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The document highlights the 'value-addition gap' in African agriculture, where low productivity and lack of post-harvest processing limit economic growth. Using Uganda as a case study, it argues that the deployment of solar mini-grids can displace inefficient diesel mills and enable village-level agro-processing. To succeed, the author recommends that the AU-EU partnership focus on reforming cooperative structures to aggregate produce, increasing access to micro- and commercial finance for smallholders, and providing accessible micro-enterprise training to reduce post-harvest losses and improve rural employment.

The Ceres2030 report argues that ending global hunger is possible through an integrated portfolio of agricultural interventions and an additional annual public investment of USD 33 billion. Using AI-driven evidence synthesis and complex economic modelling, the study identifies ten key recommendations across three categories: empowering the excluded, on-farm improvements, and value chain logistics. The report emphasizes that small-scale producers, who provide a significant portion of the global food supply, are disproportionately vulnerable to the climate crisis and economic exclusion. It concludes that donor countries must double their current annual spending on food security to USD 26 billion, while low- and middle-income countries must provide an additional USD 19 billion per year, with a particular focus on Africa, where the greatest need for resources exists.

The Ceres2030 project uses AI-driven evidence reviews and complex economic modeling to determine that an additional $33 billion in annual public spending—$14 billion from donors and $19 billion from low- and middle-income countries—is required to end hunger and double smallholder incomes by 2030 while adhering to Paris Agreement emissions targets. The report identifies ten key recommendations across three categories: empowering the excluded (e.g., farmer organizations, youth training, social protection), farm-level interventions (e.g., climate-resilient crops, extension services, livestock feed), and food flow improvements (e.g., reducing post-harvest losses, supporting SMEs). It emphasizes that integrated bundles of interventions are more effective than isolated solutions and highlights a critical lack of high-quality, gender-disaggregated, and cost-specific evidence in current agricultural research.

The paper examines the risks climate change poses to rural livelihoods in Asia, Africa, and Central America, noting that current adaptation efforts are insufficient. It advocates for a systemic transformation involving policy reform, digital agriculture, innovative finance, and the scaling of climate-resilient technologies. The authors propose five distinct pathways for adaptation—ranging from market integration and farming system shifts to exiting agriculture—tailored to different household types such as those 'stepping up', 'stepping out', 'hanging in', or those who are 'food insecure'.

The report identifies storage/cold storage, decentralized renewable energy, feeder roads, and irrigation as critical rural infrastructure for ending hunger. It argues that while these assets are essential for increasing agricultural productivity and farmer income, they face significant financing barriers due to high perceived risks and low population densities in rural areas. The authors propose a mix of donor aid, public spending, and private capital, utilizing innovative instruments such as availability payments, shadow tolls, blended finance, and viability gap funding to make these projects commercially viable and sustainable.

The document argues that while individual CVF countries have low emissions, their collective impact is significant, equivalent to the world's fifth largest emitter. It provides a 'menu of options' for updating NDCs across key sectors—energy, transport, forests, and agriculture—while emphasizing the need for enhanced international finance, technology transfer, and robust national legal frameworks to implement these ambitions.

The document examines why small-scale mango farmers in Kenya have low adoption rates for harvesting and post-harvest technologies despite their potential to reduce crop losses, which exceed 25%. Using service-design methods, the study identifies that farmers prioritize quantity over quality due to limited access to high-value export markets and a reliance on brokers. It argues that technology promotion must account for the entire value chain, including the roles of brokers and farmers' organizations, and suggests that investments in quality-improving technologies must be paired with improved market access and refrigerated transport.

The report details research and stakeholder discussions regarding the under-utilization of specialty crops in the US. It highlights significant in-field losses—such as 50% for fresh tomatoes and 36% on average for crops in North Carolina—driven by strict cosmetic standards and economic barriers. The document outlines four envisioned future states: implementing full-cost accounting for food, increasing ubiquitous access to healthy produce, integrating regional food systems with industrial agriculture, and removing food safety barriers to donation. It concludes with a practical example of 'concurrent harvesting' used by Imperfect Produce to create markets for 'seconds'.

The report assesses the global landscape of Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) for air conditioners and refrigerators, building energy efficiency codes, and urban heat mitigation. It highlights significant gaps in policy adoption and enforcement in Africa and other emerging markets, while noting that aligning standards with Best Available Technologies (BAT) could improve appliance energy performance by 50% to 65%.

The report uses service design and customer journey mapping to analyze the mango value chain in Kenya, specifically focusing on women farmers in Tana River and Meru Counties. It identifies that while there is interest in technologies like cold storage and pulping machines to bypass brokers, adoption is hindered by high costs, lack of market access, and a prevailing farming strategy that prioritizes quantity over quality. The study concludes that technology alone is insufficient and must be accompanied by holistic support in business modeling, financing, and market creation.

The Better Life Alliance (BLA) project in Zambia's Luangwa valley reduced greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 902,531 tCO2e/yr, primarily through the prevention of savanna degradation and conversion. The project utilized a business model linking conservation to market incentives and promoted agro-ecological soil management and reduced postharvest losses for crops including groundnuts, maize, rice, and soybeans.

MAVUNOLAB is a youth-driven innovation centre implementing a project to reduce fish food loss and waste in the Lake Victoria region of Tanzania. The initiative focuses on the Dagaa value chain, where 10-22% of fish caught on the Tanzanian side is wasted, primarily due to ineffective traditional sun-drying and smoking methods. MAVUNOLAB has developed a low-cost solar-powered dryer capable of drying up to 250 kg in less than four hours as of 2024, with a goal to provide these to 150 fish processors by 2027. The project specifically targets women, who traditionally handle post-harvest processing but face high financial risks and gender inequalities, including dependency on men for fish and drying equipment. By integrating technical innovation with social empowerment, the initiative aims to reduce women's debt and improve their economic independence. MAVUNOLAB employs a community-centered approach, using needs assessments and partnerships with Beach Management Units (BMUs), local government, and Sokoine University of Agriculture to refine its technology and ensure local alignment.

The report analyzes on-farm losses of specialty crops in the US, finding significant waste in fresh produce like romaine lettuce (56%) and tomatoes (40%) during the 2017-2018 season. It identifies drivers of loss including strict retail cosmetic standards, labor shortages, and unpredictable weather. The document argues that improving supply chain transparency, diversifying markets (e.g., frozen and canned), and reforming buyer-seller contracts could reduce environmental impacts and address food insecurity.

A WWF study finds that post-harvest losses for corn and soy in the US are significantly higher than industry expectations, with corn losses averaging 4.7% and soy 4.5%. These losses result in billions of dollars in economic waste and millions of tons of GHG emissions. The report identifies equipment sophistication and operator experience as primary drivers of loss and argues that reducing these losses can alleviate pressure to convert natural habitats into cropland.

The report examines the impact of cold-chain technologies—such as solar-powered freezers and ice machines—on small-scale fisheries in the Southwest Indian Ocean. It finds that while these solutions significantly reduce post-harvest food loss and boost incomes, they must be paired with strong fisheries governance to prevent overexploitation. The document recommends a funding model combining grants with private management as the most viable approach for the region.