanitarian law may be unclear or contested. Maintaining neutrality can be particularly challenging, as it may be perceived as a lack of support for one side, thereby increasing risks from multiple actors involved in the conflict.

In such environments, local staff play a critical role. They are often responsible for delivering the final stages of humanitarian assistance and possess deep knowledge of local dynamics, sensitivities and risks. At the same time, they are frequently the most exposed to insecurity.

Through its “outsider advocacy” approach, Helvetas supports local partners by connecting them with international coalitions, platforms and relevant UN human rights mechanisms. While these mechanisms may not always play an active role, local partners’ awareness that they are connected to international humanitarian actors and UN mechanisms can provide a sense of security and reassurance that their safety is being monitored.

Risks imposed through partnerships

Helvetas’ development work also extends to the private sector. At times, Helvetas relies heavily on the support of local partners for implementing development projects. In some cases, there are risks that local partners may have allegiances to actors who are undermining development efforts or who may be involved in corruption. Engagement with the private sector also carries significant risks, including the potential for enabling greenwashing under the guise of development projects.

Associations with entities accused of human rights violations or other misconduct may also expose Helvetas to reputational, legal and operational challenges. In some contexts, partnerships may unintentionally undermine the very objectives that projects are designed to achieve.

To mitigate these risks, Helvetas applies rigorous due diligence processes and invests in the capacity development of its local partners. This includes sanctions list screening, politically exposed persons (PEP) checks and ongoing risk assessments, all of which are essential components of Helvetas’ responsible partnership approach.

Striking the right balance

Shrinking civic space, conflict and digital surveillance are long-term challenges for civil society in authoritarian contexts. Helvetas prioritises transparent communication with its partners and stakeholders to foster mutual trust and accountability. Regular monitoring and evaluation mechanisms are established to ensure that collaboration remains aligned with ethical standards and organisational values.

Helvetas’ experience across countries shows that staying engaged amidst these many risks requires flexibility, ethical reflection and solidarity with local partners. Understanding both political and digital forms of control is essential for responsible and effective action.  

Archita Faustmann is Human Rights and Governance Adviser at Helvetas, Switzerland.

Contact: Archita.faustmann(at)helvetas.org

Bernd Steimann is Development Policy Coordinator at Helvetas, Switzerland.

Bernd.Steimann(at)helvetas.org

• Link to full blog post

On the occasion of the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) and the Berlin Agriculture Minister’s Conference in mid-January in Berlin, Germany, members of the German NGO association Forum Umwelt und Entwicklung (Forum on Environment and Development), together with farmers, handed over a protest note to Martina Englhardt-Kopf, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Rural Affairs (BMLEH).

The note was motivated by growing global concern regarding the management of water, which is becoming an increasingly scarce resource. The climate crisis, industrial agriculture and inadequate or unfair regulations are exacerbating conflicts over water use – both in Germany and in the Global South. Smallholder farmers, pastoralists, fishers and Indigenous Peoples are increasingly losing access to water, while large agricultural companies are profiting from intensive irrigation and privatisation.

 “Whether in Brandenburg, Bavaria or the Global South: when water becomes a commodity, we lose our livelihoods,” Lucia Birkmeir from the young farmers' association jAbL pointed out to the BMLEH. “Without clear regulations and targeted support programmes, we will lose soil, farms and, ultimately, our food security.”

Human rights must set the framework for action

The note’s central demand is the implementation of the right to food and water. In the context of the United Nations declaring 2026 the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, this also means protecting communally used grazing land and water. The preservation of common property and water rights for pastoralists and fishermen should be secured and Free Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) made binding.

This was also emphasised by pastoralist Malih Ole Kaunga from the Indigenous Movement for Peace Advancement and Conflict Transformation (IMPACT) Kenya when he handed over the protest note, stating: “Water is a scarce resource, and access to clean drinking water is a human right. Water is the basis for peace. If we protect it as a common good, we create cooperation and food security.”

Light and shadow in the final communiqué

From a human rights perspective, the organisations recognise some positive signals in the final declaration, but also sees a potential for problematic developments given some open and non-binding wording. In view of the attacks on the United Nations, a clear commitment to the UN as a central institution in global water governance and the recognition of the CFS's policy recommendations on water for food security and quality are steps in the right direction. The emphasis on equal participation and equal access to water for vulnerable and underrepresented groups, as well as the promotion of gender equality, are also viewed positively.

On the other hand, there is no clear commitment to a rights-based water policy. This is also reflected in the fact that it is not the Special Rapporteur on the right to water who is explicitly recognised, but rather the parallel structure that is not based on human rights – the UN Special Envoy for Water. There is also no mention of the democratisation of global water governance. Furthermore, the final communiqué is silent on the importance of the communal use of land and water resources.

The call for the inclusion of the agricultural sector in water policy decisions offers particularly broad scope for interpretation. This must above all be applied to particularly affected and marginalised groups. Otherwise, there is a great danger that their rights will continue to be ignored and even violated by the already dominant representation of the interests of the agricultural, food and fisheries industries.

Now, international agriculture ministers must integrate their commitment to the UN and social participation into their political actions. If the agriculture ministers are prepared to implement such rights-based policies, civil society will support them in doing so.

Paula Gioia is Advisor for International Agriculture Policy at Arbeitsgemeinschaft bäuerliche Landwirtschaft (AbL).

Stig Tanzmann is a consultant for agriculture with Brot für die Welt.

Jan Dreier is Policy Advisor on the Right to Food in Germany and on Agroecology at FIAN Germany.

Silke Bollmohr is Policy Advisor for Global Agriculture at INKOTA network.

Johanna Entrup is Policy Officer for Food, Nutrition and Agriculture at Misereor.

