Smart Technologies for Sustainable Smallholder Agriculture: Upscaling in Developing Countries

Smart Technologies for Sustainable Smallholder Agriculture: Upscaling in Developing Countries defines integrated climate smart agricultural technologies (ICSAT) as a suite of interconnected techniques and practices that enhance quantity and quality of agricultural products with minimum impact on the environment. These ICSAT are centered on three main pillars, increased production and income, adaptation and resilience to climate change, and minimizing GHG emissions.

This book brings together technologies contributing to the three pillars, explains the context in which they can be scaled up, and identifies research and development gaps as areas requiring further investigation. It stresses the urgency in critically analyzing and recommending ICSAT and scaling out the efforts of both developing and disseminating these in an integrated manner.

The book discusses, synthesizes, and offers alternative solutions to agriculture production systems and socio-economic development. It brings together biophysical and socioeconomic disciplines in evaluating suitable ICSAT in an effort to help reduce poverty and food insecurity.

Highlights the research gaps and opportunities on climate smart agricultural technologies and institutional arrangementsProvides information on institutional engagements that are inclusive of value chain actors that support partnerships and the development of interactive platformsElaborates some of the effects of climate extremes on production and socioeconomic development on small farms whose impact has potentially large impact

1. Smart Agriculture: Scope, Relevance, and Important Milestones to Date
2. Climate Scenarios in Relation to Agricultural Patterns of Major Crops in Southern Africa
3. Advancing Key Technical Interventions Through Targeted Investment
4. Exploring Climatic Resilience Through Genetic Improvement for Food and Income Crops
5. Enhancing Gains From Beneficial Rhizomicrobial Symbiotic Communities in Smallholder Cropping Systems
6. Reducing Risk of Weed Infestation and Labor Burden of Weed Management in Cropping Systems
7. Opportunities for Smallholder Farmers to Benefit From Conservation Agricultural Practices
8. The Use of Integrated Research for Development in Promoting Climate Smart Technologies, the Process and Practice
9. Taking to Scale Adaptable Climate Smart Technologies
10. Food Processing Technologies and Value Addition for Improved Food Safety and Security
11. Models Supporting the Engagement of the Youth in Smart Agricultural Enterprises
12. Enabling Agricultural Transformation Through Climate Change Policy Engagement
13. Integrated Assessment of Crop–Livestock Production Systems Beyond Biophysical Methods: Role of Systems Simulation Models
14. Adaptive Livestock Production Models for Rural Livelihoods Transformation
15. Delivering Integrated Climate-Smart Agricultural Technologies for Wider Utilization in Southern Africa