News

This Policy Brief, authored by CIRAD’s Ludovic Temple and Nathalie Jas, along with Hadrien Di Roberto, Thierry Brunelle, and Gérard Dlp. Bayiha, addresses the institutional barriers and policy levers to reducing pesticide use in tropical agriculture, with a focus on West and Central Africa.

As one of the eight Agroecology Living Labs (ALLs) of the CANALLS project, Ntui, Cameroon, brought together over 30 participants and 7 co-facilitators for an intensive five-day Training of Trainers (ToT) programme. 

The CANALLS project applies a co-creation approach to identify and implement agroecological practices tailored to farmers' needs and environmental challenges across Agroecological Living Labs (ALLs) in DRC, Rwanda, Burundi, and Cameroon. One of the four ALLs in the DRC is located in Uvira.

To ensure financial viability and market access, the CANALLS focuses on co-designing sustainable business models that empower farmers to adopt agroecological strategies and gain fair value from their products. These models target consumer segments in local, regional, and international markets while incorporating tools that enhance demand and facilitate market entry for agroecological products.

Located in Burundi, the Giheta Living Lab is characterized by distinct dry and rainy seasons, with average annual rainfall exceeding 1,100 mm and temperatures averaging 20°C. Coffee is the primary crop cultivated here, with bananas serving as a secondary crop.

In October 2024, CIRAD and ETHz representatives visited two Agroecology Living Labs in Burundi—Bujumbura and Giheta. These visits aimed to assess the ongoing CANALLS trials and gather insights to improve collaboration among partners.