Contact:  j.dreier(at)fian.de

• Link to protest note

Helping countries be better prepared

The MoU was signed by Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the WMO, and Mark Smith, Director-General of the IWMI, and is set to run for five years. 

“With increasing extreme weather, water and climate-related events world-wide, the collaboration with IWMI is important to help countries be more prepared, especially through advancing the Early Warnings for All initiative. This MoU will promote strategic partnership and collaboration on emerging technologies and tools and services,” said Saulo.   

Five key areas to strengthen resilience

WMO and IWMI will collaborate across five key areas to strengthen global climate and water resilience: 

• advancing climate and water data integration for disaster risk reduction  
• integrating socio-economic research into climate services  
• scaling emerging technologies and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for early warning systems
• strengthening national capacities through joint projects, training and policy support
• mobilising climate finance to deliver investment-ready, locally relevant solutions for climate adaptation and disaster risk management 

“Through this MoU, IWMI will work closely with the World Meteorological Organization to strengthen preparedness for floods, droughts and water scarcity by leveraging early warning systems, innovative technologies, tools and applied research,” added Smith.  

(ile/IWMI)

Visit the IWMI website
 

So how can a sustainable use of the ever scarcer global water resources be achieved enabling all people to enjoy their right to adequate food and access to clean water? And how can conflicts over water use be eliminated and water resilience be strengthened world-wide? These questions were at the centre of the 18^th Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA), where around 2,000 international representatives from politics, business, science and civil society met in Berlin/Germany from the 14^th–17^th January.

Experience from Africa

Moses Vilakati, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment of the African Union (AU), explained the urgendy of the topic of water stress for the African continent. A mere six per cent of Sub-Saharan Africa’s arable land is irrigated (compared to more than 35 per cent in Asia), while the remaining 94 per cent is fully dependent on precipitation. For millions of smallholders, this means unstable harvests owing to weather hazards and the increasingly disastrous consequences of climate change. In order to bridge the irrigation gap, 65 billion dollars would have to be raised over the coming five years. “However, investing in water should not be seen as a cost factor but as a catalyst of growth, resilience and peace,” Vilakati insisted.

Moses Vilakati, AU Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment.
Photo: Photothek.de

No food security without water security

In the various sessions, the close link between water security and food security was emphasised again and again, as was the need for integrated water resource management – i.e. a holistic concept giving equal consideration to ecological, economic and social demands in the sense of Agenda 2030. Mark Smith, Director General of the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), summed up the most important elements: applying innovative technologies, making clever use of data, regulating water use, bringing water pollution under control, providing sufficient financing and investment opportunities while guaranteeing inclusion. “We need a systemic approach,” Smith noted.

National strategies

The government representatives attending the event described what this could look like in practice. Botswana, for example, has adapted its agriculture strategy and seeks to achieve climate resilience with measures such as setting up rainwater retention basins, conservative soil management and growing drought-resistant cultures like millet. Groundwater infiltration is also being promoted. “In addition, we are limiting water consumption by awarding licences,” said Edwin Dikoloti, Botswana’s Minister of Lands and Agriculture.

Edwin Dikoloti, Minister of Lands and Agriculture of Botswana.
Photo: Photothek.de

Baboucar Mboundor Ngom, Deputy Minister at Senegal’s Ministry of Hydraulics and Sanitation, stressed the importance of reliable data and digital processes as well as functioning controlling systems for decision-making at his Ministry, for example in swiftly responding to events such as imminent flooding or droughts. “This enables us to adapt water policy at community level,” he explained. “For instance, if scarcity is forecast, drilling for groundwater is no longer allowed in certain communities.” Data on the availability as well as the quality of water is also shared with the authorities in adjacent Gambia, with which the country shares the Gambia River as a border river.

“Our King would like to see drinking water demand in the country covered 100 per cent and agriculture’s demand for water covered 90 per cent,” reported Zakaria El Yaakoubi, Secretary General for Rural Development at the Moroccan Ministry of Agriculture. To achieve this, a long-term national water strategy had been worked out, and an extensive public investment programme had been launched. Thanks to the establishment and expansion of infrastructure, the country now had a water network with more than 155 major dams. Further elements of the strategy include the reuse of wastewater and the construction of seawater desalination plants, which, however, can only be used for cash crops owing to their high cost. In addition, through training measures and financial incentives, the employment of drip irrigation is being promoted. For implementing these measures, the Ministry is relying on public-private partnerships.

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Zakaria El Yaacoubi, Secretary General for Rural Development at the Moroccan Ministry of Agriculture.
Photo: Photothek.de

Governments have to do their homework

Often, without such partnerships, the high costs of such measures are unaffordable. However, governments first of all had to do their homework, demanded Ibrahima Coulibaly, Vice President of the Pan-African Farmers Organization (PAFO), with regard to the his continent’s underfinanced agricultural sector. “Only six per cent of farmers have access to loans from the African Development Bank. Not only does this make agriculture a risky business, but it also renders it hardly attractive for young people,” the PAFO representative noted, reminding the meeting that with the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), African countries had committed themselves to investing ten per cent of their budgets in agriculture, which – Morocco aside – no country had achieved. “The technical solutions are there, but political will to implement them is lacking,” Coulibaly criticised. Furthermore, there was a lack of determination to eliminate competition for use.

Ibrahima Coulibaly, Vice President of the Pan-African Farmers Organization (PAFO).
Photo: phototek.de

Water as a geopolitical factor

However, this is becoming increasingly important, for more and more frequently, insufficient access to water is leading to political strife and even conflict. And what is more, water is being targeted increasingly as a warfare instrument. “In an act of revenge for the Shi’ite rebellion, Saddam Hussein had the marshlands drained in Iraq, and today, water infrastructure is purposefully destroyed in armed conflicts, for example in Syria or Ukraine,” noted Ambika Vishwanath, a Research Fellow at Australia’s La Trobe University, referring to a few examples. Vishwanath also reminded the meeting of mounting cyber attacks on water supply networks, e.g. in Florida/USA, Scandinavia or, only recently, Australia.

