Increase the resilience of agricultural systems in India to severe droughts
Country/Site
India
1.Problem Definition
Are there clear complex challenges (wicked problems) that require a systemic and interdisciplinary approach?
Several districts across India have long grappled with deeply interconnected agricultural and environmental challenges erratic and shifting rainfall patterns, rapidly depleting groundwater, acute seasonal water scarcity, seasonal flooding and ongoing soil degradation. These issues do not occur in isolation; they compound one another and directly affect the stability of local food systems. With fragmented landholdings averaging only 1–2 hectares, smallholder farmers face persistent difficulties in maintaining both productivity and profitability. Together, these complex, overlapping pressures call for a systemic and interdisciplinary approach that combines hydrology, agronomy, soil science, engineering, socio-economics, and institutional strengthening to achieve sustainable and lasting improvements.
2. Disciplinary strength
Are there previous studies with strong disciplinary research and development efforts and main issues and single component options identified?
A multidisciplinary team of scientists at ICRISAT including hydrologists, engineers, agronomists, economists and gender specialists are involved and collaborate with farmers communities, producer organisations (FPOs) and government departments. They designed and implemented the most prioritized interventions, focusing on sustainable soil, water management, improved cropping strategies, diversification, and market integration. Several benchmarking landscapes ranging from 1000 ha to 25,000 ha have been developed in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Odisha by integrating multidisciplinary scientific knowledge.
3. Data richness
Have previous and current R&D activities generated sufficient specific or disciplinary data?
Intensive data collection is ongoing in several districts in Uttar Pradesh (UP), Maharashtra, and Odisha. Special focus have given to characterize landscape hydrology (e.g., automatic monitoring of groundwater levels, surface runoff and soil moisture), farming systems productivity, and various mapping various ecosystem services generated and rural livelihoods.
4. Development partnership
Are there partner institutions engaged in developing the region through socio-technical innovations?
ICRISAT has partnered Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur; ICAR-CAFRI; Groundwater Survey and Development Agency (GSDA), the Department of Agriculture, State Governments of Uttar Pradesh in this initiative.
5. National investment plans aligned
Are there national investment plans aligned or prioritized?
Multiple national investment programs in India are strongly aligned with the need for improved water management and landscape restoration. Major public welfare initiatives such as PMKSY–WDC 3.0, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), and the State Disaster Management Authorities are actively channeling resources toward water conservation, watershed development, and climate-resilience planning and ICRISAT led benchmarking sites have played important role in providing policy guidance. For example, NDMA guidelines now explicitly promote area-based planning for water and disaster risk management, reflecting lessons and evidence emerging from ongoing field initiatives. Similarly, PMKSY–WDC 3.0 is being refined to incorporate components for river rejuvenation and to prioritize the renovation and strengthening of traditional water bodies, again drawing on successful pilots and demonstrated impacts from these initiatives.Additionally, national technical guidelines currently under development for integrating Land Resource Inventory (LRI) and hydrology into watershed development plans are also informed by these experiences. Together, these policy updates show a clear alignment between national investment priorities and the need for holistic, systems-oriented water and land management interventions.
6. Representativeness
Is the case study representative of a wider region or other sites?
The use case reflects India’s broader national priority of improving water management and strengthening water availability for landscape restoration and agricultural productivity. The selected sites span key dryland regions across central, southern, and northern India collectively representing about 80 million hectares of dryland agroecosystems (e.g., Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Bihar).
8. Donor interest
Are there donors interested in specific region/issue and prioritized for investment?
A range of donors, including government agencies, CSR initiatives, and international development partners are showing strong interest in addressing water scarcity and supporting system-level transformations in agriculture. Their investments increasingly target region-specific challenges. For example, in Odisha, donors are focusing on the persistent issue of rice–fallow systems and the need to enhance year-round agricultural productivity. In Maharashtra, concerns about declining groundwater tables and the rising cost of cultivation have become major priorities for investment. Across central India, donors are responding to the combined pressures of water scarcity, land degradation, migration, and low agricultural productivity. This growing attention reflects a broader recognition that sustainable water management is essential for resilient livelihoods, improved natural resource health, and long-term rural development.
