SAFE Hub - Sustainable Agriculture From Ecological-intensification

Update: The SAFE Hub has become the HELP in Africa hub.

The HELP in Africa Hub is a global consortium of research and development organisations that evolved from the SAFE Hub, aiming to address the future challenge of global food security by developing improved and innovative guidelines, training and implementation of to transform sustainable agricultural practices.

Particulary, the HELP in Africa Hub will focus on ecological intensification - increase of yield via harnessing and supporting ecosystem services including pollination and natural pest regulation, soil creation, carbon storage and water relations. This requires a thorough understanding of the relationship between smallholder and large-scale farms and their surrounding landscapes and agro-ecosystems. The HELP in Africa Hub also promotes sustainable and environmentally benign technologies in the context of controlling pests, weeds and diseases.

The Hub brings together partners from the UK and Africa, and for future initiatives also South America, East Asia and South Asia to collaborate in research, development, knowledge transfer and policy development to work for secure, resilient food systems worldwide, with particular focus on smallholders and the poorest food producers.

Read about the Hub's objectives.

Planning meetings have taken place in 2018-2019 in Tanzania, involving several of the African Partners, NRI and Prof Geoff Gurr at FAFU, in the UK involving multiple UK-based partners, and in India, involving the Indian and UK collaborators. For updates, keep an eye on the News Page.

Hub Partners

Project innovations table