Ambika Vishwanath (centre) is a Research Fellow at Australia’s La Trobe University.
Photo: Photothek.de

Transboundary cooperation is key

The resource water is already predestined for conflict on account of rivers crossing borders. Water withdrawal or water pollution in one country also has consequences for the users in the other country, which makes sharing knowledge and data as well as cooperating across borders particularly important. Examples referred to of successful cooperation included the Mekong River Commission, established in 1995 to support cooperation between the countries of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam in managing the Lower Mekong Basin, or the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine, which was set up in 1950 by the Rhine riparian countries of Germany, the Netherlands, France, Switzerland and Luxembourg. “These committees are very important for peace,” maintained Meike van Ginneken, Water Envoy for the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

In addition to strengthening international cooperation and solidarity, sharing knowledge, learning from each other – mutually, and not only from North to South – and replicating best practices were seen as the most important factors in raising water resilience in times of increasing global water scarcity. Here, important impulses are also to be given by the UN Water Conference, which will be held in the United Arab Emirates – co-hosted by Senegal – in December.

Silvia Richter, editor, Rural 21

Environmental risks dominate the ten-year forecast

The report analyses risks across three timeframes: immediate (2026), short-to-medium term (the next two years) and long term (the next 10 years).

In the long term, environmental risks play the dominant role, with extreme weather events in first place, followed by biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse in second place and critical change to Earth systems in third place. These factors are likely to affect rural areas in particular. Three quarters of respondents expect turbulent or stormy prospects for the environment, which is the most negative figure of all categories.

Geoeconomic confrontation the biggest short-term risk

Although half of the ten biggest risks over a ten-year period are environmental risks, these risks play a minor role when considering the two-year period. Compared to the previous year's results, all environmental risks recorded a decline in severity ratings for the two-year period. There has been an absolute shift away from environmental concerns. Geoeconomic confrontation, misinformation and disinformation, and social polarisation play the biggest role here.

Eighteen per cent of respondents view geoeconomic confrontation as the risk most likely to trigger a global crisis in 2026, as well as being ranked 1st for severity over the next two years, up eight positions from last year.

“The challenges highlighted in the report underscore both the scale of the potential perils we face and our shared responsibility to shape what comes next,” says Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director, World Economic Forum.

Ines Lechner, editor Rural 21

Visit the website of the Global Risks Report 2026

With the entering into force of Fish I on the 15^th September 2025 States are required to submit reports on fisheries subsidies to the World Trade Organization’s newly established Committee on Fisheries Subsidies, in addition to their longstanding annual notification obligations under the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (in force since 1995). The aim behind these new reporting obligations is to use transparency and oversight, particularly with respect to large industrial fishing fleets, to reduce incentives for IUU fishing and overfishing.

What is regulated …

These reporting requirements apply in principle to all Member States that have acceded to the Agreement, albeit in a gradual manner. In this context, three different groups of developing countries have been established to uphold the WTO principle of Special and Differential Treatment. For those countries that have not ratified the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, such as India or Morocco, the provisions do not apply.

The Agreement primarily targets subsidies to fishing vessels that are proven to be engaged in illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Government support for fisheries in already overexploited areas or in unregulated parts of the high seas can no longer be granted. In accordance with Article 8.3, WTO Members that have joined the Agreement must yearly report all the relevant forms of support to the dedicated committee. The goal is to mitigate incentives for IUU fishing and overfishing, especially by large fleets, through enhanced transparency and monitoring.

… and what remains unaddressed

However, all subsidies for which no direct causal link to IUU fishing or fishing in already overfished areas can be established remain permissible, including government assistance that drives overcapacity and overfishing. Furthermore, “non-specific” subsidies such as tax exemptions on fuel (e.g. VAT exemptions) continue to be allowed, even if they serve to further increase the windfall profits from IUU fishing.

The reasoning behind the non-inclusion of fuel subsidies under the agreement is that, as defined under the WTO Agreement, this tax exemption qualifies as a subsidy that is “non-specific”. That is, fuel tax exemption is not granted “specifically” to fishing vessels, rather, it applies to all ships operating in international waters, including merchant and cruise ships. This particular WTO logic clearly benefits industrial fishing fleets, and particularly the distant-water fleets, which have much higher fuel consumption. Given that fuel subsidies can account for 30 to 50 per cent of total operating costs in fisheries, they represent a significant advantage.

Transparency gaps

On the other hand, efforts to achieve greater transparency are limited by the wording of Article 8.1 of the Agreement. States are only required “to the extent possible” to report detailed information to the WTO – such relevant vessels, fleets and catch data. In practice, however, major fishing countries can invoke data protection, national practices or lack of detailed records to submit only aggregate notifications or even withhold information altogether. This results in significant transparency gaps, making targeted control or enforcement often impossible.

For example, the absence of an obligation for major fishing nations such as China, South Korea, European Union Member States or Russia to provide detailed annual disclosures on which vessels receive subsidies, in what amounts, and for how long, will make it impossible for countries affected by illegal fishing from these fleets to initiate WTO dispute proceedings. This is because there are no required reporting lists that specify subsidised vessels. Consequently, no action can be taken under the subsidy prohibition provisions of the Agreement. As long as States can withhold subsidy data for individual vessels under Article 8.3, citing confidentiality or national practices, the WTO Fisheries Subsidies Agreement risks being ineffective.

