Innovation Type: Methodological

  • Improved Jar Innovation for Healthy Cowpea Storage

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    This document presents a local innovation that enhances traditional jars and silos to improve cowpea storage in Burkina Faso. By combining indigenous knowledge with scientific techniques, the method significantly reduces post-harvest losses caused by pests while maintaining nutritional quality and minimizing aflatoxin contamination. It relies on low-cost, locally available materials and promotes environmentally friendly practices.…

  • Sorghum-based Djouka Processing

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    This document presents a technical guide for producing Djouka from sorghum and peanuts to improve food security, nutrition, and income generation. It details the full processing steps, from raw material selection to packaging, and highlights its economic and nutritional advantages compared to traditional fonio-based Djouka. The innovation supports local food transformation and entrepreneurship, especially among…

  • Village Agroecological Committee (CAE) Implementation

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    This document describes an endogenous approach to scaling agroecology in Burkina Faso through the creation of village-level agroecological committees. These committees strengthen local leadership, promote sustainable agricultural practices, and address the lack of extension services. The approach includes participatory diagnosis, organizational design, structuring, and continuous capacity building to ensure long-term sustainability and local ownership. Organisation: INERA;…

  • Complementary flour based on malted sorghum, peanut, cowpea and baobab pulp

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    This document presents a nutritional innovation consisting of a locally produced complementary flour designed to combat malnutrition among vulnerable groups such as children, pregnant and lactating women, and the elderly. It details the production process, ingredient proportions, nutritional values, and implementation steps, while promoting local value chains and women’s entrepreneurship. Organisation: Institut d’Economie Rurale (IER) /…

  • Endogenous Data Collection Network (RECD)

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    A community-based monitoring and evaluation system where trained local farmers use smartphones and digital tools (KoboCollect, KoboToolbox) to collect agronomic, nutritional, and socio-economic data in insecure or hard-to-reach areas. The initiative enhances data reliability, local autonomy, and resilience while enabling real-time scientific tracking of agroecological practices. Organisation: Consortium Groundswell International (GI), ANSD, AMSP, INERA Author: INERA /…

  • Niobougouma Dual-Purpose Sorghum Variety

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    Niobougouma is an open-pollinated dual-purpose sorghum variety co-developed by research institutions and farmer organizations in Mali. It provides both grain for human consumption and high-quality fodder for livestock, improving food security, livestock feeding, and resilience to drought. The variety enhances agricultural productivity and supports integration between crop and livestock systems. Organisation: IER / ICRISAT / Farmer…

  • Yebagasago Dual-Purpose Sorghum Variety

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    Yebagasago is a hybrid dual-purpose sorghum variety developed in Mali that produces both grain for human consumption and high-quality forage for livestock. It improves agricultural productivity, enhances resilience to drought, and helps address food and feed shortages while supporting integrated crop-livestock systems. Organisation: IER / ICRISAT / McKnight Foundation / Farmer Organizations Author: Karim Dagno; Assitan Daou…

  • Dual-purpose sorghum and legume residues for livestock feeding in Mali

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    This project evaluates the use of sorghum straw combined with cowpea and groundnut residues as an alternative livestock feed during the dry season in Mali. Through feeding trials on sheep, it demonstrates that legume residues can partially replace wheat bran without reducing animal performance, thereby lowering feeding costs and improving resource use efficiency. Organisation: IER /…

  • Urgent Need to Regulate the Organic Fertilizer Market in Burkina Faso

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    This policy brief presents findings from a field study conducted in Ouagadougou on the market for organic fertilizers and bioinputs. It highlights major issues such as poor product quality, discrepancies between declared and actual nutrient content, weak regulatory enforcement, and low adoption rates among farmers. The document proposes policy actions including stronger quality control, regulatory…

  • Black Soldier Fly Digestate Biocompost for Market Gardening

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    This document describes a technology developed in 2022 in Niger that produces organic fertilizer from black soldier fly larval digestate. The process involves collecting biodegradable waste, feeding it to larvae, and composting the residue to enhance nutrient quality. Field results show improved tomato yield, fruit size, and shelf life compared to conventional fertilizers. Despite strong…