Thrive Blogs

Can sub-Saharan Africa feed itself: This is a question that has been asked for decades, but no satisfying answer has been found up to now - and is unlikely to be found in the near to medium term future. Why? 

There are benefits and downsides to damming rivers. How can we strike a balance between the two?

A study fusing ancient technology and modern science shows that it's a matter of finding the right balance of both large and small when storing water. 

By 2050, four billion people could be experiencing severe water stress, putting global food supply in jeopardy.

What can we do to ensure small-scale irrigation technologies benefit women farmers? A new toolkit provides guidance for policymakers and project managers involved in irrigation projects to include women. The toolkit draws on findings from IFPRI's gender and irrigation research under REACH and the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Small-Scale Irrigation.

Green manure cover crops have many benefits - they keep the soil moist, fix nitrogen, and provide important nutrients when composted back into the soil, just to name a few. So why aren't they more widely used?

International recognition for Colombo and the other newly named Wetland Cities brings both benefits and responsibilities. 

As young people leave rural farming communities in Africa and land degradation takes its toll, agricultural practices must be adjusted. Conservation agriculture offers a possible solution.

Agricultural research faces a complex, interconnected and stormy world. Here’s what we can do face the storm.

Eighteen sites around the world were just awarded Wetland City Accreditation by the Ramsar Convention. Colombo, Sri Lanka, is among this select group. IWMI and WLE are helping understand and promote the true worth of the city’s unique wetland ecosystem.