Improved agricultural technologies are essential to improving the productivity, sustainability and resilience of smallholder farmers. These technologies include a wide range of advances, such as improved seeds, newer irrigation systems, and better pest management approaches. However, adoption of new agricultural technologies is rare in many African countries, and the challenges relating to agricultural development are numerous. This brief presents evidence…
Policymakers, experts (researchers, key informants) and implementers (NGOs, private sector, development partners, etc.) are essential actors in the evidence use ecosystem. However, implementers, especially NGOs, appear as fundamental actors to work with for a large impact on improving evidence use for better decisions and better lives. First, as implementers, NGOs design and implement many interventions that directly affect the population’s…
When we started working with policymakers in Benin to improve evidence use in decision-making, one of our main hypotheses was that evidence use was low because decision makers did not have the capacity for evidence-informed policymaking. Consequently, we planned capacity building activities such as training and equipment provision. Policymakers were trained on how to access, interpret, and use evidence in…
Message from the Director The year 2020 – which was marked by the COVID-19 pandemic – was very different compared to what most of us have ever experienced. Following the detection of the first case of COVID-19 in Benin on 16 March 2020, the government put in place movement restrictions and imposed measures to limit the spread of the disease.…
Many cities and municipalities that are under lock down, due to the pandemic of COVID-19, experienced a disruption in the supply of food after implementation of national directives. Usually food and essential products are supposedly exempted from restrictions, but reality proofs different. Hence, lock down effects hit hard especially on urban areas of the Global South where no financial buffers…
For the organization to realize its mission, ACED will need to develop a strong, results-oriented approach that effectively harnesses the enthusiasm and support of its stakeholders. Towards this aim, we need to increase our effectiveness and efficiency through improved governance, impact measurement, generate learning and ensure sustainability. Improving effectiveness and efficiency. A major change in our programmatic functioning will be…
During the last 10 years, ACED has played a key role in ensuring evidence is generated and used to address key challenges facing farmers and policymakers. Our intervention approach prioritizes evidence use by completing a cycle of evidence generation, dissemination and use. ACED will continue to focus on these three key areas. Producing timely and demanded evidence. We will improve…
Efforts to improve food and nutrition security often result in increased pressure on natural resources. Therefore, beyond our commitment towards ensuring better livelihoods for vulnerable communities, we also prioritise creating and safeguarding a sustainable environment. Natural resources provide the local communities with crucial goods and services referred to as ecosystem services. Most of these services, especially the regulating ones, are…
Smallholders are operating in a rapidly evolving socioeconomic, environmental and political landscape. Resource depletion, climate change, demographic pressure, rapid urbanization, higher incomes and changing diets present both challenges and opportunities for smallholders. To ensure smallholders leverage the opportunities offered by these changes, our work will focus on two main areas. Improving the production efficiency of healthy and affordable food. ACED…
Poor access of smallholder farmers to innovations and markets. Most interventions regarding FNS-related issues strategically focus on smallholder farmers who represent the majority of farmers worldwide.[1] This target group is paradoxically known to be particularly affected by food insecurity and malnutrition, whilst at the same time, playing an essential role in ensuring FNS. But the world has developed – and…
