A survey of the state-of-the-art techniques for cognitive impairment detection in the elderly

With a growing number of elderly people in the UK, more and more of them suffer from various kinds of cognitive impairment. Cognitive impairment can be divided into different stages such as mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and severe cognitive impairment like dementia. Its early detection can be of great importance. However, it is challenging to detect cognitive impairment in the early stage with high accuracy and low cost, when most of the symptoms may not be fully expressed. This survey paper mainly reviews the state of the art techniques for the early detection of cognitive impairment and compares their advantages and weaknesses. In order to build an effective and low-cost automatic system for detecting and monitoring the cognitive impairment for a wide range of elderly people, the applications of computer vision techniques for the early detection of cognitive impairment by monitoring facial expressions, body movements and eye movements are highlighted in this paper. In additional to technique review, the main research challenges for the early detection of cognitive impairment with high accuracy and low cost are analysed in depth. Through carefully comparing and contrasting the currently popular techniques for their advantages and weaknesses, some important research directions are particularly pointed out and highlighted from the viewpoints of the authors alone

Making sense of innovation processes in african smallholder agricullture

The European-funded Framework Programme 7 project, Joint Learning in Innovation Systems in African Agriculture (JOLISAA), assessed agricultural innovation experiences focused on smallholders in Benin, Kenya, and South Africa. Fifty-six cases were characterized through review of grey literature and interviews with resource persons, according to a common analytical framework inspired by the innovation systems (IS) perspective. Thirteen of the cases were assessed in greater depth through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and multistakeholder workshops. The cases covered a wide diversity of experiences in terms of types, domains, scales, timelines, initiators of innovation and stakeholders involved. Findings revealed multiple triggers and drivers of innovation. For external stakeholders, key triggers included likelihood of offering a technological fix to an existing problem and availability of funding. For local people, access to input and output markets was a powerful trigger and driver. Market types and dynamics varied greatly. Developing functional value chains and accessing markets proved particularly challenging, especially for poorer and weakly organized farmers. Over long periods, determinants of innovation changed dynamically and often unpredictably, including motivations of key stakeholders, triggers, drivers and stakeholder arrangements. The direction of innovation evolved, often moving from a technology entry point to more organizational or institutional issues. A recurring challenge for fostering innovation is whether and how to build on local initiatives and knowledge, and how to sustain externally driven innovation processes beyond the project time frame. A major conclusion from JOLISAA is that innovation has to be seen as a continuously evolving process of ‘innovation bundles’ (a combination of different types of innovation) of various kinds, rather than as a pre-planned, and usually, narrowly-defined technical intervention. Consequently, open-ended, flexible approaches to innovation are needed with the potential to engage meaningfully over a long time with local stakeholders and bearers of local innovation dynamics, so that they take full charge of the innovation process and direction

Effectiveness of innovation grants to smallholder agricultural producers: an explorative systematic review

Grants for agricultural innovation are common but grant funds specifically targeted to smallholder farmers remain relatively rare. Nevertheless, they are receiving increasing recognition as a promising venue for agricultural innovation. They stimulate smallholders to experiment with improved practices, to become proactive and to engage with research and extension providers. The systematic review covered three modalities of disbursing these grants to smallholder farmers and their organisations: vouchers, competitive grants and farmer-led innovation support funds. The synthesis covers, among others, innovation grant systems in Malawi (Agricultural Input Subsidy Programme), Latin America (several Challenge Funds for Farmer Groups), Uganda (National Agricultural Advisory Services ), and Colombia (Local Agricultural Research Committees - CIAL)

Co-designing technical innovations in the context of agroecological living landscapes. A cross-country analysis of the codesign process, results, and learnings over the 2023-2024 period

