Occasional Papers

Occasional Papers are short reports written by FAC researchers expressing views on a topical agriculture policy issues.Pastoralist_Innovation_Systems


Latest articles

Utafiti wa wakulima wa nje wa miwa Kilombero: Taarifa ya Mrejesho wa Wadau
May 7, 2015 / Occasional Papers

Emmanuel Sulle na Rebecca Smalley
Mei 2015

Andiko hili ni muhtasari wa utafiti uliofanywa na watafiti kati ya mwaka 2013 na 2014 juu ya wakulima wa nje wa miwa na kipato chao katika maeneo yaliyo karibu na Kampuni ya Sukari ya Kilombero, Tanzania. Hili andiko linakusudia kutoa mrejesho kwa wahojiwa na watu wengine wanaopenda kujua masuala haya, pamoja na wadau wengine na kutoa fursa ya kupashana habari, kutoa malalamiko ya washiriki, na kuwasilisha matokeo ya utafiti na mapendekezo yetu.

(See the English version of this report)

Study of sugarcane outgrowing at Kilombero: Stakeholder feedback report
May 7, 2015 / Occasional Papers

Emmanuel Sulle and Rebecca Smalley
May 2015

This document is a summary of a study conducted by researchers in 2013 and 2014 on sugarcane outgrowing and livelihoods in the area around Kilombero Sugar Company, Tanzania. It aims to give feedback to interviewees and other interested residents and stakeholders, and creates an opportunity to share information, give voice to participants’ grievances, and present our observations and recommendations.

(See the Swahili version of this report)

Climate Change and Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa: New Concerns, Old Arguments?
December 5, 2011 / Occasional Papers

Paula Silva Villanueva and Rocio Hiraldo
September 2011

The purpose of this paper is to map current policy debates on climate change and agriculture in Africa. We analyse the key debates in view of key narratives and associated actor networks, and show how current discussions link to major debates within the agriculture sector over the past decades, helping to address the often missing attention to history in current debates on climate change and agriculture.

Helping Africa to Feed Itself: Promoting Agriculture to Reduce Poverty and Hunger
September 26, 2010 / Occasional Papers

Steve Wiggins and Henri Leturque
January 2010

Understandable concern exists over the state of hunger in Africa: almost one third of the population are estimated to be hungry, while more than a quarter of infants are underweight in the countries to the south of the Sahara. Moreover, parts of Africa are all too often hit by sharp increases in hunger when harvests fail or strife breaks out. Can Africa feed itself? And what needs to be done?

This report reviews the evidence and opinions drawing on available statistics, the considerable literature and interviews by telephone and email with key informants. The review looks at the record on food security, problems and successes of agriculture to date, future challenges, and points of agreement and contention.

Helping Africa to Feed Itself: Promoting Agriculture to Reduce
September 20, 2010 / Occasional Papers

A joint publication by Friends of Europe, the Overseas Development Institute and FAC.

Steve Wiggins and Henri Leturque
January 2010

Understandable concern exists over the state of hunger in Africa: almost one third of the population are estimated to be hungry, while more than a quarter of infants are underweight in the countries to the south of the Sahara. Moreover, parts of Africa are all too often hit by sharp increases in hunger when harvests fail or strife breaks out. Can Africa feed itself? And what needs to be done?

Pastoral Innovation Systems Perspectives from Ethiopia and Kenya
October 1, 2009 / Occasional Papers

While there has been much discussion of the importance
of innovation in African agriculture, remarkably little
has focused on mobile pastoral systems. Everyone agrees
that science, technology and innovation must be at the
centre of economic growth, livelihood improvement and
development more broadly. But it must always be asked:
what innovation – and for whom? Decisions about direction,
diversity and distribution are key in any discussion
of innovation options and wider development
pathways.

In March 2009 over 50 pastoralists from across
southern Ethiopia and northern Kenya from a dozen
ethnic groups gathered in the Borana lowlands at the
‘University of the Bush’ to debate key pastoral development
issues.