Integrated Desert Farming Project for Resilient Livelihoods in Egypt
Country/Site
Egypt
CopSyS contact (Name and email)
Abebe Bezaiet Dessalegnb.dessalegn@cgiar.org
1.Problem Definition
Are there clear complex challenges (wicked problems) that require a systemic and interdisciplinary approach?
Subtropical desert systems face complex challenges. The New Valley (NV) governorate in Egypt is no exception and deals with several challenges including water scarcity (very low rainfall, depletion of groundwater), water quality (high levels of salinity or iron content), poor soil quality, extreme weather fluctuations (seasonal and diurnal temperature range), land scarcity and degradation, physical isolation with poor access to essential services (extension, input/output markets, credit, etc.) - which collectively result in low animal and crop productivity and fragile livelihoods. Farmers in the area primarily rely on a mixed crop-livestock system with agroforestry (date palms, fruit trees, and other windbreaker trees) also playing a critical role in supporting their livelihoods. The system thus offers great opportunities for integration among farming activities to leverage agro-ecological processes and for harnessing circular economies to sustainably support the farming system and the livelihoods it supports. Average land holding in the New Valley is relatively larger compared to the Delta, due to its lower population density thus offering greater opportunities to introduce new integrated packages.
2. Disciplinary strength
Are there previous studies with strong disciplinary research and development efforts and main issues and single component options identified?
The proposed pilot site served as one of the project implementation sites for an “Integrated Desert Farming Project for Resilient Livelihoods” (IDFRL) designed to scale different packages of technologies intended to improve sustainable management and utilization of scarce resources, promote diversification and integration across the different components of the agricultural system, improve overall farm productivity and efficiency, and ultimately enhance the socio-ecological resilience of livelihoods. The project was implemented with a multi-disciplinary team comprising of experts in - livestock and feed management, cereal and legumes, agronomy, water, IPM, socio-economist, and gender. Two studies were recently completed (preliminary research) to establish indicative evidence for - integration and systemic biophysical benefits, technology selection and packaging, and the economic costs and benefits of adopting recommended packages.
3. Data richness
Have previous and current R&D activities generated sufficient specific or disciplinary data?
The IDFRL project promoted several packages of solutions/practices that cut across the different system components including – different seeds of improved varieties of cereal, legume and fodder crops that are adapted to prevalent biotic and abiotic stress (intercropped between trees or open field), alternative feed (eg. azolla production under palm trees, and silage produced with crop residues and palm leaves), nature-based soil amendments (e.g. compost and biochar), and vegetable production.Preliminary socio-economic and biophysical data were collected from selected sites to establish evidence for integration. Collected data include: inputs of soil additives (e.g. compost and biochar); fertilizers; irrigation methods; and application of pest control treatments and final yield (fodder, cereals, and legumes); farm sizes and land allocation; crop distribution; applied agronomic practices; crop budget for selected cereal, legume and fodder crops; cost of production, net profit and return on investment for selected packages.
4. Development partnership
Are there partner institutions engaged in developing the region through socio-technical innovations?
The NV site was managed and activities implemented in partnership with a strong national partner – the Desert Research Center (DRC) which is mandated to conduct basic and applied research across the country’s desert and reclaimed land areas focusing on - natural resource management (land and water), plant production, animal husbandry, ecology, socioeconomic studies, as well as monitoring and assessing desertification causes. DRC also plays a critical role in proposing general policy directives for the most appropriate investment in the Egyptian desert; setting scientific and practical plans for the reclamation, cultivation and development of desert areas; organizing multi-purpose training programs to raise the technological level of the desert development staff at the local and the international levels; and participating in developing agricultural extension programs according to the results of research and experiments.
