Author: Anna Pluta

This July, BICEPS engaged in two key activities that deepened its international partnerships and advanced dialogue on sustainable agricultural development.

From 7–11 July, BICEPS took part in the 30th European Society for Rural Sociology (ESRS) Congress, held in Riga, Latvia. As part of “Indigenous Crops for the Resilience of African Food Systems” project, which is funded by the Latvian Development Cooperation Policy (LATDEV), Maija Kāle, a Research Fellow at BICEPS, presented research titled “From Rural Reachability to Meaningful Connectivity: Foundations for Liveable Farming Futures”. Drawing on insights from the project, which focuses on indigenous crops and digital education in sub-Saharan Africa, the presentation examined how mobile technologies can support, and indeed hinder, the sharing of agroecological knowledge, particularly in contexts shaped by climate vulnerability and systemic inequalities. The congress brought together a vibrant community of scholars and practitioners, and BICEPS was proud to contribute to this important European platform for rural research worldwide.

Later in the month, a BICEPS delegation travelled to Ghana to further strengthen collaboration with project partners on the ground. The itinerary revealed the depth of this engagement:

• A meeting with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Seed and Adaptive Research Unit;
• A visit to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for discussions with the Director General.

The delegation also carried out extensive field visits at the University of Ghana, focusing on its agricultural programmes and research facilities. This included:

• A guided tour of the Livestock and Poultry Research Centre (LIPREC) guided by the Lead of the Centre;
• Discussions with the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement representatives
• A meeting with the Dean of the Department of Modern Languages

Latvian representatives also made visits to various communal gardens in Accra, organized by Sabon Sake — an eco-focused startup converting organic farm waste into bio-fertilizer.

These visits provided a valuable opportunity to discuss the future direction of the ICRAFS project, particularly the focus of its second phase on region-specific agricultural practices and the health benefits of indigenous crops. The visits also reaffirmed BICEPS’ commitment to establishing long-term, meaningful partnerships that bridge the gap between research, policy and practice across continents.

See more information about the visit here: link will be posted soon

See the video documentation here: link will be posted soon

In 2025, the LATDEV project “Building Digital Education on Indigenous/Heritage Crops for the Resilience of African Food Systems in the Context of the Climate Crisis” continues to make significant strides in enhancing Ghanaian agriculture through digital education on indigenous crops. The focus has now shifted to the development of Module 2, which will provide tailored content on traditional crops and sustainable farming practices in Ghana’s northern regions.

Building on feedback from the first module, this new educational material will be recorded in local languages, ensuring accessibility for farmers with limited formal education.

In collaboration with local partners, including Farmerline, the project is also hosting workshops across various regions to distribute indigenous seeds to farmers. These workshops not only provide practical instructions on cultivation and storage but also gather valuable insights into traditional farming practices, which will be documented for future project development.

LATDEV’s work aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly focusing on food security and climate resilience. By continuing collaboration with Farmerline and the Savannah Agricultural Institute, the project is successfully adapting agricultural best practices from Latvia to Ghana’s unique farming context.

For more on the project’s progress, watch the video created by our project partners:

Watch the video

BICEPS shares the progress report on the project, “Building Digital Education on Indigenous/Heritage Crops for the Resilience of African Food Systems in the Context of the Climate Crisis.” Initiated in 2024, the project is funded through the development cooperation budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia. The project partners include the Latvian Permaculture Association, the social enterprise Farmerline, and the northern Ghana division of the Savannah Agriculture Institute, CSIR-SARI.

The objective of the project is to develop a digital educational platform for Ghanaian farmers, drawing upon Latvia’s expertise in the cultivation of traditional (indigenous, native or heirloom) crops, with the aim of enhancing the resilience of African food systems against the climate crisis. The objective of this initiative is to establish local seed communities or ‘living seed labs’ and disseminate knowledge about traditional crops using mobile technology and audio messages in the local languages. The ultimate objective is to achieve more sustainable and regenerative agriculture practices, and to facilitate the gradual expansion of this practice across the African continent. The project’s sub-goals include internationalising Latvia’s experience in traditional crop preservation, seed saving and seed sharing movement, ensuring its relevance to Ghana’s context; conducting field research; and publishing scientific papers on Latvia’s development cooperation experience. Furthermore, the project places emphasis on the acquisition of knowledge from Ghanaian partners, with the objective of adapting their digital educational methodologies to align them with the requirements of Latvia. This initiative is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 2: Zero Hunger, through the promotion of sustainable agricultural practices, and Goal 13: Climate Action, through the addressing of climate-related challenges in agriculture.

Significant milestones have already been achieved. A compelling story map about Latvia’s heritage crops was developed to facilitate international knowledge transfer. This resource includes educational materials on sustainable agriculture, such as soil regeneration, permaculture principles, and seed preservation techniques. Furthermore, a pilot education module has been introduced in Ghana, comprising 12 short audio lectures in five local languages, tailored to farmers with limited access to formal education or the internet. The fieldwork conducted in Ghana by the local project partners, namely Farmerline and CSIR-SARI, has proved to be of pivotal importance in informing the direction of the project. The collection of baseline data and feedback on the pilot module was facilitated by the administration of surveys and interviews to local farmers. These insights have proved invaluable in the adaptation of educational content to the specific needs of Ghana’s northern regions. Furthermore, the partnership has facilitated the consolidation of relations between Latvian and Ghanaian stakeholders, with noteworthy instances including the participation of partners in a joint workshop in Latvia and BICEPS-led discussions at the Riga Food 2024 exhibition.

The project’s forthcoming steps include the development of a second educational module, which will focus on region-specific agricultural practices and is scheduled for completion in mid-2025. The module will place an emphasis on the practical knowledge of traditional crops and their integration into local farming systems. Subsequent field visits and workshops in Ghana will facilitate further refinement of the project’s approach, ensuring that the outcomes are both impactful and scalable. Lastly, BICEPS will document the project’s findings in academic publications, thereby highlighting Latvia’s experience of development cooperation. These studies will be shared with the international community, fostering dialogue on sustainable agricultural practices worldwide. The collaboration exemplifies how global partnerships can address pressing challenges such as climate change while ensuring food security and empowering local communities.

For more information:

1. See Latvia’s story map
2. See educational material for mentors and trainers about Latvia’s experience
3. See what our project partners write about the achievements:
   1. CSIR-SARI
   2. Farmerline
4. Watch Riga Food 2024 panel discussion ”Forgotten foods: cultures and sustainability safeguards. Back to the roots. Economic dimensions. Environmental opportunities” on Facebook