Missing sanctioning power

To oversee subsidy notifications from WTO Members, a “Committee on Fisheries Subsidies” has been established. Here, States – and, indirectly, NGOs and fisheries associations – can raise questions about national subsidy notifications and demand improvements, such as regarding incomplete disclosure or opaque beneficiary structures. However, this committee itself does not have any sanctioning power. Consequences only arise if a WTO dispute settlement procedure is launched and successfully pursued. The complainant does not have to be a country directly affected by IUU fishing; any WTO Member may bring a complaint against another Member suspected of violating the Agreement ­– e.g. by awarding subsidies to IUU fishing. Yet under the current US blockade of the WTO Appellate Body, this process cannot be completed, so even successful complainants cannot enforce sanctions – typically the suspension of trade benefits.

Consequences for developing countries and small-scale fisheries

For developing countries with numerous islands and extensive coastlines, where artisanal and small-scale fisheries play a critical role for both the economy and food security, the new Agreement is a double-edged sword.

Any country (such as Vietnam or the Philippines) that produces more than 0.8 per cent of the global fish catch is, after two years, subject to the same, stricter reporting and control requirements as those States with large industrial fleets. Even if their own fleets are barely involved in IUU fishing or overfishing, these developing countries must make substantial administrative efforts to comply with Article 8. This results in a heavy bureaucratic burden, often overwhelming for local administrations. Indonesia, for example, has nearly 600,000 small fishing boats, many propelled by oars or sails rather than motors, and many unregistered or landing catches without reporting catch areas or quantities. Such unregistered catches supply part of daily food intake, yet thousands could suddenly lose state support simply due to a lack of registration.

It is therefore understandable that thousands of small-scale fishers in resource-rich developing countries fear that their governments may forgo aid for small-scale fishing altogether, rather than set up a burdensome bureaucracy just to document and report to the WTO “subsidies” worth only a few hundred euros per vessel per year. The small consolation offered by the “richer Members” of the WTO – such as Germany or Japan – of establishing a fund to help developing countries meet their reporting obligations does little to alleviate these concerns.

There is no doubt that the main beneficiaries of the Agreement are the industrial fishing fleets and state-subsidised distant-water vessels in China, the EU, South Korea, Japan and Russia. These fleets can continue to access fuel subsidies, energy discounts and modernisation aid, provided there is no direct evidence of involvement in IUU fishing.

Opportunities for greater transparency and peer pressure

Nevertheless, there are new opportunities. For the first time, there is a global obligation to report at least certain relevant subsidies. Developing countries and NGOs can now raise critical questions before the WTO Committee and demand improvements from major fishing nations. This exerts peer pressure on States like China or the EU to transparently and fully report all subsidies as required by Article 8.3 – and, step by step, to enact further improvements.

The Agreement also contains a so-called “sunset clause”: after four years, it will automatically expire unless WTO Members agree to an extension or tighter disciplines, such as those planned under the “Fisheries II” Agreement. These should tackle overcapacity and overfishing.

This 4-year period is therefore both an opportunity and a risk. It can increase political pressure to finally address non-specific subsidies, overcapacity and fairer control rules for small-scale fisheries. Yet it also poses the danger that, if political deadlock continues, the Agreement could simply expire, and everything would be reset to zero.

Summing up

The new WTO Agreement is an important and long-awaited step towards enhanced sustainability and fairness in global fisheries. This legal text marks a historic effort toward regulating harmful subsidies, but its implementation reveals major challenges, especially in transparency, fair burden-sharing and the protection of small-scale fisheries in developing countries.

For the next steps, key challenges remain. A comprehensive disclosure of all subsidies is imperative, especially for industrial fleets and unspecific support measures such as tax exemptions for fuel. For small-scale fisheries in developing countries, differentiated and simple exemptions are needed. The EU and other major actors should demonstrate leadership and, in the upcoming successor agreement (“Fish II”), show that more effective rules – without exemptions for those primarily responsible for the legal and illegal plundering of the oceans – are feasible in practice.

Ultimately, truly sustainable ocean governance will only succeed if political loopholes are closed and all States are genuinely willing to commit to clear and fair rules. Only with collective political will, a closure of loopholes and leadership from the major subsidisers will it be possible to deliver lasting sustainability and equity in the world’s oceans.

Francisco Marí epresents Brot für die Welt on the boards of the EU Long Distance Fleet Advisory Council (LDAC) and the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI), on the advisory board of the Coalition for Fair Fisheries Agreements (CFFA), on the Stakeholder Forum of the German Alliance for Marine Research and on the International Council of the World Social Forum.
Contact: francisco.mari@brot-fuer-die-welt.de

This article was first published on the Coalition for Fair Fisheries Agreements (CFFA) website.

Further reading:

WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies

Rural 21 issue no 4/2021 on "Tailwind for sustainable artisanal fisheries"

Rural 21 Dossier on "Fisheries & aquaculture"

Launch event on trade and prosperity

“AgriBridge is a signal of intent that Africa and Europe are ready for stronger cooperation that is based on mutual respect and mutual benefit,”  said Moses Vilakati, African Union (AU) Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment, during his video address to the Agri-Bridge launch event in Berlin/Germany in mid-January. The event was dedicated to German-African trade and was intended to show how both sides can contribute to overcoming hunger and malnutrition as well as economic growth while making investments in African agricultural and food systems more equitable.

Mutual learning and accountability

Here, the reform concept of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), which had been presented shortly before the event, was discussed. One of the aspects it features is a greater integration of the private sector in development cooperation.  BMZ Parliamentary State Secretary Bärbel Kofler referred to fair partnerships, the creation of decent jobs, taking into account both human rights/working standards and ecological standards and, above all, the elimination of inequalities as one of the chief reasons for poverty and hunger as principles of future cooperation. And Kofler stressed mutual learning – as well as mutual accountability.

