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Higher grain yield in high-yielding rice varieties is mostly driven by nitrogen (N) fertilizer applied in abundant amounts leading to increased production cost and environmental pollution. This has fueled the studies on nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) to decrease the N fertilizer application in rice to the possible extent. NUE is a complex physiological trait controlled by multiple genes, but yet to be completely deciphered in rice. With an objective of identifying the promising physiological traits associated with NUE in rice, the performance of 14 rice genotypes was assessed at N0, N50, N100, and N150 for four (two wet and two dry) seasons using agro-morphological, grain yield, flag leaf traits, photosynthetic pigment content, flag leaf gas exchange traits, and chlorophyll fluorescence traits. Furthermore, the data were used to derive various NUE indices to identify the most appropriate indices useful to screen rice genotypes at N50. Results indicate that with the increase in N application, cumulative grain yield increased significantly up to N100 (5.02 t ha−1); however, the increment in grain yield was marginal at N150 (5.09 t ha−1). The mean reduction of grain yield was only 26.66% at N50 ranging from 15.0% to 34.2%. The significant finding of the study is the identification of flag leaf chlorophyll fluorescence traits (Fv/Fm, ΦPSII, ETR, and qP) and Ci associated with grain yield under N50, which can be used to screen N use efficient genotypes in rice under reduced N application. Out of nine NUE indices assessed, NUpE, NUtE, and NUEyield were able to delineate the high-yielding genotypes at N50 and were useful to screen rice under reduced N conditions. Birupa emerged as one of the high yielders under N50, even though it is a moderate yielder at N100 and infers the possibility of cultivating some of the released rice varieties under reduced N inputs. The study indicates the possibility of the existence of promising genetic variability for grain yield under reduced N, the potential of flag leaf chlorophyll fluorescence, and gas exchange traits as physiological markers and best suitable NUE indices to be deployed in rice breeding programs.

Background: Climate change poses a significant threat to agricultural production worldwide, with developing countries being particularly vulnerable to its negative impacts. Agriculture, which is a crucial factor in ensuring food security and livelihoods, is particularly vulnerable to changes in climate patterns, such as increased temperatures, drought, and extreme weather events. One approach to addressing these challenges is by promoting the adoption of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices among farmers. CSA combines traditional agricultural practices with innovative techniques and technologies to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change. infrastructure. By adopting CSA practices, farmers can enhance their resilience to climate variability and improve their productivity., Objectives: This review examines the effectiveness of interventions promoting CSA to enhance farmers' knowledge of the benefits of CSA approaches, subsequent adoption of CSA, and disadoption of harmful agricultural practices in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)., Search Methods: We searched 39 academic and online databases, websites, and repositories and screened over 19,000 experimental and quasi-experimental publications to identify studies promoting CSA practices to women farmers. We conducted a citation tracking process on included studies and contacted experts to ensure a thorough search., Selection Criteria: The review focused on studies that included interventions promoting climate-smart agricultural approaches. Using EPPI Reviewer 4, two review authors independently screened the impact evaluation using a standardized screening tool., Data Collection and Analysis: Information about participant characteristics, intervention characteristics, control conditions, research design, sample size, bias risk, outcomes, and results were gathered. Data collection and quantitative analysis were conducted using standard Campbell Collaboration methods., Main Results: Eight impact evaluations were found (two randomized controlled trials) evaluating the effects of CSA practices on farmer's knowledge gains of the benefits of CSA practices and subsequent adoption. Knowledge dissemination approaches such as Farmer Field Schools and weather and climate information services were found to positively impact farmers' knowledge and adoption of specific CSA practices. However, the evidence supporting this claim is uncertain as a high risk of bias was assessed for five of the eight included studies. However, we found no effects on the disadoption of harmful practices such as pesticide overuse., Authors' Conclusions: The evidence base for studies promoting climate-smart agricultural approaches (CSA) to farmers in LMICs is small, and there is a lack of studies reporting sex-disaggregated data and studies explicitly targeting women farmers. The review suggests that knowledge dissemination techniques are significantly effective in improving CSA knowledge and adoption, including integrated pest management techniques and their benefits, adoption of climate-resilient rice seed varieties (STRVs), and use of botanical pesticides by farmers. More and better confidence studies are needed to inform policy and programming, including those that look at a wider range of interventions, including changing norms, values, and institutional arrangements., (© 2024 The Author(s). Campbell Systematic Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Campbell Collaboration.)

