As cities around the world rapidly grow, so do the needs of urban consumers. To understand these needs and effectively address them, Chemonics and others in the industry are asking: How can we improve the sustainability and food security of urban markets? During the Cracking the Nut Conference, Chemonics will join more than 300 experts from…
Michael Brown and Ailey Hughes propose that despite increasing informality of ownership, land tenure in Rwanda is “secure enough” to incentivize smallholder investment in land, but the emerging threats arising from the implementation of agricultural policies could constrain the country’s development gains in the future. Recommendations are offered to the Government of Rwanda.
Between June 26, 2010, and December 17, 2016, Chemonics International implemented the Southern African Regional Environmental Program (SAREP) and provided technical support to the Permanent Okavango River Basin Water Commission to enable it to meet elements of the objectives in its strategic action plan (SAP), while responding to other related needs in areas adjacent to…
The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) is a USAID-funded project that compiles data and warns of impending food insecurity in almost 40 countries around the world. The eyes of the world are on South Sudan right now after famine was declared on February 20. The threat of famine also looms in Somalia, Yemen,…
The USAID Program for Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Development, a five-year initiative (October 2011 – December 2016) carried out by Chemonics International, sought to improve the access of micro, small, and medium enterprises to business development services; increase their productivity and competitiveness; and expand their operations into local and export markets. Over five years,…
In 2007, R.M. Mohanlal walked through the doors of the Sri Lankan Department of Agriculture (DOA) to purchase chili seeds. Despite its history as a traditional crop in Sri Lanka, fewer and fewer local farmers were growing chili. Mr. Mohanlal’s village, Milagoda, located in the Anuradhapura District, was once a central chili production area. Unfortunately,…
Chemonics implemented the SLDP project from December 22, 2010 to August 21, 2016, and it grew to be a project rich in innovation and learning. As a beneficiary of USAID’s patience, flexibility, and creativity, SLDP changed its management methodology and approach in its third year to realize its original goals of creating economic growth in local regions. In this way, SLDP adapted, learned lessons, and adopted new solutions as it evolved.…
This blog post was contributed by SERVIR, a joint initiative by NASA and USAID, and was originally posted on www.servirglobal.net. Landscapes on Earth are changing at unprecedented levels. For scientists, practitioners, and environmental decision makers, tracking these changes efficiently and accurately is critical to protecting lives and livelihoods. While there are many ways to learn…
Feed the Future West/WINNER combined elements of both an agricultural program and an environmental conservation program in Haiti. How did the project balance both goals? Conservation and agricultural development are very closely connected. Our project began as a large watershed program and then its mandate expanded when the 2010 earthquake happened eight months in. It…
Learn more about how e-payments promote economic growth in a Mert Tangonan’s video interview. Electronic payments go beyond mobile money, and include electronic funds transfers, credit card transactions, and more. What everyday challenges does the Philippines experience considering that only 2 percent of transactions fall under the umbrella of e-payments? What many people don’t realize is…
This blog post is adapted from a post that originally appeared on Climatelinks. Climate science is a complex field, and communicating that science and its implications for development programming in a way that is clear, but does not oversimplify, is a persistent challenge. Yet bridging the gap between research and implementation is vital for development practitioners to…