The CAADP Kampala Declaration as a guideline

On the part of Africa, the Kampala Declaration under the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) formed the framework, emphasised Constance Okeke, Board Member of the CAADP Non-State Actors Group (CNG). Here, the focus was on an agri-food systems transformation with the priorities climate resilience, nutrition security and inclusivity for smallholder farmers, women, and youth. In order to achieve this, local value addition had to be created, also through climate-smart agricultural innovations, sustainable infrastructure and reducing post-harvest losses, said Emmanuel Njukwe, Director of Research and Innovation at the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF). “The quantity of African exports is far too low compared to what is invested in production,” Njukwe criticised. The development of regulative bodies had to be supported as well in order to guarantee standardised products.

Fostering inter-African trade

Anna Nambooze, Country Director for Uganda and South Sudan of the trade facilitation entity TradeMark Africa, gave examples of how bottlenecks could be eliminated in inter-African trade. Digitisation processes and improved workflows had enabled modernised border posts to massively accelerate cross-border trade. “For example, until 2023, in Uganda, you had to travel to the capital to have products certified. Now this can be dealt with decentralised in three regions,” said Nambooze. Instead of an average of one month, a mere ten days was now needed to have agricultural produce ready for trading.

Putting entrepreneurs centre stage

Putting entrepreneurs centre stage is at the top of the agenda for Debisi Araba, Managing Director at Akademiya2063. Araba maintained that the GDP value of Africa’s agri-food sector could easily be doubled by engaging with the private sector, provided that an enabling environment was given, which also included stability. “A food secure country is prosperous, and a prosperous country is food-secure,” he assured.  In this context, Welthungerhilfe President Mathias Mogge demanded that the continent’s conflict regions should not be forgotten in the discussions on promising trade partners, and concluded the event noting: “We have to consider how we can get prosperity there.”

Silvia Richter, editor, Rural 21

More information:

• Welthungerhilfe website
• Link to policy note in English
• Link to policy note in French

Dry-season feed scarcity is one of the leading causes of livestock mortality and productivity decline in pastoral regions of Ethiopia. During droughts across Africa, when pastures dry up and conventional forages disappear, the only remaining green biomass often comes from browse species: trees and shrubs. However, livestock rarely consume these resources. Although browse biomass is abundant in rangelands, its high tannin content limits voluntary intake and nutrient utilisation in sheep and cattle.

Browse-aid (polyethylene glycol, PEG-4000) binds and inactivates tannins, thereby improving the intake and digestibility of browse species. It is safe, inert, and widely used in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Research trials have demonstrated that supplementation with PEG enhances browse consumption and digestion. This intervention represents a practical “Lab to Land” approach to addressing dry-season feed shortages.

Under the United States Government Foreign Assistance-funded DERR-BOASS emergency and recovery programme, VSF-Germany implemented a large-scale distribution and field application of Browse-aid in Afar, Oromia (Borana), and Southern Ethiopia. The objective was to protect drought-vulnerable sheep and cattle by improving browse intake, health status and body condition during periods of feed scarcity. The approach is analogous to administering a lactase tablet to lactose-intolerant individuals before consuming milk and milk products.

The study

The scale-out intervention was conducted in Guchi and Miyo woredas of the Borana Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia (see Map). The supplementation period lasted 60 days, coinciding with an extreme scarcity of natural pasture on the rangelands.

Oromia Region (Borana) study sites, representing Erder and Gofa Seden Kebele in Guchi Woreda and Dibandida Kebele in Miyo Woreda, 
Oromia Regional State

Map elaborated by Abnet Sisay 

Target animals and sampling:

• Sheep: 250 animals (5 per household)
• Cattle: 150 animals (3 per household)

The Browse-aid was given to the above stated number of animals. Since routine body weight measurements and qualitative data collection were labour-intensive, approximately 33 per cent of the experimental animals (79 sheep [31.6 %] and 53 cattle [35.3 %]) were randomly selected, marked and used as sentinel animals for repeated measurements at Day 0, Day 30, and Day 60. In addition, a comparison group of non-Browse-aid-supplemented animals grazing in the same rangelands (50 sheep and 52 cattle) was monitored.

Supplement preparation and administration:

Browse-aid was manually mixed with 50 g of wheat bran (WB) and fed individually to animals as follows:

• Sheep: 5 g Browse-aid mixed with WB
• Cattle: 15 g Browse-aid mixed with WB

Daily doses were pre-measured using standardised cups and administered once a day, before the animals went out in the rangelands.

Quantitative parameters observed:

• Body Weight (BW):
  • Sheep were weighed using digital scales.
  • Cattle body weight was estimated using a heart-girth tape.

Qualitative indicators observed:

• Hair coat appearance: Coarse (0), Shiny (1), Very shiny (2); scores given are presented in parentheses.
• Eye shine: Pink/dull (0), Shiny (1), Very shiny (2); scores given are presented in parentheses.
• Foraging frequency: Visual assessment of browsing activity
• Body Condition Score (BCS): 1–5 scale for both sheep and cattle

Impact achieved

Following the incorporation of Browse-aid, changes in body weight of sheep and cattle were recorded. Sheep exhibited an average body weight gain of approximately 10 per cent, while cattle achieved a 6 per cent increase in body weight over the 60-day supplementation period (see Table below).

Body weight (BW) changes after 30 and 60 days of supplementing Browse-aid

These observations demonstrate the potential of Browse-aid not only to prevent livestock losses due to feed shortages but also to promote body weight gain.

The results of hair coat appearance and eye shine assessments were as follows:

Changes in hair coat texture and eye shine scores following Browse-aid supplementation*

* Subjective assessments of hair coat and eye appearance were converted into numerical scores following the procedures described in the Materials and Methods section of the referenced study: https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/full/10.1186/s43170-024-00287-2 

Browse-aid-Supplemented Group. In sheep, scores for hair coat appearance at Day 0, Day 30, and Day 60 were 79, 88, and 85, respectively, while scores for eye shine were 79, 79 and 93 over the same observation periods.

