Societal Impact Statement:

This study uses maize as the test crop. Maize is the key focus of most studies on crop response to micronutrients in SSA with a limited number of studies on wheat, rice, cowpea, sorghum, and soybean responses. Maize, constituting 45% of the cereal production in SSA in 2014, is the staple food crop (accounting for over 40% of the calories consumed in some countries such as Malawi and Zambia (http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data)) and the main component of food aid interventions in SSA (Leonardo et al. 2015).

In collaboration with AICCRA, EMI held a workshop to present the assessment of the Belg 2023 climate and the outlook of the upcoming Kiremt 2023. It was held within the NFCS-E framework, mainstreaming climate into key socio-economic sectors for resilience and sustainable development. It was convened on May 16, 2022, at Haile Resort, Adama, Ethiopia, and brought together 300 government officials of WoWE, EDRMC, EMI, representatives from socio-economic sectors, international partners, civic societies, and media.

Manipulation of the rhizosphere can improve soil health; and foster sustainable management of pests and diseases. Biological inputs such as spent substrates from edible mushrooms (e.g., Pleurotus ostreatus) gardens offer sustainable alternatives on

A working group of stakeholders has been created to aid in shaping results and result dissemination for effecting policy change in Zambia. A first meeting was held in Lusaka on March 7th to present iFEED to the working group and begin discussions about how to use results to inform policy development. Further meetings took place in Q2 2023 between Leeds WP3 and the working group to finalise these results and how they will be used to inform policy change.

Effective scaling up is a key measure of success for these innovations. Too often, however, the decision to scale up is made with incomplete information. Given the high costs involved, decision-makers (governments, development partners, NGOs, and the private sector) must carefully decide which innovations are ready for investment. A good understanding of the scaling-up process and a conceptual framework that informs the scaling vision, analysis of the scaling readiness of innovations, and impact pathways to achieve that vision are critical for informed decision-making.

The purpose of the familiarization tour was to interact with the farmers who are implementing a community led solar powered irrigation scheme and appreciate what the CCARDESA project is implementing and the existing conditions and facilities available in Katapazi agricultural camp. The report also aims to document the findings, observations, and recommendations related to the implementation and impact of drip irrigation on crop yield, water conservation, and farmer livelihoods.

Africa is on the brink of a significant demographic shift, with its population projected to double by 2050. This demographic change poses a tremendous challenge in terms of ensuring food security and sustainability for future generations. The vulnerabilities in Africa's food systems, including climate change, population growth, limited resource access, and inadequate infrastructure, underscore the need for resilient food systems. Resilient food systems are designed to withstand shocks and stresses, ensuring stable food production, distribution, and access.

Adapting food systems to climate change is a global priority, including for the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in East Africa. Food systems are impacted by climate change, and also contribute to climate change. In the East Africa region, climate change (particularly severe drought) is negatively impacting agricultural production (crops and livestock) and disrupting supply chains, putting pressure on livelihoods and threatening to significantly increase hunger and malnutrition. There is therefore a critical need for enhancing climate change adaptation efforts.

Since 2000, many African countries have introduced programs aimed at providing smallholder farmers with low-cost certificates for land held un-der customary tenure. Yet there are many contending views and debates on the impact of these land policies and this book reveals how tenure security, agricultural productivity, and social inclusion were affected by the interven-tions.