inSALSA Aims
Aims and goals
Smallholder farmers in SSA need to be empowered during the ongoing transformation towards more sustainable agricultural practices with lowered reliance on conventional agrichemicals. Therefore, the aim of inSALSA is to enhance the adoption of biologicals among smallholder farmers in SSA by (i) solidifying in-field testing and monitoring, (ii) incorporating indigenous knowledge and co-creation of study systems, and (iii) improving the understanding of social aspects, while leveraging our previous findings regarding barriers to uptake.
The main project activities are:
- Living Labs and Stakeholder Engagement: Establishing three types of living labs (community-based, capacity-building, and replication) in SSA and Italy to co-create and test biologicals with smallholder farmers and stakeholders. These labs will foster knowledge exchange, field testing, and local value chain development.
- Biological Monitoring and Phenotyping: Developing affordable phenotyping tools and methodologies to evaluate the impact of biologicals on crop performance and biodiversity under local climate conditions. Emphasis is placed on identifying drought- and heat-tolerant combinations suitable for SSA.
- Gender Equality and Social Inclusion: Addressing social dynamics in biologicals adoption by conducting baseline studies, capacity-building activities, and GESI-sensitive evaluations to ensure equitable benefits for all stakeholders.
- Standards and Protocol Development: Creating robust protocols for field trials and training field technicians, ensuring evidence-based biologicals are integrated into smallholder farming systems and supported by local policy frameworks.
This integrated approach aims to increase the adoption of biologicals, strengthen local agricultural systems, and promote sustainability, biodiversity, and inclusivity across SSA.
Living lab for sustainable agriculture – a collaborative space where researchers and farmers co-create solutions to improve food security and livelihoods in rural communities.
