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In the context of climate change, the need to contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 is no longer in doubt, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. In this study of the landscape within 10 km of the Donomadé model farm, southeastern Togo, researchers sought to assess vegetation health in ecosystems and agrosystems, including their capacity to produce biomass for agroecological practices. Sentinel-2 sensor data from 2015, 2017, 2020, and 2022 were preprocessed and used to calculate the normalized vegetation fire ratio index (NBR), the vegetation fire severity index (dNBR), and CASA-SEBAL models. From these different analyses, it was found that vegetation stress increased across the landscape depending on the year of the time series. The research estimated that 9952.215 ha, 10,397.43 ha, and 9854.90 ha were highly stressed in 2015, 2017, and 2020, respectively. Analysis of the level of interannual severity revealed the existence of highly photosynthetic areas that had experienced stress. These areas, which were likely to have been subjected to agricultural practices, were estimated to be 8704.871 ha (dNBR2017–2015), 8253.17 ha (dNBR2020–2017), and 7513.93 ha (dNBR2022–2020). In 2022, the total available biomass estimated by remote sensing was 3,741,715 ± 119.26 kgC/ha/y. The annual average was 3401.55 ± 119.26 kgC/ha/y. In contrast, the total area of healthy vegetation was estimated to be 4594.43 ha, 4301.30 ha, and 4320.85 ha, in 2015, 2017, and 2022, respectively. The acceptance threshold of the net primary productivity (NPP) of the study area was 96%. The coefficient of skewness (0.81 ± 0.073) indicated a mosaic landscape. Productive and functional ecosystem components were present, but these were highly dispersed. These findings suggest a great opportunity to promote agroecological practices. Mulching may be an excellent technique for enhancing overall ecosystem services as targeted by the SDGs, by means of reconversion of plant biomass consumed by vegetation fires or slash-and-burn agricultural practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture plays a vital role in African countries, driving economic growth, employment, and non-agricultural sector improvements. However, persistent food insecurity and poverty among smallholder families raise concerns. Land fragmentation compounds these issues, limiting agricultural productivity and pushing farmers towards off-farm activities, despite Africa's potential agricultural markets. The study's focus is Donomadé, a remote village in southern Togo. This study pursues a dual objective. Firstly, it investigates how household characteristics, including family size and resource availability, influence farmers' resource management decisions. Secondly, the research employs serious games to comprehend farmers' livelihood strategy choices within constrained real-world-like conditions. The iterative and participatory Companion Modelling (ComMod) approach was utilized for the co-design and co-development of a serious game. This involved close collaboration with a local research team from the University of Lomé, a local NGO, and Donomadé village farmers. Various farming systems were characterized, and collective insights into Donomadé's agricultural dynamics were gathered through surveys, interviews, and workshops. Regardless of their in-game roles, farmers prioritize fulfilling basic family needs, such as food security and education instead of investing in agriculture. The study underscores the significance of household composition and resource availability when designing technology interventions or support mechanisms for farmers. Aligning interventions with farmers' overarching goals and challenges can enhance technology adoption. Furthermore, addressing food security remains crucial for sustainable development, as it not only improves human welfare and alleviates hunger but also forms the foundation for comprehensive solutions in the face of climate change, resource constraints, and population growth. This research highlights that heavy investment in agriculture is not the priority for many farmers in southern Togo, despite it being their main source of sustenance and income. Addressing immediate family needs, especially food security, education, and housing, takes precedence over long-term agricultural investments. Given the persistent challenge of food security amidst global uncertainties, addressing these priorities is paramount to stimulate more significant interest in agricultural investment. [Display omitted] • In-game household structure has an impact on the decisions players make. • Regardless of their household structure, players prioritize fulfilling their basic needs before any other investments. • In the context of food insecurity, long-term investment in agricultural innovation is not a priority for farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farming systems are key to achieving the Sustainable Development goals of Zero Poverty and Zero Hunger. Yet, more than half of food-insecure people live in rural areas. Persistent yield gaps, poverty traps, disinterest in investing in agricultural activities, and population growth put pressure on agricultural landscapes, threatening food security and preservation of natural resources. In addition, narratives around food security often focus on caloric intake and overlook dietary complexity. This is a transdisciplinary study that assesses the complexity of food insecurity across smallholder farming systems, as affected by farmers' goals, drivers, assets, and economic performance. The study was conducted in Donomadé, a marginalized village in Togo, West Africa. Through 81 surveys and 28 in-depth interviews, qualitative and quantitative data on demography, market integration, production systems, and farmers' perspectives on agriculture were gathered. A household Archetypal Analysis was performed. The mean adequacy ratio (MAR) was calculated based on the consumption of one Adult Male Equivalent (AME) of 18 nutritional elements (including macronutrients, micronutrients, and vitamins). The MAR was used to compare food security across archetypes. Twenty percent of the households would be considered food secure if only caloric intake was considered. However, no household was completely food secure when assessing the MAR for 18 nutritional elements. The MAR varied across the five archetypes identified (A–E). Archetypes D and E had the highest MAR of 0.82 and 0.85, respectively. These archetypes had the lowest land pressure, expressed in AME per hectare. Archetypes A, B, and C had a MAR of 0.35, 0.53, and 0.32, respectively. They differed in income source, land pressure, and desire to abandon agricultural activities. Households' food security was also impacted by how much food they sold and bought. Only archetype E bought more food than they sold. Food security levels vary across households. Narratives concentrated around caloric intake can lead to an underestimation of the issue of food insecurity. Due to lack of alternative sources of income, households are forced to sell part of their production. Most of the time, the food sold is not compensated by the food bought, creating deeper gaps in households' food security. [Display omitted] • Assessing only caloric consumption underestimates households' food security status. • Every household was deficient in at least three nutritional elements. • Households were forced to sell part of their food production due to lack of employment. • Households sold more food than purchased, negatively affecting their food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]