5. National investment plans aligned
Are there national investment plans aligned or prioritized?
Desert farming is an integral part of the national strategy to reclaim and convert desert land into arable land to increase national food security, enhance export, and create new jobs through newly established farms for relocated/resettled communities. As part of this strategy the government currently runs several large-scale initiatives to reclaim millions of feddans such as the “New Delta Project” and the “Future of Egypt” and encourages private investment.
6. Representativeness
Is the case study representative of a wider region or other sites?
Only 5% of Egypt is considered arable and habitable with the remaining 95% classified as desert. With growing population and increasing demand for food and employment, the government is aggressively pursuing mechanisms to reclaim desert lands and convert them into productive resources that can sustainably support livelihoods. One of these strategies is to promote desert farming which poses numerous complex and intricate biophysical and socio-economic challenges. The NV site thus is representative of the millions of acres of land intended to be reclaimed and can serve as a great testbed to design a sustainable, integrated, and efficient farming system models that can be replicated and have substantial impact in achieving the country’s vision.
8. Donor interest
Are there donors interested in specific region/issue and prioritized for investment?
There are many interests in desert farming – government, private, as well as international organizations (FAO and the WB). The IDFRL project was funded by the Spanish Cooperation and there is a good potential that it can be extended by another two years (2026-2028).
Jimma Area, Western Ethiopia
Country/Site
Ethiopia
1.Problem Definition
Are there clear complex challenges (wicked problems) that require a systemic and interdisciplinary approach?
In Jimma’s maize belt, monocropping dominates and existing grazing areas are increasingly put under pressure due to crop land expansion, limiting resilience and soil health. Diversifying with grain and forage legumes—like soybean, lablab, and cowpea—offers ecological and economic gains. Yet, limited knowledge of improved legume cropping practices, weak seed and market systems, limited awareness, and capacity gaps complicate the adoption of legume technologies and practices. Systems science is essential to navigate these interlinked biophysical and institutional challenges.
2. Disciplinary strength
Are there previous studies with strong disciplinary research and development efforts and main issues and single component options identified?
There is a strong foundation of disciplinary and multi-disciplinary R&D in the Jimma area. Teams from ILRI (crop-livestock systems and scaling), CIMMYT (maize and soil fertility), Wageningen University (farming systems analysis), Jimma University (agroecology), and Jimma Agricultural Research Center (forage development) have collaborated extensively. These efforts have produced key outputs such as the Gendered Feed Assessment Tool (G-FEAST) by ILRI, on-farm demonstrations of conservation agriculture and forage options by CIMMYT, ILRI, Jimma University, and JARC, and regenerative soil fertility improvement options by CIMMYT. These initiatives have laid a strong disciplinary foundation for systems-oriented work.
3. Data richness
Have previous and current R&D activities generated sufficient specific or disciplinary data?
Data richnessPrevious and ongoing R&D activities have generated rich, specific datasets across disciplines. These include a baseline survey by the Mixed Farming Systems Initiative, a conjoint analysis by Wageningen University, and detailed assessments of feed resources and forage options by ILRI. These datasets provide a robust empirical base for systems science research, enabling integrated analysis of biophysical, economic, and institutional dimensions in the Jimma context.
4. Development partnership
Are there partner institutions engaged in developing the region through socio-technical innovations?
There are strong development partnerships supporting socio-technical innovation in the Jimma region. Key partners include Jimma University, Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI), EIAR–Jimma Branch, Zonal and District Agricultural Offices, farmer organizations (Jimma Cooperative Union), SAMANU (soybean processing company) and private enterprises supplying legume seeds, including forage seeds (e.g. startups in Jimma city). NGOs such as Land O’Lakes Venture37, SNV Ethiopia and Stichting Wageningen Research Ethiopia (SWR Ethiopia) also play vital roles in scaling innovations and strengthening local systems.
5. National investment plans aligned
Are there national investment plans aligned or prioritized?
