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Sustainable Intensification of Mixed Farming Systems Initiative, Ethiopia Baseline Data

"The Sustainable Intensification of Mixed Farming Systems (SI-MFS) Initiative targets the sustainable intensification of farming on approximately 2.5 billion hectares globally focusing on seven mixed farming systems in Africa and Asia. These are: Cereal–root-crop-based mixed system (West Africa, Ghana), Highland crop-livestock mixed farming systems (East Africa, Ethiopia), Maize-based mixed farming system (Southern Africa, Malawi), Rice-based mixed farming system (South Asia, Bangladesh), Highland mixed farming system (South Asia, Nepal), Upland intensive mixed farming system (Southeast Asia, Laos), Highland extensive mixed farming system (Southeast Asia, Laos). Mixed farming systems (MFS) play a crucial role, providing 75% of milk, 60% of meat, and 41–86% of cereals consumed in the developing world. Livestock in MFS serves multiple purposes, from draft power and manure for crop cultivation to providing additional income during unfavorable crop years. MFS offer advantages such as risk diversification, efficient labor use, and cash access, allowing farmers to add value to products. However, these systems face challenges from various sources, including population growth, urbanization, water scarcity, soil degradation, climate change, shifting food consumption patterns, and price volatility. These challenges deepen resource access inequalities, leading to conflicts and migration, particularly affecting women, youth, and marginalized actors. While local knowledge aids adaptation to challenges, the speed of changes often surpasses farmers' capacity. Sustainable intensification (SI) emerges as a solution, balancing the need to feed growing populations with environmental conservation. SI requires integrated systems research to establish resilient and scalable MFS, preserving natural capital and providing equitable benefits. Existing research focuses on individual components but lacks a holistic understanding of the biophysical and socio-economic interactions within MFS. This knowledge gap undermines development interventions aimed at sustainable intensification. The Sustainable Intensification of Mixed Farming Systems (SI-MFS) Initiative seeks to bridge these gaps and create gender-transformative pathways for 1.5 million male and female actors in seven prioritized MFS by 2024. This initiative aims to achieve measurable impacts on livelihoods, food security, and environmental health, especially for women, youth, and marginalized farmers. Over a three-year period, the initiative outlines specific outcomes and targets, including the transition of key actors towards SI, the adoption of a systems approach by partners, the development and validation of SI options through participatory processes, and the widespread adoption of gender-transformative innovation packages. The initiative also envisions the establishment of a global virtual institute for SI of MFS and regional scaling hubs to promote capacity building and mainstream MFS thinking and gender-transformative approaches. The ultimate goal is to address the complex challenges facing MFS, ensuring sustainable intensification at a global scale."

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Data and Resources

Additional Info

Field Value
Creator Kotu Bekele
Creator Affiliation International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)
Creator email B.Kotu@cgiar.org
Creator ID Type ORCID
Creator ID 0000-0002-5488-8426
Subject Vocab (AGROVOC/GACS/CAB) Crop production,Gender,Decision making,Livestock production,Agricultural practices,Income,Housing,Assets,Food consumption
Subject(s) Mixed farming systems,Non-Food expenditures,Shocks,Time use and labour
Publisher International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)
Contributor Person 1 Julius Manda
Contributor Person 1 Affiliation International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)
Contributor Person 1 email J.Manda@cgiar.org
Contributor Person 2 Adane Tufa
Contributor Person 2 Affiliation International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)
Contributor Person 2 email A.Tufa@cgiar.org
Contributor Person 3 Million Gebreyesus
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Contributor Project Lead Organisation Center International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)
Contributor Project Lead Center
Contributor Initiative/CRP Mixed Farming Systems
Contributor Partner
Contributor Donor CGIAR
Contributor Project Sustainable Intensification of Mixed Farming Systems Initiative
Project ID PJ-RA3629
Contributor Affiliation
Open-Access status Open Access
Production Date 2024-03-01
Embargo End Date
Content Type Dataset
File Format csv
Identifier Type DOI
Identifier https://doi.org/10.25502/3hwz-0e41/d
Identifier Citation
Source Sustainable Intensification of Mixed Farming Systems Initiative
Language English
Relation Not Applicable
Agroecological Zone
Coverage Region Eastern Africa
Coverage country Ethiopia
Coverage Admin Unit Not Applicable
Coverage Y (Latitude) 7.29-11.82
Coverage X (Longitude) 36.85-39.66
Coverage Start Date 2023-07-01
Coverage End Date 2023-08-01
Contact Bekele Kotu; International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)
Contact Email B.Kotu@cgiar.org
Restriction CC-BY 4.0
Email Permission None
Rights CC-BY 4.0