2025 Seminars
The consortium holds regular seminars scheduled on designated Wednesdays at the time indicated. Recordings of previous seminars can also be accessed here after the event.
Seminar Archive
18th
June
A Review of Organic Inputs to Inform Soil Health Advice for African Smallholder Farmers: Localization MattersOutline: African smallholder farming systems are complex, diverse and locally adapted, but guidance is lacking on how farmers can make informed choices of the type of organic inputs to suit their farm conditions. In this presentation we aim to provide a synthesis of actionable information on ex situ and in situ organic resources and decision support tools to facilitate evidence-based choices by smallholders in the cereal production systems in sub-Saharan Africa. We also provides a synthesis of the benefits, trade-offs and the contexts in which application of livestock manure, crop residue retention, cereal-legume rotations, intercropping and transfer of tree biomass achieve greater improvements in soil health indicators and cereal yields. We conclude that the magnitude of improvement in soil health indicators and maize yields is context-specific. Our findings highlight the need for a shift from blanket recommendations to knowledge-based, localized and context-specific advisories on organic inputs for smallholder farmers.
Speaker: Dr. Gudeta W. Sileshi, Department of Plant Biology and Biodiversity Management, Addis Ababa University
Seminar Recording
Slide set
Speaker: Dr. Gudeta W. Sileshi, Department of Plant Biology and Biodiversity Management, Addis Ababa University
Seminar Recording
Slide set
21st
May
Unlocking the Power of Crop Nutrient Data: Exploring Insights from the CPCN DatabaseOutline: Dr. Shea Sela provides an in-depth exploration of the CPCN (Collaborative Platform for Crop Nutrition) database and its powerful applications in data-driven decision-making for crop nutrition. Drawing from real-world trials, Dr. Sela will highlight how CPCN data is being used to generate meaningful agronomic insights, supporting sustainable nutrient use, optimizing input efficiency, and informing crop management strategies.
Among other features, the session will also walkthrough the user-friendly analytics insights dashboard, providing a firsthand look at how data visualization and advanced analytics are transforming large-scale agronomic data into accessible, actionable insights.
Speaker: Dr. Shea Sela, Chief Scientist, Agmatix
Seminar Recording
Slide set
Among other features, the session will also walkthrough the user-friendly analytics insights dashboard, providing a firsthand look at how data visualization and advanced analytics are transforming large-scale agronomic data into accessible, actionable insights.
Speaker: Dr. Shea Sela, Chief Scientist, Agmatix
Seminar Recording
Slide set
23rd
April
Sustainable crop productivity intensification – The Need for 4R Nutrient Stewardship Based ApproachesOutline: The presentation will highlight the role of 4R Nutrient Stewardship in contributing to sustainable crop productivity intensification. The presentation will also share insights on the locally adapted implementation of an effective 4R Nutrient Stewardship framework based on recent work in smallholder cropping systems in Ethiopia and Ghana.
Speaker: Dr. Samuel Njoroge, APNI Scientist
Seminar Recording
Slide set
Speaker: Dr. Samuel Njoroge, APNI Scientist
Seminar Recording
Slide set
26th
March
Varda and the future of data-driven agriculture Outline: Varda’s presentation will showcase how SoilHive is revolutionizing access to structured soil data, enabling researchers, policymakers, and agribusinesses to drive sustainability through better insights and interoperability. The session will also introduce Global Field ID (GFID), a standardized geospatial reference system that enhances traceability, supply chain transparency, and climate reporting.Through real-world examples like DeepHorizon (EU), the Soil Health Data Challenge (Kenya), and EUROSION (Europe), the presentation will highlight how breaking data silos and fostering collaboration can scale impact across the global food system.
Speaker: Dr. Simone Sala, Executive Director, Varda Foundation
Seminar Recording
Slide set
Speaker: Dr. Simone Sala, Executive Director, Varda Foundation
Seminar Recording
Slide set
16:00 – 17:00 (GMT+3)