In cattle, hair coat appearance scores at Day 0, Day 30, and Day 60 were 50, 49, and 56, respectively. Corresponding eye shine scores were 25, 50 and 50 at Day 0, Day 30 and Day 60, respectively.

Non-Browse-aid Group. Among sheep in the non-supplemented group, 37 animals (51 %) exhibited a coarse hair coat, while the remaining animals maintained a shiny hair coat appearance. A large number of sheep (94 %) displayed dull eye appearance.

For cattle, 28 animals (53 %) had a coarse hair coat, and 98 per cent showed dull eye appearance.

As can be seen, Browse-aid supplementation clearly improved hair coat texture and eye shine – recognised proxies for nutritional and metabolic status, indicating enhanced animal welfare and overall nutritional condition.

Browsing activity increased from approximately Day 10 and stabilised by Day 30 in both sheep and cattle, indicating an enhanced willingness to utilise shrub vegetation (also see Photo).

An enhanced willingness to utilise shrub vegetation could be observed among the animals.
Photo: Andinet Adamau

The improvements in Body Condition Score are presented in the Table below. They were consistent with observed qualitative welfare indicators and reflected an overall enhancement in nutritional status.

Average Body Condition Score BCS after 60 days duration

Promising results

Browse-aid supplementation substantially enhanced body weight gains, shrub utilisation, animal welfare and nutritional status. Both sheep and cattle responded consistently across all measured parameters, and these improvements were accompanied by increases in body weight. The low daily dosages required (5 g for sheep and 15 g for cattle) make the approach highly scalable and suitable for sustaining long-term benefits under harsh, feed-limited conditions.

These findings are consistent with earlier field assessments conducted in Dassenech District (formerly part of the SNNP Region, now within the South Ethiopia Region) and Gode Woreda of the Somali Region, confirming the robustness of the approach across diverse ecological zones and rangelands with differing browse species composition.

The strong qualitative improvements observed, particularly in hair coat condition, eye shine and foraging behaviour, validate the role of Browse-aid in overcoming the non-consumption of tannin-rich browse species. Tannins are known to suppress feed intake and contribute to digestive inefficiencies and metabolic stress. By mitigating these effects, Browse-aid reduces vulnerability to drought-associated livestock diseases, improves health and reproductive performance, and enhances the overall resilience of pastoral herds.

Considerable interest among livestock owners

After observing the improved body condition and overall performance of the animals supplemented with Browse-aid, many farmers in the surrounding areas expressed strong interest in participating in the study. However, due to logistical and resource limitations, it was not possible to include all interested households. The farmers who were able to participate reported high levels of satisfaction with the intervention and expressed their appreciation and gratitude to the project and the project team members for introducing a technology that had the potential to significantly improve livestock survival and productivity, particularly during periods of feed scarcity and drought.

Following the study, beneficiaries (farmers and pastoralists) were keen to purchase Browse-aid, recognising that investing in the product would help save livestock that are otherwise at high risk of mortality during peak drought periods. For example, during the 2022 drought in East Africa, an estimated 3.3 million livestock died in the Borana area alone (the current study area), of which approximately 85 per cent were cattle. One key priority for government institutions and NGOs should therefore be to facilitate the availability Browse-aid in local markets.

A viable and climate-resilient feeding strategy

Browse-aid represents a viable and climate-resilient feeding strategy for Ethiopian pastoral systems, with broader relevance for drought-prone regions across Africa. It offers a substantial cost advantage over conventional emergency feeding. It is approximately 60 per cent cheaper for sheep and up to 90 per cent cheaper for cattle compared with transporting hay or concentrate feeds to drought-affected areas. Currently, Browse-aid is imported in Ethiopia; establishing a commercial Browse-aid supply chain within Africa would further reduce costs and enhance affordability.

It is recommended that the Browse-aid approach be scaled up across pastoral areas to reduce livestock health and welfare risks associated with long-distance trekking for water and feed during drought periods. Policy-makers and donors are encouraged to support institutional adoption and cross-regional rollout of this strategy. Investing in “standing feed, not trucked feed” represents a more sustainable and cost-effective use of drought-response funding.

Genene Regassa is a Veterinarian and Country Director at VSF-Germany, and is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He holds a Master’s degree in participation, development and social change from the University of Sussex, UK.

Abay Bekele is a Veterinarian and Program and Protection Advisor at VSF-Germany, and is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Jatani Hana is a Project Manager at the VSF-Germany Borana Field Office, and is based in Yabello. He holds a Master’s degree in Project Management from Adama Science and Technology University, Ethiopia.

Abnet Sisay is a Country Program Manager at VSF-Germany, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He holds a Master’s degree in Development from Mekelle University, Ethiopia.

Dida Kalicha is a Project Officer at VSF-Germany, and is based in Guchi, Ethiopia.

Emmanuel Boru Elema is a Project Officer at VSF-Germany, and is based in Miyo, Ethiopia.

Abubeker Tussa is a MEAL Officer at VSF-Germany, and is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Harinder P. S. Makkar is an International Consultant and holds PhD degree from the University of Nottingham, UK, and Dr. Habil from the University of Hohenheim, Germany.

Contact: hpsmakkar(at)outlook.com

More information:

Videos of Browse-aid fed animals are available on LinkedIn

Further reading:

Rural 21 no 2/24 issue on "Livestock"

The ministers emphasised agriculture’s reliance on sufficient water to produce food and the key role that the sector played in global food security. Furthermore, they clarified that agriculture, as one of the largest water users, was a core part of the solution to water scarcity, maintaining that it could make a meaningful contribution to sustainable water use and deliver effective solutions for global water resilience. The ministers also underscored that jointly ensuring water and food security delivered wider benefits, including preventing social unrest and decreasing migration pressure.

