| Sumario: | We are pleased to share the ninth issue of the SmartAG Partner- a quarterly newsletter
of CCAFS East Africa.
After being mostly overlooked for the last ten years, agriculture was on the agenda of
the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technical Advice (SBSTA42) in Bonn, Germany.
SBSTA42 presented an opportunity for science generated from the CGIAR to inform
negotiations on critical issues related to agriculture and food security. These included
the urgent need for early warning systems and the impacts of climate change on African
agriculture with a focus on pests and diseases. Read more about progress made in Bonn
from two articles describing progress on agriculture and how to bridge the science-policy gap.
Additionally, read about a recently launched project led by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) on a user-friendly forecasting system that integrates improved seasonal climate information and how it will make it possible for east African policy makers to access accurate and timely early warning systems. Under the science section, new research data
shows drought and pest epidemics are among top climate related risks faced by smallholder farmers in rural Uganda. Read on to learn how farmers are designing strategies to cope with these risks.
In May, we hosted CCAFS Program Management Committee and Independent Science Panel members at the Nyando climatesmart villages in Kisumu, Kenya. We share lessons from the local community in Nyando on how to respond to climate related risks while addressing food insecurity.
Dr. James Kinyangi
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