Explore Our Projects

Objective:

IFPRI aims to evaluate the types of, extent of, and barriers to mechanization in ILIMS geographies using existing national datasets and other available data. The goal is to identify the barriers that prevent the adoption of mechanized tools, such as:

• Land Size
• Family Composition
• Age and Education
• Access to Credit and Extension Services
• Crop Type
• Proximity to Markets

After identifying these barriers, IFPRI will develop a Mechanization Propensity Index (MPI). This index will be based on biophysical criteria that can be measured across large areas, including:

• Slope
• Distance to Markets
• Soil Texture
• Cropping Patterns

IFPRI will determine these parameters through preliminary data analysis and discussions with key national stakeholders. Early findings will be shared with representatives from farmer associations, agricultural ministries, departments and agencies, and private sector suppliers of machinery. IFPRI will engage these stakeholders through e-surveys, webinars, and face-to-face discussions in various countries.

Target Geographies:

• Ethiopia
• Ghana
• Rwanda
• sub-national data for Nepal (no recent nationally representative dataset);
• discussions on Guatemala and Honduras are ongoing.

Outcomes:

• Develop Suitable Packages: Create socio-technical solutions that effectively target various producer types.
• Private Sector Insights: Enable private sector partners to develop new approaches based on barriers to machinery adoption.
• Government Support: Help government actors better target their support initiatives.
• ILIMS Efforts: Provide valuable information for ILIMS to target high potential outcomes and overcome constraints.

By achieving these outcomes, IFPRI will improve mechanization adoption, support smallholder farmers, and promote sustainable agriculture in target regions.

Research Questions:

• What socioeconomic and biophysical factors determine adoption of mechanized agricultural practices?
• What agricultural geographies are suitable to mechanized agriculture?

Objective:

• University of Missouri will develop and customize a methodology, and conduct a Capacity Needs Assessment (CNA). The CNA will provide essential information on the skills and capabilities needed to sustainably scale irrigation and mechanization in target countries. The activity will engage public, private, and development sector stakeholders in the process of the assessment and in reaching consensus on the assessment results.

Target Geographies:

• Ghana
• Ethiopia
• Rwanda

Outcomes:

University of Missouri will generate a report that reflects the study results and feedback from stakeholders for each target country.

Research Question(s):

• What capacity gaps exist in the irrigation and mechanization value chain relating to marketing and market linkages?
• What capacity gaps exist in the irrigation and mechanization (equipment supply) value chain relating to personnel and skills?
• How can the capacity gaps in market linkages, personnel and skills in the irrigation value chains in Ghana, Ethiopia and Rwanda be bridged?
• What are the priority areas and entry points for enhancing the needed local capacities in the irrigation values chains of Ghana, Ethiopia and Rwanda?
• What challenges and opportunities exist for young people and women’s participation in the irrigation value chains in Ghana, Ethiopia and Rwanda.
• What are the relevant national policies and/or related programs for education that may require policy or programmatic attention and investment to support sustainable development of irrigation and mechanization?

Objective:

TetraTech will use case studies to understand the cost-benefit of different carbon calculation methodologies and the feasibility of applications to make solar irrigation pumps accessible to smallholder farmers through the carbon market.

Target Geographies:

Sub-Saharan Africa; Case studies anticipated in 2 countries out of the following: Senegal, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda

Outcomes:

The activity will provide a data-driven basis to guide discussions among stakeholders in the industry about best ways to deliver carbon revenue for companies and incentives for smallholder farmers with effective and measurable progress toward environmental goals.

• Data-Driven Insights: Provide detailed data-review to help guide industry discussions.
• Carbon Revenue: Find the suitable ways to deliver carbon revenue to companies.
• Incentives for Farmers: Identify models which incentivize and benefit smallholder farmers in the adoption of new technology (solar irrigation pumps)
• Environmental Progress: Ensure effective and measurable progress towards environmental goals.

Research Question(s):

• How did leading irrigation companies succeed in claiming carbon revenues? Do existing carbon methodologies for solar pumping account for carbon displacement in an accurate, robust, and reliable manner?
• Should methodologies focus on diesel or also consider controlled fertilizer application through irrigation, controlled fertilization, better crop rotation and soil preparation and upkeep and other practices that impact carbon footprint of produce?
• Are more robust methodologies of full carbon impact cost effective or applicable for small pumps? Can solar pumps be a vector to move the needle in many of these practices?

Objective:

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) will research and create materials used for prioritizing, planning, and implementing future program activities in Guatemala and Honduras. CRS’s activity will particularly inform suitability and scaling assessments for agricultural water management, irrigation, and mechanization.

Target Geographies:

• Honduras
• Guatemala

Outcomes:

This project will help speed up the adoption of water harvesting, irrigation and mechanization, soil and water management, and sustainable agricultural intensification for smallholder farmers in Honduras and Guatemala. The research will address barriers to technology access, especially for women and youth, and will explore market-based solutions to ensure the economic sustainability of irrigation and mechanization investments.

Research Question(s):

How can we effectively scale water harvesting, supplementary irrigation, and mechanization among smallholders in Honduras and Guatemala within a market-based framework of water and soil restoration and sustainable management?

Objective:

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) will study how farmers transition from rainfed agriculture to supplemental and dry season water management practices. This study will cover three different agro-ecological zones and various points in the food system. The goal is to understand the risks and opportunities farmers consider with the change or adoption of new practices, in order to identify suitable interventions and investments needed for improvement.

Target Geographies:

• Ghana

Outcomes:

The research outputs will lead to recommendations on potential site intervention sites, processes, and mechanisms build climate resilience of rainfed farming systems in Ghana.

Research Question(s)

• What risks (climate, soil, market, financial, labor,…) do rainfed systems face in Ghana indifferent agro ecologies? What strategies have been implemented by farmers to mitigate the risks associated with climate variability and land management challenges in rainfed production systems in Ghana?
• What have farmers innovated as conditions have changed? Do farmers utilize supplemental irrigation or soil and water conservation as a strategy? If so, where is this practiced in Ghana along the different agro ecologies?
• What factors and changes have influenced the adoption of supplemental irrigation or green water management (e.g. soil and water conservation, nutrient management) (i.e. What are farmer incentives to change practices and invest in improving water management)? What challenges and barriers (disincentives and other types of barriers)
  limit the widespread adoption of the most promising strategies?
• Can shallow groundwater and/or surface water (e.g., reservoirs) contribute to supplemental irrigation in specific regions of Ghana (i.e. is groundwater sufficient and sustainable)? What data is available on groundwater and surface water (e.g., reservoirs) by location? What are the risks to farmers regarding groundwater access investment (hand-dug wells and boreholes)?