Background: Value chain interventions have become widespread throughout the international development sector over the last 20 years, and there is a need to evaluate their effectiveness in improving women's welfare across multiple dimensions. Agricultural value chains are influenced by socio-cultural norms and gender dynamics that have an impact on the distribution of resources, benefits, and access to opportunities. While women play a critical role in agriculture, they are generally confined to the least-valued parts of the value chain with the lowest economic returns, depending on the local, social and institutional contexts., Objectives: The review assesses the effectiveness of approaches, strategies and interventions focused on women's engagement in agricultural value chains that lead to women's economic empowerment in low- and middle-income countries. It explores the contextual barriers and facilitators that determine women's participation in value chains and ultimately impact their effectiveness., Search Methods: We searched completed and on-going studies from Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection (Social Sciences Citation Index [SSCI], Science Citation Index Expanded [SCI-EXPANDED], Conference Proceedings Citation Index - Science [CPCI-S], Conference Proceedings Citation Index - Social Science & Humanities [CPCI-SSH], and Emerging Sources Citation Index [ESCI]), International Bibliography of the Social Sciences, EconLit, Business Source Premier, APA PsycInfo, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane, Database of Systematic Reviews, CAB Abstracts and Sociological Abstracts. We also searched relevant websites such as Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centers (CGIAR); the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD); AgriProFocus; the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF); Donor Committee for Enterprise Development; the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO); the International Labour Organisation (ILO); the Netherlands Development Organisation; USAID; the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation; the International Food Policy Research Institute; World Agroforestry; the International Livestock Research Institute; the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office; the British Library for Development Studies (BLDS); AGRIS; the IMMANA grant database; the 3ie impact evaluation database; Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA); The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL); the World Bank IEG evaluations; the USAID Development Data Library; Experience Clearinghouse; the proceedings of the Agriculture, Nutrition and Health Academy conference; the proceedings of the Centre for the Study of African Economies (CSAE) Conference; the proceedings of the North East Universities Development Consortium (NEUDC) Conference; and the World Bank Economic Review. The database search was conducted in March 2022, and the website search was completed in August 2022., Selection Criteria: The review includes value chain interventions evaluating the economic empowerment outcomes. The review includes effectiveness studies (experimental and non-experimental studies with a comparison group) and process evaluations., Data Collection and Analysis: Two review authors independently assessed studies for inclusion, extracted data, critically appraised the studies, and synthesised findings., Results: We found that value chain interventions are successful in improving the economic conditions of their intended beneficiaries. The interventions were found to improve women's economic outcomes such as income, assets holdings, productivity, and savings, but these effects were small in size and limited by low confidence in methodological quality. The meta-analysis suggests that this occurs more via the acquisition of skills and improved inputs, rather than through improvement in access to profitable markets. The qualitative evidence on interventions points to the persistence of cultural barriers and other constraints. Those interventions implemented in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia are consistently more successful for all outcomes considered, although there are few studies conducted in other areas of the world., Conclusions: The review concludes that value chain interventions empower women, but perhaps to a lesser extent than expected. Economic empowerment does not immediately translate into empowerment within families and communities. Interventions should either moderate their expectations of empowerment goals, or they should be implemented in a way that ensures higher rates of participation among women and the acquisition of greater decision-making power., Competing Interests: Howard White is CEO of the Campbell Collaboration. As CEO he has no role in the editorial process., (© 2024 The Author(s). Campbell Systematic Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Campbell Collaboration.)

Context: Food insecurity in Sub-Sahara Africa hinges on addressing salient gender inequities within the seed system. While efficient seed system promises reduced systemic inefficiencies to fast-track seed delivery to the smallholder farmers, a dearth of standardized industry metrices to understand the intersectionality of seed system and gender issues exist. Specifically, metrices on guaranteed seed access, reach, benefit, women's empowerment and ultimate transformation of women, youth and vulnerable people's livelihoods are less understood. The existing metrices are aggregated at very high levels and limit the ability of policymakers and industry stakeholders to effectively address gender-based inequities for an optimized seed system., Objective: Our objective is to challenge the status quo industry metrics used by seed industry players and apply a gender framework that strikes a balance between the needs of women, youth and vulnerable peoples in the system, vis-a-vis the need of public, private, and civil society actors. Therefore, the study seeks to evaluate how seed system metrics can be effectively tailored to address gender gaps for enhanced agricultural productivity and food security in Sub-Sahara African context. It also refines the proposals of Kennedy and Speilman and introduce gender-specific metrices that may hold promise to address women and youth's challenges within the seed system., Methods: A systemic review of current industry metrices was conducted and the newly developed reach, benefit, empower and transform (RBET) framework was applied to synthesize the responsiveness of current seed industry indicators on gender issues. Online databases and repositories with key search words that returned 204 results including some gray literature., Results and Conclusion: Using common bean seed system as an illustration, the study found critical gaps in measuring seed industry performance, innovation, structure, seed registration and quality control, intellectual property rights using the reach, benefit, empower and transform approach. Thus, a set of gender responsive indicators was suggested to address gender and inclusive matrices that the seed industry often neglects. Using the reach, benefit, empower and transform approach we have included gender responsive indicators meant to close existing gender gaps. Some of these indicators addressed include women participation, trait preferences, seed packaging sizing, seed system leadership, decision-making capacities, labor intensity/drudgery and use of digital platforms such as point-of-sale tracking systems to reach last mile farmers among others., Significance: This study uses the newly-developed Reach, Benefit, Empower, and Transform (RBET) Framework together with the already existing Spielman-Kennedy framework. It is timely to inform policymaking process on seed system design, to enhance seed industry performance monitoring, and provide practitioners with the knowledge and missing links in efforts to align the seed system's performance with gender outcomes in a measurable manner., Competing Interests: Competing interestsThe authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© The Author(s) 2024.)