This report documents the processes, results, and key learnings from implementing co-design approaches for agroecological innovations across eight countries (Burkina Faso, India, Kenya, Laos, Peru, Senegal, Tunisia, and Zimbabwe) during 2023-2024, as part of Work Package 1 of the CGIAR Agroecology Initiative. The participating countries demonstrated significant diversity in their co-design approaches, reflecting different contexts, farming systems, and priorities. Several countries like Kenya and Zimbabwe implemented structured, multi-cycle processes with systematic stakeholder engagement, while others like Peru focused on specific value chains such as organic cacao production. The co-design process typically progressed through several key phases: preparatory work to establish foundations and relationships, stakeholder engagement and visioning to develop shared understanding and goals, collaborative technology identification and design, systematic trial establishment, robust monitoring and evaluation, knowledge exchange through field days and farmer-to-farmer learning, capacity building, and iterative refinement based on results and feedback. Stakeholder participation varied across countries but consistently involved farmers, international researchers, and extension services. Some countries achieved strong integration with national research organizations and private sector actors, though this remained a challenge in several locations. The process helped strengthen institutional collaboration and knowledge sharing between stakeholders while empowering farmers as active participants in innovation development. In Kenya, for example, the establishment of partnerships with farmer training centers as "host centers" created effective platforms for ongoing engagement and scaling. Across the initiative, countries tested approximately 30+ distinct technologies spanning various domains. These included innovations in soil health management, such as Zimbabwe's conservation agriculture practices and Tunisia's biochar applications; integrated pest management approaches like Kenya's plant-based biopesticides and Peru's organic disease management for cacao; water management technologies including India's solar irrigation systems; and crop-livestock integration methods demonstrated by Burkina Faso's dairy production innovations. The scale of implementation was significant, reaching 300-350 farmers (data from six countries only), though the intensity of engagement varied. Most countries implemented 1 or 2 experimental cycles during this period, with some achieving three cycles based on local growing seasons. Technology performance and adoption patterns showed strong context-dependency. Several technologies demonstrated significant potential for scaling, particularly where they aligned well with existing farming systems and provided clear economic benefits. Tunisia's forage intercropping systems showed marked improvements in soil health and animal nutrition, while Kenya's basic agroecological practices achieved widespread adoption through existing farmer networks. Burkina Faso's dairy management innovations demonstrated how integrated approaches could improve both productivity and resource efficiency. Several critical success factors for technology adoption were identified, including secure land tenure, access to adequate labor and resources, and strong institutional support systems. Common challenges included high initial investment costs, intensive labor requirements, and the need for technical knowledge and training. Gender dynamics played a significant role, with some technologies showing different adoption patterns between men and women farmers. Looking forward, the co-design experience generated valuable insights for future implementation. There is a clear need for standardized yet flexible methodological guidelines that maintain scientific rigor while allowing local adaptation. Future processes should better integrate activities across plot, farm, and landscape scales, while addressing multiple types of innovations including organizational and institutional ones. Enhanced mechanisms for inclusive participation, particularly of women farmers and diverse stakeholder groups, will be crucial for success. These results provide a strong foundation for refining and scaling these approaches through the upcoming Multifunctional Landscapes program. The experiences demonstrate that well-structured co-design approaches can generate both immediate benefits and longer-term transformative change in agricultural systems, particularly when supported by robust knowledge sharing platforms and communication systems. Success will require continued attention to both technical and social dimensions while maintaining flexibility to accommodate local contexts and emerging opportunities

Population and Environmental Correlates of Maize Yields in Mesoamerica: a Test of Boserup’s Hypothesis in the Milpa

Using a sample of 40 sources reporting milpa and mucuna-intercropped maize yields in Mesoamerica, we test Boserup’s (1965) prediction that fallow is reduced as a result of growing population density. We further examine direct and indirect effects of population density on yield. We find only mixed support for Boserupian intensification. Fallow periods decrease slightly with increasing population density in this sample, but the relationship is weak. Controlling for other covariates, fallow-unadjusted maize yields first rise then fall with population density. Fallow-adjusted maize yields peak at 390 kg/ha/yr for low population densities (8 persons / km2) and decline to around 280 kg/ha/yr for the highest population densities observed in our dataset. Fallow practices do not appear to mediate the relationship between population density and yield. The multi-level modeling methods we adopt allow for data clustering, accurate estimates of group-level variation, and they generate conditional predictions, all features essential to the comparative study of prehistoric and contemporary agricultural yields

Los cultivos de cobertura en la agricultura en laderas: Innovación de los agricultores con Mucuna