Agriculture key to achieving SDG 6

In her keynote speech, UN Special Envoy for Water Retno L. P. Marsudi emphasised that agriculture was at the frontline when it came to achieving UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, namely ensuring clean water and sanitation for all people. “Farmers are not only producers, but also guardians of this most important resource for humanity,” said the UN Special Envoy, adding: “We must decide how much water we use, how much we pollute, how much we waste, and how much we leave for future generations.”

Young farmers demand more justice and ownership

Olesia Shakalo-Olshanetska and Lucas Vidal Podestá picked up on this theme. The young farmers from Ukraine and Argentina had met with 18 other colleagues from around the world at the International Young Farmers’ Forum 2026 in the run-up to the GFFA to share their perspectives on the future of agricultural and food systems. In their statement, they criticised the global inequality in farmers' access to important resources such as water and land and to technologies, and they condemned acts of war, especially those directed against water infrastructure, which harm farming communities and the local population. They called on the ministers present to recognise farmers as key players in sustainable water use – as the basis for productive agriculture and food security. They also called for more support to give them greater weight in political decision-making processes, both nationally and internationally.

Young farmers with Agriculture Minister Rainer.
Photo: Photothek.de

A clear commitment to international agreements

In their final communiqué, the agriculture ministers committed themselves to foster water resilience and reaffirm the commitments under key international agreements and instruments, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in particular Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2 and 6, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Paris Agreement, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

Commitment for more efficient water use

In order to achieve a more sustainable use of water, the agriculture ministers committed themselves to promoting a more efficient water use in agriculture while supporting flood risk management measures. They also emphasised the role of forests in stabilising the water cycle and the need to reduce water pollution. Key elements to be promoted included the collection and use of data, the development of effective early warning systems and international cooperation in research, capacity building and technology transfer. Renewable energy solutions should be explicitly recognised as key elements for effective water management.

Unlocking the potential of the blue economy

In line with the GFFA Communiqué 2025 on the bioeconomy, the ministers emphasised the potential of the blue bioeconomy for food security, income diversification for local communities, the protection of traditional knowledge and the conservation of aquatic genetic resources. Sustainable and inclusive value chains should be created, tapping into previously underutilised resources such as algae and residual raw materials from fisheries and aquaculture.

Promoting the human right to water

With a view to the recognition of human rights to water and sanitation by the United Nations General Assembly in 2010, the ministers committed to supporting equal participation and access to water for vulnerable and underrepresented groups, including smallholder farmers, indigenous peoples, women, and young people. They promised to ensure that farmers had the right tools and resources to produce food sustainably with increasingly scarce water resources. Finally, the ministers called for strengthening international water governance and for empowering the voice of agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture in global water decisions ahead of the 2026 UN Water Conference (to be held in December) and beyond.

“I am delighted that Berlin has today made a clear commitment that agriculture is not the problem, but a central part of the solution for sustainable water use,” said Germany’s Federal Minister of Agriculture Alois Rainer at the end of the conference. “Agriculture belongs at the table of global water policy – not on the sidelines, but at the centre of the debate.”

More information:

• Link to GFFA Communiqué 2026 (English, French, German, Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian and Chinese)
• Link to Young Farmers' Statement 2026 (English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese)
• Link to previous Communiqués and Statements

Significant disparities in efficiency were observed across crops and regions, the researchers noted. Rice grown in tropical regions and wheat in temperate zones consistently exhibit relatively higher NUE. In contrast, maize production in major growing regions such as China and the USA follows a distinct "high input-low utilisation" pattern, identifying it as a key focus area for optimisation.

Notably, phosphorus use efficiency for all four crops is generally below 50 per cent, indicating that crop phosphorus nutrition remains largely dependent on native soil phosphorus pools rather than on fertilisers applied in the current growing season.

The study points out that the fundamental bottleneck to agricultural green transformation is not a lack of technology, but rather spatiotemporal mismatches between crop physiological demands, environmental nutrient conditions and human management practices. Thus, the core of future agricultural optimisation should shift from "how to fertilise" to "how to systematically restructure" – redesigning the underlying architecture of agroecosystems through intelligent matching of crops, climate, and soil conditions.

Proposal: a three-tier parallel systemic optimisation pathway

Based on these findings, the research proposes a three-tier parallel systemic optimisation pathway: "crop-region-technology". At the crop level, targeted precision fertilisation should be implemented for inefficient crop-climate zone combinations.

At the regional level, management resources should be prioritised for "efficiency sink" areas based on spatially explicit efficiency distributions.

At the technological level, measures including high-nutrient-use varieties, conservation tillage, straw return and functional microorganism application should be integrated into comprehensive technology packages to boost efficiency and reduce emissions.

The global nutrient efficiency atlas developed in the study not only reveals the core contradiction in agricultural nutrient management but also provides a scientific framework for dynamically diagnosing systemic bottlenecks and simulating management outcomes, the researchers noted.

The research was led by the Institute of Earth Environment of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the European Union's Horizon Europe Framework Programme and other sources.

(CAS/wi)

Reference:

Linchuan Fang et al.: Global-scale prevalence of low nutrient use efficiency across major crops. Nature Communications, December 2025

Two pathways of transformation

The report presents two transformation pathways, looking at behavioural changes to place less emphasis on material consumption, and changes in which the world relies primarily on technological development and efficiency gains. 

The transformation pathways predict that the global macroeconomic benefits will start to appear in 2050, grow to USD 20 trillion per year by 2070 and boom thereafter to USD 100 trillion per year. The pathways project reduced exposure to climate risks, reduced biodiversity loss by 2030 and an increase in natural lands.

Changes across five key areas

Following the transformation pathways would require sweeping changes across five key areas. The report outlines recommended measures for each area, including: economy and finance, materials and waste, energy, food systems and environment.