This case study aligns well with national investment priorities. Soybean is recognized as a nationally prioritized crop, both for food, cash and feed. Jimma area is one of the development corridors under the recent soybean development initiative of the government of Ethiopia. Maize remains a key staple in Ethiopia’s food security agenda. Livestock improvement is also a national priority, particularly under the Bounty of the Basket initiative, which promotes integrated crop-livestock development.
6. Representativeness
Is the case study representative of a wider region or other sites?
The case study is highly representative of Ethiopia’s broader maize belt and holds regional significance across East and Southern Africa, where maize is a dominant staple. The challenges of monocropping, soil degradation, and limited crop-livestock integration are common across these regions, making the Jimma experience relevant for scalable, systems-based innovations beyond national boundaries.
8. Donor interest
Are there donors interested in specific region/issue and prioritized for investment?
There is strong donor interest aligned with national priorities in the Jimma region. Soybean and maize are nationally prioritised crops, and livestock improvement is a key focus under the Bounty of the Basket initiative. Additionally, the Agricultural Commercialisation Cluster (ACC)—a systems-oriented platform for agricultural transformation—has attracted significant donor engagement, making it a strategic entry point for coordinated investments in integrated crop-livestock systems and value chain development.
Maize in Mixed Farming Systems in Malawi
Country/Site
Malawi
1.Problem Definition
Are there clear complex challenges (wicked problems) that require a systemic and interdisciplinary approach?
Maize dominated mixed farming systems in Malawi face compounded challenges of rapid soil degradation, small land sizes and declining agricultural productivity, in a context of high poverty levels, gender inequalities and climate variability and shocks. Unsustainable farming practices drive soil loss, whilst weak markets, finance and advisory systems discourage adoption of sustainable farming practices. There is need to validate and build capacity in systemic approaches that interlink agronomy, social sciences, policy and education, to redesign and strengthen resilient agri-food systems.
2. Disciplinary strength
Are there previous studies with strong disciplinary research and development efforts and main issues and single component options identified?
Malawi has a rich history of agricultural research, including the CGIAR mixed farming systems initiative and national programs, with a focus on biophysical sciences including agronomy, soil fertility, cropping systems, crop improvement. These have generated valuable insights on single component technologies (crop varieties, agronomic practices). However, social, economic and institutional dimensions of adoption, equity and scaling perspectives lag behind, limiting the translation of technical deliverables into holistic, inclusive and scalable system innovations.
3. Data richness
Have previous and current R&D activities generated sufficient specific or disciplinary data?
Malawi has diverse sets of disciplinary data sets:- Mixed Farming Systems Initiative Malawi Use case on quantitative farming systems analysis, a multi-level case study to support selection of STIBs towards sustainable intensification.
- Soil fertility trials, crop responses, fertilizer data sets: DARS–CIAT national agronomy database with 20,000+ observations to establish site specific fertilizer recommendations.
- Farm household surveys (IHS, LSMS): Socio-economic, climate, land use, and market data from CGIAR and national programs.
- Agricultural Production Estimates (APES), FAO/WFP food security assessments, provide regular inputs to agricultural programs and early warning systems for food security.
- Monitoring and Evaluation Data: Programs such as AgCom, ASWAp-SP II, IFAD’s SAPP, and the National Agriculture Management Information System (NAMIS) provide substantial data sets.
Although the data tend to be fragmented, efforts are underway to come up with data sharing agreements to establish national Ag Data Hub.
4. Development partnership
Are there partner institutions engaged in developing the region through socio-technical innovations?
The One-CGIAR initiative works with the Ministry of Agriculture and NARES on the co-design and validation of technical innovations, national academia and local NGOs. A District level Innovation Platform, managed by the District Agricultural Support Services (DAESS) institutionalizes feedback and networking at subnational level.
5. National investment plans aligned
Are there national investment plans aligned or prioritized?
National investment plans alignedAre there national investment plans aligned and or prioritized?
