Policy briefs, research notes, and analysis on agriculture, livestock systems, markets, and climate resilience.
Open Science Commitment: Where permitted, BESR makes code, data, and methods documentation available via open repositories. We are committed to reproducibility and FAIR data principles.
A synthesis of over a decade of research into ethnoveterinary plants and practices used for tick control in semi-arid Zimbabwe. Drawing on published trials and community fieldwork, this note examines how traditional livestock health knowledge can complement modern veterinary services in resource-limited settings, with practical implications for extension programmes.
A practical guide to adopting FAIR data principles and open-access publishing in sub-Saharan agricultural economics. Reviews current open-science mandates from major funders (EU, CGIAR, World Bank), examines compliance gaps, and offers a step-by-step framework for research teams to build reproducible analysis pipelines.
An accessible methods brief on identifying bottlenecks and leverage points in communal cattle marketing systems. Covers actor mapping, margin analysis, and spatial price transmission, with worked examples from Zimbabwe's beef value chain.
Reviews the emerging evidence base on climate-smart livestock practices in southern Africa. Focuses on heat stress management, drought-adapted feeding strategies, and water-efficient production systems, highlighting where evidence is strong and where critical gaps remain.
An introduction to using Earth Observation data (Sentinel-2, Landsat) for Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) in agricultural programmes. Covers use cases, data access, machine learning approaches, and limitations for policymakers and programme managers.
An analysis of Zimbabwe's agricultural export performance and untapped opportunities, drawing on trade flow data and competitiveness indicators. Identifies priority commodities and markets where targeted support could yield export gains.
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