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Winner of the UK Social Enterprise

2024 International Impact Award

Thematic Area: Soil Health

  • Compost from Millet and Fonio Crop Residues

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    This innovation involves producing compost using millet and fonio crop residues combined with organic activators. It provides a low-cost alternative to mineral fertilizers, improving soil fertility, increasing fonio yields by up to 46%, and supporting sustainable agriculture practices in Mali. The method enhances degraded soils while boosting productivity and farmer income, especially for women producers.…

  • Dougouyiriwa Dual-Purpose Sorghum Variety

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    Dougouyiriwa is an open-pollinated dual-purpose sorghum variety developed in Mali that provides both grain for human consumption and high-quality forage for livestock. It improves food and fodder security, enhances resilience to drought, and contributes to better soil fertility through increased manure availability. The variety is rich in micronutrients and adapted to Sudano-Sahelian conditions, offering higher…

  • Sorghum and Cowpea Dual-Purpose System for Sustainable Crop-Livestock Integration

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    This project promotes the diversification of legumes (cowpea, groundnut, soybean, mungbean) combined with dual-purpose sorghum to produce both human food and animal feed. It enhances soil fertility, optimizes resource use, and increases farmers’ income while strengthening crop-livestock integration in Mali. The approach includes intercropping, crop rotation, and organic-mineral fertilization, with demonstrated impacts on yields, biomass…

  • Agroecological Waste Valorization Value Chain

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    This initiative analyzes and structures the agroecological waste valorization chain to improve coordination among stakeholders and promote circular economy practices. It addresses urban waste proliferation and soil degradation by transforming organic waste into agricultural inputs. The project uses data collection, stakeholder mapping, and SWOT analysis to inform public policy and strengthen governance. Organisation: AgrOW Project with…

  • Cereal and Legume Intercropping System

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    This technical sheet explains the benefits of intercropping cereals and legumes to optimize land use, reduce input costs, and improve soil fertility. Field results from 2024–2025 show higher economic returns, especially for maize-soybean systems. The document details implementation steps, costs, and target users in semi-arid tropical regions. Organisation: ONG AMEDD (Association Malienne d’Éveil au Développement Durable)…

  • Traditional snack ‘Mugudugu’ to combat child malnutrition

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    This innovation develops a nutrient-rich traditional infant food made from local cereals, legumes, and non-timber forest products like baobab, néré, and moringa. It significantly improves protein, energy, and micronutrient intake for children aged 6 months to 5 years while remaining affordable and locally producible. Combining traditional knowledge with scientific research, it supports rural nutrition and…

  • 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;…

  • 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 /…

  • 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…