Malawi has several national investment programs that align closely with sustainability, soil health, and agricultural transformation priorities.
- 1. The Agricultural Commercialization Project (AGCOM I & II, World Bank–funded) supports the commercialization of smallholder agriculture by strengthening producer organizations for collective marketing and input procurement. AGCOM also hosts an innovative Payment for Soil Health Services pilot, designed to link productivity gains and soil regeneration outcomes while informing the transformation of the Agricultural Input Program (AIP).
- 2. The Sustainable Agricultural Production Programme (SAPP II, IFAD-funded) promotes sustainable, climate-resilient, and inclusive agricultural growth through investments in soil fertility management, diversification, and value-chain development.
6. Representativeness
Is the case study representative of a wider region or other sites?
Malawi is characterized by smallholder mixed farming systems dominated by maize production, as found across the southern Africa and parts of East Africa region. Malawi also represents a diversity of agro-ecological and socio-economic contexts, with varying degrees of land pressure, soil and land degradation, exposure to climate risks. Diversity and dependency on agriculture make it an urgent case for testing and scaling sustainable farming approaches.
8. Donor interest
Are there donors interested in specific region/issue and prioritized for investment?
The World Bank, IFAD and AfDB are major funders, promoting diversification, sustainable intensification, entrepreneurship, value addition and commercialization, with strong components on legume and livestock value chains. The EU, GIZ, Irish Aid are funding complementary components on Greening Malawi through climate smart agriculture, sustainable land management, value chain approaches. These donors focus on working through government and NARES, linkages with CGIAR research are mostly limited. Opportunities to align research with delivery and scale systems level innovations exist.
The Mixteca Learning Landscape.
Country/Site
Mixteca Region of Oaxaca, Mexico
CopSyS contact (Name and email)
Santiago Lopez-RidauraS.L.Ridaura@cgiar.org
Country Coordinator (Name and email)
to be identified
1.Problem Definition
Are there clear complex challenges (wicked problems) that require a systemic and interdisciplinary approach?
Mixteca Region is highly vulnerable to climate change (drought and heat), high outmigration rate and one of the highest levels of poverty and malnutrition in Mexico. Past deforestation and overgrazing threaten the conservation of natural resources.
2. Disciplinary strength
Are there previous studies with strong disciplinary research and development efforts and main issues and single component options identified?
Mixteca has been intensively studied, from anthropological and social science studies to ecology and agronomic research trying to find options for sustainable intensification. Mixed crop-livestock systems predominate, and disciplinary work has been done in both components.
3. Data richness
Have previous and current R&D activities generated sufficient specific or disciplinary data?
An effort to systematize and share data began in 2024 and over 40 datasets have been compiled from different partners, ranging from climatic and GIS/Remote Sensing data, to on station and on-farm field trials, from household level surveys and modelling to forest dynamics. A data locating and sharing dashboard is under development.
4. Development partnership
Are there partner institutions engaged in developing the region through socio-technical innovations?
Long term relationships with local NGOs and farmers organizations as well as with State Government Official from the Ministry of Agriculture. Collaboration with NARES is also in place.
5. National investment plans aligned
Are there national investment plans aligned or prioritized?
Several social support programs and agriculture and natural resource management programs are set in place (e.g. reforestation, agricultural intensification, mechanization, livestock intensification and value chains, mechanization, fruit tree production), mainly in a disconnected fashion. A UNESCO geopark lies with then region.
6. Representativeness
Is the case study representative of a wider region or other sites?
Mixteca represents the highland semi-arid environments of Mexico and Central America. Similarities for semi-arid crop livestock integration exists with other regions of the world.
8. Donor interest
Are there donors interested in specific region/issue and prioritized for investment?
International donors have little interest in Mexico in general. The Mixteca, because of its high marginalization status, may become susceptible to funding. Funding from State government as well from local foundations and private partnerships are the current sources of funding.
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