The Community Lands Initiative (iTC) in Mozambique (2006 – 2014)
This innovative programme managed in partnership by NRI and KPMG Mozambique links tenure security and economic development and partnership opportunities with appropriate institutional development by and for rural communities. It is trialling innovative mechanisms for delivery and implementation, linking government, civil society and the private sector. Technical assistance included development of a gender and diversity strategy, delivery of community engagement training, and development and management of a cascading training of trainers programme for service providers and communities. Mozambique is likely to be one of the focus countries and the programme will lead and facilitate NRI's continuing engagement in land and agricultural investment when the current iTC project ends in April 2014.
Rural Territorial Dynamics (RTD) in Latin America (2007-2012)
NRI undertook research in an agricultural region of North East Brazil for the RTD programme, led by RIMISP, the Latin American Centre for Rural Development, based in Chile. The programme covered 20 specific regions in 11 countries, investigating how inclusive and sustainable growth can occur and demonstrating the key roles of actor coalitions in shaping local institutional arrangements to achieve the best outcomes from available natural resources, prevailing market conditions and public policies. The NRI Rural Institutions and Policy programme will investigate and assess the relevance and transferability of the findings to sub-Saharan Africa and seek to build local and trans-local coalitions of actors promoting sustainable and inclusive agricultural growth.
The Use of Climate Compatible Development Principles in African Agricultural Research & Advisory Services (2012-14)
This project investigates ways in which ideas and principles of climate compatible development are being assimilated and applied by agricultural research and advisory services across Africa. The objective is to promote greater understanding and improved knowledge management for adaptation, mitigation and resilience in relation to climate change, and variability, so as to maximise the opportunities and benefits for the rural poor. The partners are the Forum for African Agricultural Research (FARA) and the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS). The project involves consultation with key decision-makers in national agricultural research and advisory systems, and in-depth studies in Benin, Mozambique Sierra Leone and Uganda. Findings will be shared through a series of local and country-level and continent wide workshops and e-forums.
Accessible Systems to Manage Risk in Family Agriculture in Africa (2011-2015)
This project works to improve access to farm risk management tools for smallholder farmers in Africa. The goal is to improve food security and livelihoods of smallholder farmers in the target countries - Burkina Faso, Tanzania and Zambia. The risk management tools are intended to reduce the exposure of smallholder farmers to downward shocks, improve access to credit and capacity to invest in yield-enhancing technology as well as strengthen their capacity to better manage the marketing of agricultural produce. NRI is leading in the provision of technical advice in developing or strengthening marketing institutions such as warehouse receipt systems and agricultural commodity exchanges. The project is funded by the EC through AGRINATURA.