This is the protocol for a Campbell systematic review. The main objective of the review is to answer the following questions: What is the impact of mechanisation on agriculture? What is the impact of mechanisation on women's economic empowerment? The study will review the impact of mechanisation on labour demand and supply, land and labour productivity, farmers' incomes, health and women's empowerment. All literature will be considered, including nonintervention studies and studies not reporting gender-disaggregated results., Competing Interests: Howard White is CEO of the Campbell Collaboration. He has no role in the editorial decisions regarding this review. There are no other conflicts of interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Campbell Systematic Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Campbell Collaboration.)

This is the protocol for a Campbell systematic review. The objectives are as follows: The primary objective of this review is to understand as well as evaluate what approaches, strategies or interventions focused on women's engagement in agricultural value chains and markets that have led to women's economic empowerment in low-and-middle-income countries. The secondary objective of this review is to examine in which contexts are these approaches effective (or ineffective)? What are the contextual barriers and facilitators, determining the participation of women in, and benefits from, engagement in the value chain in low-and middle-income countries programme effectiveness. Finally, this review aims to refine the theory of change that describes how value chain interventions lead to women's economic empowerment using evidence drawn from both rigorous quantitative impact evaluation studies and qualitative studies., (© 2023 The Authors. Campbell Systematic Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Campbell Collaboration.)

This is the protocol for a Campbell systematic review. The objectives are as follows: the primary objective of this review is to synthesise evidence of the effectiveness of interventions to promote climate-smart agriculture to enhance agricultural outcomes and resilience of women farmers in low-and-middle-income countries (research question 1). The secondary objective is to examine evidence along the causal pathway from access to interventions to promote climate-smart agriculture to empowering women so that they can use climate-smart technology. And such outcomes include knowledge sharing, agency improvement, resource access and decision-making (research question 2)., (© 2022 The Authors. Campbell Systematic Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Campbell Collaboration.)

This is the protocol for a Campbell systematic review. The objective of this systematic review is to assess the effectiveness of interventions with gender transformative approach (GTA) components in improving women's empowerment in low- and middle-income countries, and to curate evidence on the mechanisms through which GTA works to improve women's empowerment in agriculture., (© 2022 The Authors. Campbell Systematic Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Campbell Collaboration.)

Sustainability of rice production systems is a prime concern for Asia to maintain food security and to support economic growth. This gain in productivity not only depends on agricultural inputs but also depends on social and environmental factors. To address these emerging issues, new resource- and capital-efficient and profitable technologies have been introduced. The conventional method of rice production (puddling and manual transplanting, PTR) is considered as highly input intensive. As an alternative, dry direct seeded rice (DSR) using seed drill has been promoted to save labor and production costs compared with PTR. Similarly, machine transplanted rice (MTR) has been also considered and promoted in many rice growing countries of South and East Asia. Economic, environmental, and social performances of DSR and MTR (alternative rice establishment technologies) were compared to the PTR using Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) defined 12 Performance Indicators (PIs) (version 1.0) as a gauge to measure their sustainability. For that, a household survey was conducted on 652 households in Odisha India during 2016. The gaps, i.e., the target to achieve better sustainability, were computed for most of the indicators from the difference between top 10th percentile and the population mean value of the indicator. The results indicated a yield gap of 1.35 t ha -1 , a profit gap of $273 ha -1 , labor productivity gap of 21 kg day -1 , nitrogen (N) use efficiency gap of 22 kg grain kg -1 N, phosphorus (P) use efficiency gap of 105 kg grain kg -1 P, and water productivity gap of 0.00010 kg grain L -1 water in rice production systems in Odisha. Among the compared technologies, MTR results in the highest yield, profit, labor productivity, nitrogen-, phosphorus-use efficiency, and water productivity (at par), and is positive for children's welfare and the overall energy productivity, indicating better sustainability and has the potential to replace PTR. Direct seeded rice has the highest yield gap (1.57 t ha -1 ; 38%) but has the lowest production cost (can reduce the cost of production by $130 ha -1 ), and the highest greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction potential. SRP PIs are capable for assessing the sustainability of rice establishment technologies except for a few indicators, for example food safety and workers health and safety, which are more applicable to watershed and household level indicators, respectively. The SRP PIs provide scientific evidence and practical impetus for the selection and promotion of sustainable rice production technologies., (© 2019 The Authors.)