The report calls for a parallel co-development and co-implementation of such solutions. Considering diverse knowledge systems, especially Indigenous Knowledge and Local Knowledge, is crucial to just transitions that address both environmental sustainability and human well-being. 

Growing degradation

Drawing on multiple sources, the report also lays out in detail the current and future consequences of business-as-usual development models.

Greenhouse gas emissions have increased by 1.5 per cent each year since 1990, reaching a new high in 2024 – raising global temperatures and intensifying climate impacts. The cost of extreme weather events attributed to climate change over the last 20 years is estimated at USD 143 billion annually. 

Between 20 and 40 per cent of land area world-wide is estimated to be degraded, affecting over three billion people, while one million of an estimated eight million species are threatened with extinction.

Nine million deaths are attributable annually to some form of pollution. The economic cost of health damages from air pollution alone was about USD 8.1 trillion in 2019 – or around 6.1 per cent of global GDP.

Inaction leads to dramatic consequences

The state of the environment will dramatically worsen if the world continues to power economies under a business-as-usual pathway. Without action, global mean temperature rise is likely to exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels in the early 2030s, exceed 2.0°C above these levels by the 2040s and then keep climbing. On this path, climate change would cut 4 per cent off annual global GDP by 2050 and 20 per cent by the end of the century.

Land degradation is expected to continue at current rates, with the world losing fertile and productive land the size of Colombia or Ethiopia annually – at a time when climate change could reduce per-person food availability by 3.4 per cent by 2050.

The 8,000 million tonnes of plastic waste polluting the planet will continue to accumulate – driving up the estimated health-related economic losses of USD 1.5 trillion attributable annually to exposure to toxic chemicals in plastics.

(UNEP/ile)

Read more and download the report on the UNEP website

To support this goal, scientists at IRRI and their global partners succeeded in developing a new rice variety, the whole-grain “Super Rice”. The work is part of the Green Super Rice (GSR) initiative launched in 2008. The Green Nutritious Super Rice (GNSR) programme focuses on developing high-yielding, multi-stress-tolerant rice that is also nutrient-rich and environmentally sustainable.

The prototype for GNSR is whole-grain black rice, which is being explored for its potential to unlock vital proteins, vitamins, minerals and bioactive compounds, going far beyond basic calories. IRRI emphasises that even small increases in nutrient content can have a significant health impact on billions of people who rely on rice as a daily staple.

According to IRRI, past GSR efforts have already yielded 78 varieties released globally, covering 44 million hectares, which show resilience to drought, flooding and heat, while also performing well with reduced applications of costly fertilisers and pesticides.

Further research

The GNSR breeding programme is now focused on developing whole-grain varieties with enhanced traits like improved taste, longer shelf life, low glycemic index and higher antioxidant levels through natural pigmentation. Scientists are also using advanced techniques, including gene editing, to boost micronutrient density and ensure safety from heavy metals. IRRI is urgently pushing for continued collaboration to accelerate the development and release of these climate-positive, nutritious varieties, arguing that the time to transform global rice systems is "now or never".

(IRRI/wi)

For more details, read the news release from IRRI

Once in force, the two agreements will establish a framework for political dialogue, cooperation and trade relations within a modernised and comprehensive partnership.

EU-Mercosur partnership agreement – EMPA

The EMPA brings together political dialogue, cooperation and comprehensive sectoral engagement under a single framework, the Council informs. It also includes a trade and investment pillar, which will become fully applicable once the agreement is concluded and enters into force.

These provisions are to strengthen cooperation in areas such as sustainable development, environment and climate action, digital transformation, human rights, mobility, counter-terrorism and crisis management. The political dialogue provisions will foster closer coordination on global challenges such as climate change, peacekeeping and migration.

This framework is also going to facilitate a robust exchange of best practices in issues ranging from governance to technology innovation. Furthermore, the EMPA reinforces EU-Mercosur coordination in multilateral fora and provides structured platforms for sectoral dialogue.

Under the decision adopted today, the EU will sign the agreement and apply large parts of the political and cooperation chapters on a provisional basis, pending completion of the ratification procedures, the Council says.

Interim trade agreement

The Interim Trade Agreement (iTA) reflects the trade and investment liberalisation pillar of the EMPA and is to function as a stand-alone agreement until the full EMPA enters into force. Its objective is to deliver the economic benefits of the negotiated trade commitments as early as possible.

According to the press release, the agreement offers tariff reductions and opens access to new markets for a wide range of goods and services. Key sectors such as agriculture, automotive, pharmaceuticals and chemicals will benefit from improved trade terms.

Additionally, it includes provisions for investment facilitation and the removal of barriers to cross-border trade in services, particularly in digital and financial services. Provisions on government procurement will allow EU companies to access public tendering processes in Mercosur countries.

The iTA falls within the EU’s exclusive competence and therefore does not require ratification by individual EU Member States. It will cease to apply once the EMPA enters into force, the Council notes.

Bilateral safeguards with a focus on agricultural products

In view of the ongoing legislative process on a dedicated Mercosur safeguards regulation, the Council decision introduces specific arrangements ensuring that the EU can rapidly address market disturbances arising from imports of sensitive agricultural products.

Until the permanent legislative framework is formally adopted following negotiations between the Council and the European Parliament, the Commission will be empowered to apply bilateral safeguard measures under the iTA for agricultural products, and enhanced monitoring requirements will apply to products subject to tariff-rate quotas. Member States may request the Commission to initiate safeguard investigations, and the Commission will be required to inform the Council in a complete and timely manner of any intended safeguard action.

These temporary arrangements ensure a high level of protection for EU farmers and agri-food sectors during the transition period.

(EU-Council/wi)

More information:

European Council: EU-Mercosur trade: facts and figures