Los agricultores del norte de Honduras están a la vanguardia de un significativo avance en la agricultura en laderas. Por más de 20 años, calladamente han desarrollado una agresiva leguminosa trepadora llamada frijol terciopelo y la han adaptado a las necesidades de la producción de maíz. Estos agricultores idearon la práctica del cultivo de maíz-frijol terciopelo porque estaban excluidos de las excelentes tierras del litoral del norte de Honduras, cada vez más absorbidas por las plantaciones de piña y palma africana y los pastizales, propiedad de las clases privilegiadas y las agroindustrias. Los agricultores tenían que encontrar una forma de producir maíz, su alimento básico, en las tierras pobres y frágiles de las laderas. La práctica de cultivo de maíz-frijol terciopelo que idearon incrementa la productividad y, al mismo tiempo, conserva la base de recursos, una combinación poco frecuente en los entornos en laderas. La semilla de frijol terciopelo (Mucuna pruriens) se introduce inicialmente entre los surcos de maíz, donde continúa desarrollándose profusamente después de la cosecha del cereal. Una vez que ha madurado (unos ocho meses más tarde), se corta el cultivo de frijol y se siembra de nueva cuenta el maíz en el colchón de hojas y tallos en descomposición. Los residuos de frijol terciopelo no se queman ni se incorporan en el suelo sino que se dejan como mantillo sobre la superficie. La semilla del frijol terciopelo con el tiempo germina por sí sola en el campo de maíz y se repite el ciclo. Esta práctica de cultivo reduce los costos de mano de obra al controlar la maleza y aumenta los rendimientos de maíz al proporcionar nutrimentos cuando son más necesarios. Los aumentos de la productividad se producen sin una simultánea declinación de la base de recursos. En las palabras de Teodoro Reyes, de La Danta, Atlántida, “con el frijol terciopelo, la tierra cobarde se vuelve valiente”. La combinación maíz-frijol terciopelo representa un desvío radical de las técnicas tradicionales de agricultura de roza y quema, características de las zonas húmedas tropicales. Esas prácticas, con largos períodos de descanso, solían adaptarse bien a las condiciones ecológicas y socioeconómicas existentes. Sin embargo, el crecimiento demográfico y la conversión de áreas boscosas en pastizales han incrementado la presión sobre los recursos naturales e inducido al cultivo más frecuente. Sin insumos externos, el cultivo intensivo usando las técnicas tradicionales de roza y quema lleva a una disminución de la fertilidad del suelo y a aumentos de la invasión por malezas y la erosión del suelo, que socavan la productividad y la sostenibilidad de los cultivos itinerantes. En contraste, los agricultores del norte de Honduras han estado produciendo maíz-frijol terciopelo continuamente en las mismas parcelas durante 20 años y han conservado o incluso mejorado notablemente tanto el rendimiento como la fertilidad del suelo. La semilla de frijol terciopelo, junto con el conocimiento de sus usos potenciales, fue introducida en el norte de Honduras mediante un complejo proceso de innovación que involucró a agricultores, científicos y corporaciones transnacionales de tres continentes (Buckles 1995). Originario del este de la India y el sur de China, el frijol terciopelo viajó a Africa, Brasil, el Caribe, Centroamérica y los Estados Unidos de América, y recorrió las zonas húmedas tropicales durante varios siglos. A lo largo de la trayectoria de la semilla, los agricultores, actuando por interés propio y con ocasionales aportes científicos, adaptaron la planta a sus necesidades; al hacerlo, proporcionaron el impulso para su difusión. En el norte de Honduras, la adaptación y difusión del frijol terciopelo — o “frijol de abono,” como se le llama en la región — se produjo espontáneamente de un agricultor a otro, sin la intervención directa de grupos externos. Actualmente, más de 10 000 agricultores del norte de Honduras y otros miles en Guatemala y el sur de México usan el frijol terciopelo para fertilizar el suelo, combatir las malezas y proteger la tierra de cultivo de la erosión. La adopción espontánea de una tecnología generada por los agricultores merece atención. Si bien a la investigación agrícola basada en la ciencia se le atribuyen grandes éxitos en el incremento de la producción agrícola, muchos científicos no se dan cuenta de que pequeños agricultores sin educación experimentan e innovan por su propia iniciativa y logran resultados notables. Por definición, las formas de experimentación campesina no son equivalentes a la indagación científica ya que se basan mucho en la experiencia empírica, convalidada en forma local. Por consiguiente, tal vez no generen conocimientos en formas accesibles para los campesinos de otros lugares o que sean directamente aplicables en otras regiones. Aun así, en el pasado se adquirieron muchos conocimientos y todavía se pueden adquirir muchos más evaluando lo que hacen los agricultores para afrontar problemas claves en el manejo de los cultivos o el entorno (Richards 1985; Sinclair et al. 1993). De este modo, una tarea importante de los organismos foráneos es aprovechar esos conocimientos y fortalecer la capacidad de los agricultores de generar ideas y prácticas agrícolas nuevas para satisfacer sus propias necesidades (Bunch 1982). La interacción con los agricultores hondureños estimula a los investigadores y agentes del desarrollo a redefinir su función y la de los agricultores en el proceso de generación y difusión de tecnologías. Los agricultores han sido notablemente creativos con el frijol terciopelo y otros cultivos de cobertura, no sólo desarrollando y difundiendo el sistema tal como se lo practica en sitios como el norte de Honduras sino también experimentando con numerosas variaciones en cuanto a las asociaciones de cultivos, las fechas de siembra, las densidades de siembra, la poda y la desyerba, así como la utilización como alimento para el hombre y los animales (Bunch 1990, 1995; Holt-Giménez 1993; Buckles y Arteaga 1993; Buckles y Barreto 1996; Flores 1997). Ni los investigadores ni los agentes de desarrollo se atreverían a afirmar que “encabezan” la investigación en esta área o que están en completo control de los procesos de generación y difusión de la tecnología. Esta iniciativa local puede enseñar mucho a las personas que aún dudan de la función potencial de los agricultores en el desarrollo, la adaptación y la difusión de tecnologías mejoradas.ix, 242 page