A newsfeed from R4D covering information on R4D funded research

Completed For increasingly large sections of the urban population, food security is becoming a luxury. In India, 80 per cent of urban households typically spend 70 per cent of their income on food (Mongeot, 1994). Several studies have shown the significance of urban agriculture as a survival strategy in the face of escalating food prices and decreasing incomes in sub-Saharan Africa, East and South East Asia and Latin America (for example, Drakakis-Smith, 1992; Mbiba, 1995; UNDP, 1996). However, little research has addressed these issues in the Indian context.

Completed Soil degradation and infertility are major constraints to the sustainability of agricultural systems in many developing countries, particularly those located in the tropical humid lowlands. Restoration of soil phosphorus (P) status can only be achieved by the use of phosphate fertilisers. Agronomists and agricultural economists, in both developing countries and development agencies, are not adequately aware of locally available phosphate rock resources and their agronomic potential as a low cost source of phosphate.

Completed The wider objectives of the project are to improve the living standards of resource-poor livestock owners by enhancing the introduction of more productive and environmentally sound agroforestry systems that integrate crops, pastures, trees and ruminants.The immediate objectives are:To review the literature to determine the technical and socio-economic advantages of adoption of agroforestry systems in smallholder animal agriculture .To identify constraints to adoption and areas for further research in the development of these systems.

Completed Since the completion of the 1996 review, a number of projects have been funded within the NRSP/FAI programme, and also within NRSP/SAPS, that either directly or indirectly are or were based on the understandings developed in the review. Other DFID-funded work has also been completed (ie: through ESCOR) and some of this has been published through the ODI. These studies have a bearing on the earlier review, and should highlight relevant future work.

Completed The aim of the project was to assist Kampala urban farmers, livestock and livestock product marketers to improve their livelihoods and contribute to urban food security through testing application of simple user guidelines on the new City Council Ordinances.

Current INNOVA has taken forward the outputs of several earlier RNRRS projects in Bolivia in potato-based cropping systems. Technologies developed under these previous projects were improved and validated by INNOVA, and many have been shown to be highly congruent with pro-poor demand and with good potential for wider adoption.

Completed Over the years explanations for the limited uptake of research results by poor farmers and other natural resource users in the developing world have been framed in terms of deficiencies of the farmers themselves, of the research process and its outputs, and of ,dissemination pathways,, institutions and approaches.

Completed Although the Code of Conduct has been adopted by all Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) members states it is apparent that there is a dearth of material which can be used to promote, disseminate and implement the code particularly in less developed countries. Feed back and indications from FAO member countries are that many are unable to promote the code without external assistance and FAO Fisheries Department is in the process of establishing the TRAINFISH Programme as an integral part of the implentation of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries.

Completed In 1999, NRSP issued a call for research proposals addressing the ?knowledge gap between technology design and dissemination? in response to the perceived low uptake of new technologies in Ghana, Nepal, Brazil and Bolivia. The call assumed this gap was at least in part due to inadequate attention to promotion pathways and dissemination. At the same time, it asked for a critical review of technologies themselves to see if there were ?fundamental? reasons for this low uptake.

Completed A new local strain of Plutella virus found and identified to be passed on to IITA for evaluation as a possible biocontrol agent. REPORTS:Report to DFID on: (1) 4th African Elephant Range State Dialogue Meeting; (2) 43rd CITES Standing Committee Meeting; (3) CITES 11th Conference of the Parties; 5-23 April, UNEP, Nairobi, Kenya. (by Nigel Hunter) - received May 2000

Completed At a time of increasing urbanisation, dwindling agricultural resources, increased food insecurity and an accelerating deterioration in the quality of life for those living in the urban environment, it is now urgent to inform policy makers, city planners, agricultural and urban development institutions, farmers' associations, NGOs and community-based organisations of the potential, costs, benefits and pitfalls involved in urban agricultural development.

Completed

Completed A decision has been made by DFID to attend the 16th session of the FAO committee on Agriculture (COAG). If DFID advisers are to make a significant contribution to the meeting, the DFID representatives need to be appraised of the important issues, particularly how those issues impact on DFIDs agenda and the IDTs.

Completed Since the implementation of the Economic Reform Programme, the smallholder farming sector has experienced a reduction in government expenditure on research and extension, and a squeeze on credit. This research project aims to investigate how this may have contributed to a reversal of the growth and development of this sector and whether these initiatives have enabled smallholder farmers to increase output and take advantage of new market opportunities.

Completed To fulfil a request for Market Information. To supply information to the Department for International Development (DFID) on the extent to which up-to-the minute agricultural marketing and price data are produced and disseminated in Europe and the US as a public good and free of charge, the alternative being that they are published with a cost attatched. New activity.

Completed Following a seminar for English-speaking participants from Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries on obsolete pesticides in Harare (Zimbabwe), 17-20 December 1996, a further workshop was arranged by Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) for delegates from francophone, mainly West African, countries, in Dakar, 16-19 March 1999.

Completed Given the importance of agriculture in the WTO negotiations for developing countries a focus on the WTO is a timely focus for the network and
an opportunity to highlight research and analysis in this area that DFID has been supporting. It also offers an opportunity for a discussion
on transitional assistance for ACP sugar producers with EU MS and Commission officials. To host a meeting between the EU ATDN network, with agriculture, trade and development officials.

Completed Agricultural production which is dependant on the clearing of forest land (usually logged natural forest or long-term forest fallow) is common to many countries of the humid tropics. This shifting (slash and burn or swidden) agriculture results in the reduction of forest cover as only a proportion of the cleared land is returned to forest. In Bolivia, and in other countries, rise in populations through immigration and natural increase from 1-5 people per sq.km.

Completed This international symposium is organised by TRIALOG, Humbolt University and HABITAT, and aims to explore the link between urban agriculture researchers, practitioners, trainers and supporters, emphasising the integration of agronomic, socio-economic and planning, housing and landscape issues. The paper will draw on research work carried out in South Africa and Zimbabwe (EU 4th Framework funded project entitled Methodologies and Design criteria for Soil and Water Resource Management and Policy Formulation in Peri-urban Farming Systems in Southern Africa.).

Completed To participate in the three day meeting organised by the World Bank on 'Education for Agriculture and Rural development - identifying strategies for meeting future needs' 1-3 December 1999. Prof. Garfield would contribute to the deliberations of the meeting as a recognised professional in the field and, in conjunction with the co-ordinator of the DFID/WB collaborative program in Rural Development, consider recommendations for DFID to work together with the Bank and other partners in follow-up action. DFID will formally be represented.