The global food system is challenged by population growth, climate change and environmental degradation, leading to global increase in demand and local decrease in supply. Millions of smallholders in West Africa are responsible for 70% of the global cocoa supply from monoculture and agroforestry systems, which provides them food and income essential to their food security. However, current yields average 400 kg/ha while potential production exceeds 5000 kg/ha. A large proportion of the plantations are old and/or neglected and insufficient use of farm inputs further reduces productivity. This project aims for science-based, sustainable intensification of cocoa production assuring high and stable production now and under future climate change and policy scenarios. We provide integrated crop-, field- and farm-level research exploring technical and socio-economically feasible options. Next to delivering soil-, crop- and farm decision support models, we deliver models to support effective service delivery at scale by public and private partners.

IITA, SPARK, WUR and the NARS of Rwanda and Burundi (RAB and ISABU) request €1,000,000 and co-invest €340,396 in testing, evaluating and upscaling end-user-preferred cassava varieties with strong resistance to Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD) and Cassava Mosaic Diseases (CMD) through different types of cassava agribusiness seed systems (CASS) models. During the NWO proposal elaboration workshop, stakeholders and value chain actors collectively decided that the project should achieve three interrelated objectives: 1. To diversify the availability of cassava varieties with strong resistance/tolerance to CBSD and CMD that meet farmer and commercial end-user preferences; 2. To develop, test and tailor different types of CASS models (i.e. (i) government-led, (ii) private-sector-led and (iii) cooperative-led) with and for different groups of farmers; 3. To understand and respond to constraints and opportunities at farmer and institutional levels for upscaling CASS models in collaboration with different cassava value chain actors. In achieving these objectives, the projects contributes to outcomes as expressed in the (i) NWO call’s aims, (ii) CGIAR Research Impact Pathway and its IDOs, and (iii) relevant Areas for Action and the Seed Systems Development Theory of Change. At the end of the project, 5 cassava clones resistant to CBSD and CMD will be available to farmers through validated, innovative, and financially sustainable CASS models. This will increase production and income gains for farmers, as well as the profitability of industrial processing. The validated CASS models, multi-stakeholder collaboration, and strong institutional embedding will attract investment to upscale the CASS models and their outcomes beyond the initial scope of the project. The project is implemented by a strong consortium comprising of the leading (inter)national organisations in research and development. All organisations have proven capacity to deliver as well as ongoing programs in the target countries that leverage and co-fund the proposed project.

When introduced into new areas, potentially pestiferous organisms often become pests and cause considerable negative economic impact, largely because they are freed of factors that control them in their native range. Classical biological control defined as the ?intentional introduction of an exotic organism for permanent establishment and long-term pest control? has provided, in numerous cases, permanent control of target pests resulting in huge economic gains, often at no direct cost to people affected by the pest. The coconut mite Aceria guerreronis Keifer is an invasive and highly destructive species that can cause up to 60% losses in coconut production. Thought to have originated from tropical areas in the Americas, it has invaded Africa and more recently Sri Lanka and India. Unchecked, this pest can spread in South and East Asia and Oceania where more than 80% of world coconut is produced. Classical biological control is thought to be the most appropriate approach to provide a sustainable solution to the coconut mite problem. The proposed project is based on the following hypotheses: (1) there exists sufficient diversity among known and/or yet-to be found natural enemies that could contribute to biological control of the coconut mite in Africa and Asia; (2) understanding plant-pest-predator interactions and the biology and ecology of the pest and its natural enemies could facilitate biological control of the pest; and (3) classical biological control would contribute to development in the target countries by increasing coconut production. In a series of PhD, postdoc and supplementary projects, we will search for and characterize the biology and ecology of natural enemies of coconut mite in regions in the Americas that have not been explored, and conduct experimental releases in Africa and Sri Lanka of one known or newly identified natural enemy. Simultaneously, we will determine with molecular tools and cross-breeding experiments whether Brazilian populations of predator species associated with coconut mite are biologically similar to conspecifics found in Africa and Sri Lanka. We will conduct studies to understand interspecific interactions among co-occurring natural enemy species and their impact on coconut mite. Experiments will also help in understanding plant factors that affect the susceptibility of coconut mite to predation and predator dispersal, with the aim of designing interventions that could enhance biological control. Last but not least, stakeholder surveys and production and marketing data will be used in socioeconomic analyses to determine the effect of biological control interventions on people?s livelihoods.

The missing middle project investigated with stakeholders the current status and address potential improvements in domestic value chains of maize-soy-chicken in Tanzania and pork and vegetables in Vietnam. In Tanzania improved human nutrition can be reached by modest consumption of affordable locally produced poultry products. Improved soybean processing is needed to provide quality meal for poultry feed. In Vietnam national policy transitioned from a focus on enough food to safe food. Private sector focuses on supermarketisation, associated standardization and scale, to increase trust in food safety, but potentially leading to exclusion of producers and reduction in cultural diversity of food.

The project will compare business models for sustainably managing food safety risk through adoption of an aflatoxin bio-control agent, Aflasafe, and rapid testing for aflatoxin contamination. The business models will be assessed through a randomized controlled trial, in which farmers are linked to high value output markets demanding aflatoxin-safe maize. The study site is a known aflatoxin hotspot in Kenya, which is also a significant and reliable maize production area. Primary outcomes to be assessed are adoption of Aflasafe and test kits by farmers, prices received by farmers for their maize, and the safety of maize consumed by participating farmers and sold to millers.