13 results
An economically sustainable integrated cassava seed system! The cassava seed sector has long been dominated by informal practices—non-certified stem reuse, low yields, and high disease prevalence. The BASICS model addresses this by creating a viable commercial seed system for cassava, opening up investment and revenue streams in seed production, distribution, diagnostics, and digital tools. The model has been tested and refined in Nigeria with strong market demand and regulatory support, providing a scalable framework for agribusiness expansion in cassava-producing countries.
Building stronger cassava seed businesses for African seed entrepreneurs and farmers. CSAM aims to address these challenges by creating structured associations of cassava seed entrepreneurs, allowing them to collaborate and collectively benefit from economies of scale. Through these associations, entrepreneurs can access certification, financial resources, training, and policy advocacy. This model reduces inefficiencies, enhances seed quality, and strengthens market linkages, promoting a more robust and sustainable seed sector. CSAM has been successfully implemented in Nigeria and Tanzania and is being scaled up in Rwanda and Kenya. With over 2,700 seed entrepreneurs benefiting from this model, CSAM represents a major shift toward a more professional and sustainable cassava seed sector. It offers a platform for both entrepreneurs and investors to engage in an industry poised for growth and improvement.
Transforming Cassava Farming Through Entrepreneurial Innovation! Cassava is a key staple crop in Sub-Saharan Africa, critical for both food security and income generation. Yet, the traditional cassava seed system has been fragmented and unsustainable, primarily relying on informal farmer-to-farmer sharing and ad hoc free distributions from governments and NGOs. This system has contributed to the widespread use of low-quality, disease-prone seeds, significantly limiting productivity and the adoption of improved varieties. The Cassava Seed Entrepreneur (CSE) Business Model presents a scalable, market-driven solution to modernize the cassava seed system. It empowers rural men, women, and youth by transforming them into certified seed entrepreneurs, enabling them to produce and distribute high-quality, certified cassava planting materials. The model integrates training, digital tools, and strategic partnerships to ensure a consistent supply of clean seeds. As a result, it not only boosts cassava yields but also creates new business opportunities and enhances rural livelihoods, providing an attractive investment opportunity for the private sector.
Structure, Trace, Scale & Connect with Solutions eProd is a digital supply chain management platform designed for agriculture. It helps organizations register farmers, monitor production, ensure traceability, and manage payments efficiently. The system is modular, works offline, and integrates easily with other digital tools.
Build an efficient seed system! SeedTracker is a business-friendly digital tool that helps seed companies and entrepreneurs manage, certify, and market high-quality seed. It improves traceability, inventory tracking, and connects producers with buyers—all through a secure and easy-to-use digital platform.
Breeder & Foundation Cassava Seeds—Always Within Reach This technology enables seed companies and certified producers to multiply and supply breeder and foundation cassava seeds directly from research centers. It follows national seed certification standards, uses both in-house and outgrower schemes, and ensures that farmers and seed entrepreneurs get access to clean, high-quality planting material. Registration with seed authorities and proper field inspection are required for participation.
Improved cassava varieties crucial for enhancing food security, increasing farmer incomes, and reducing poverty in Africa. The technology is a market-driven cassava breeding system that develops improved varieties based on market needs, such as for fresh consumption, processing, or biofortification. It involves stakeholder input, standard breeding methods, and regulatory collaboration for variety release. Adoption is promoted through trials, launch events, and media campaigns, aligning breeding with market demand to boost cassava productivity and value chain performance.
A set of tools on best practices for practitioners and investors in the seeds sector. The Seed2B Toolkit is a comprehensive resource designed to bridge the gap between advanced breeding and the successful commercialization of improved seed varieties. It provides step-by-step guidance, tools, and best practices across the product lifecycle—from problem identification to solution delivery—ensuring smallholder farmers access high-quality seeds tailored to their needs. The toolkit emphasizes collaboration between public and private stakeholders to establish standards for seed development and dissemination.
Excellent natural protection for a wide range of crops, manufactured in France Yukon is an innovative, sustainable fungicide designed to prevent and manage fungal and bacterial diseases in crops. It combines tribasic copper sulfate in its brochantite form, which gradually releases copper ions for consistent and persistent action, with Xanthane, a natural adjuvant derived from fermentation, ensuring excellent leaf coverage and rainfastness. This advanced formulation works at the cellular level to inhibit fungal development stages, including spore germination and mycelium growth, while also limiting bacterial growth. Yukon minimizes environmental impact by using less copper per hectare and is compatible with organic farming practices. Widely adopted in European agriculture, it enhances crop quality and yield, promotes resistance management, and supports eco-friendly farming practices, making it a valuable tool for sustainable agricultural development.
BSFL proteins for sustainable local fish and chicken feed production A major challenge for fish and chicken farming in sub-Saharan Africa is the lack of a consistent and reliable supply of feed throughout the year. The rising cost of feed, which makes up 60-70% of total production expenses, adds to this problem. At the same time, about 30-40% of food produced today is lost or wasted, leading to large amounts of organic waste and animal manure that harm the environment if not properly managed. The traditional way of producing and consuming goods also creates issues for the economy, ecosystems, and society. To address these challenges, Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae composting offers a smart solution. This technology tackles two key problems: managing organic waste and reducing the high cost of animal feed in the region. BSF larvae turn organic waste into valuable protein feed for animals and nutrient-rich fertilizer, cutting down on waste sent to landfills and reducing environmental harm. The larvae are highly efficient at transforming organic by-products into protein-rich feed, providing a more sustainable option for fish and chicken farming. By reusing agricultural waste, BSF technology supports a circular economy that benefits both the environment and the economy.
Mitigating Africa’s worst pest threat to food security by revolutionizing crop protection with a biological and sustainable weed control alternative. The Toothpick Project introduces an innovative biocontrol technology utilizing a specific strain of host-specific fungus, Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. strigae, to combat Striga (witchweed), Africa's most severe pest threatening food security. Approximately 50 million hectares of croplands (around 40 million farms) in sub-Saharan Africa are infested with Striga, causing over $9 billion in crop losses annually. Striga plants produce over 50,000 seeds per season, easily spreading through wind, human and animal traffic, and farming tools, adding to the soil seed bank. This selective biological herbicide “Kichawi Kill”, applied by farmers as a seed coating, aims to restore crop yields by targeting Striga without harming maize. This game-changing agri-tech provides a safe, effective, and affordable alternative to traditional chemical herbicides.
We know cassava The AKILIMO application offers personalized agronomic advice for cassava farmers, aiding in decisions related to land preparation, planting and harvesting schedules, fertilizer use, and intercropping. It predicts yields and provides tailored recommendations to maximize profits. Utilizing decision trees and algorithms based on field trials and modeling, it's accessible as a printable guide, smartphone app, interactive voice response system, and chatbot. Currently available in southern Nigeria and Tanzania, it caters to users of all literacy levels through various formats, including paper-based tools and a smartphone app downloadable from the Google Play Store.
Safeguarding Chickens and reducing Costs The "Low-Cost Cage and Free-Range Containment" is a special way to keep chickens safe and healthy while also saving money. It's like a movable house for chickens. During the day, the chickens get to run around outside and eat natural food like insects and plants. This makes them strong and healthy. This special chicken house is not expensive to build and is easy to move around. It's perfect for small farmers who can't afford big, fancy chicken houses. It also helps make sure the chickens are happy and well taken care of.