The reproductive platforms include programmed natural mating plans, Artificial Inseminations, services for pregnancy diagnosis to improve management, estrus synchronization and sires’ certification and the supporting CapDev activities targeting technical staff and farmers, members of the Community Based Breeding Programs’. 

Fully operated by the regional research institutes in Ethiopia and providing a wide range of reproductive techniques and biotechnologies, the network of labs forming the reproductive platform, provides support to the implementation of the sheep and goat breeding programs in Ethiopia simultaneously to a number of services intended to improve the reproductive management for higher productivity. Initial co-investment by the regional research institutes in Ethiopia and ICARDA resulted in the latter upgrading the capacity level of the regional staff and supplying the labs with the required equipment and supplies to function autonomously.

Crop modelling to simulate yield gain of lentil has further helped to manipulate planting date and lentil phenology in the target region.

Formed with the objective of training youth on improved sheep fattening technologies and practices and entrepreneurial skills development, Youth groups were overseen by CBBP cooperatives and mentored by a champion farmer. Youth groups are further supported by Communities of Practice (CoP), which develop actionable ideas, knowledge, and policies to promote innovations in sheep fattening. CoPs are composed of researchers, key sheep value-chain actors, Government experts, and administrators. A total of 485 youth (287 male; 198 female) participated in 44 youth groups across 29 sub-villages, within 6 districts of the 2 regional states of Amhara and Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region (SNNPR).

Open field days were organized by the youth groups served to disseminate improved fattening practices to farmers in their communities. All activities were free of charge and included training, experience exchange, sheep vaccination, deworming, and castration services. Open field days organized by the youth groups served to disseminate improved fattening practices and knowledge to farmers in their communities. All activities were free of charge and included training, experience exchange, sheep vaccination, deworming, and castration services.

Carried out in three hub countries (Ethiopia, Sudan, Nigeria) and participatory variety selection were carried out speeding up the release of the varieties for farmers in dire need of improved wheat. During R4D and testing of the heat-tolerant varieties, ensuring their successful production in-situ. International Center Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas carried out training, demonstrations, out-scaling of integrated systems’ approach alongside a package of interventions – production capacity and seed systems, including land preparation, integrated pest management and efficient irrigation and improved crop management practices. It included participatory engagement of farmers and testing of the heat-tolerant varieties, ensuring their successful production in-situ. Elite yield trials were implemented in three countries and participatory variety selection speeded up the release of the varieties for farmers.

ICARDA developed a suite of best-bet agronomic practices to guarantee excellent establishment (survival and vigour) and maximize productivity and carried out extensive awareness and capacity development alongside National Agricultural Research System (NARS) and national development agencies to change farmers' perceptions, attitudes and practices toward cactus pear, while training them on cactus pear as income generator.

The spatial database elaborated for the Azores archipelago was essentially based on the compilation of already existing and available cartographic information. This was due to the limited time period for the implementation of the MarSP project and the need for validation of information by the competent entities/authorities, in the case of the elaboration of new cartography. Thus, the new information collected was composed of information produced during the participatory process. The participatory process, with the resulting production of cartographic information, was based on two distinct steps: (i) development of individual interviews, with the main actors representing each of the sectors of maritime activities identified for the Azores and (ii) workshops for discussion and/or validation of preliminary results obtained during the research and sector interviews performed, and for adding more information (during the 3rd stakeholder workshop). To collect the data in the interviews conducted, a web-based solution (SeaSketch) was used. This solution brings together powerful tools to empower and improve the MSP process.

In order to understand the current and potential situation of maritime uses and activities in the Azores, an extensive sector analysis was elaborated, including nine sectors. For each maritime sector identified in the region, a sector briefing was done. Each sector briefing includes information relating to its characterization, the relevant legal framework, current and potential spatial distribution, a SWOT analysis, an analysis of interactions (with other sectors, with the environment and land-sea interactions), as well as an analysis of pressures resulting from different drivers of change (e.g. climate change, demographic changes and blue growth policies). This work involved an extensive collection of information, both through literature review and collected from stakeholders during the engagement process.

The Maritime Spatial Planning process plans towards a desired future and a common vision. The vision is usually an integration of various aspirations from different stakeholders and sectors that depend on the governance framework ruling them. A tool as scenarios’ development is of high importance, once it helps decision-makers visualize both the future that might unfold due to specific actions/policies and the actions/policies needed to make a certain future happen.  For the region of Azores, MarSP adopted a scenario-building process based on a combination of two approaches: an exploratory (“what can be done?”) and a normative (“how a specific objective will be reached?”).   

The methodology is structured in four main steps (Figure 1):

(i) setting MSP objectives based on policy review and following stakeholders’ inputs (BB2);

(ii) identifying key objectives after consultation with regional experts;

(iii) developing scenario storylines; and

(iv) balancing across scenarios based on feedback from stakeholders gathered through engagement actions (including, first, (i) a vote on the scenario and, second, (ii) a vote on the sentences that built the storyline of the scenarios).