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Connecting science with policy has always been challenging for both scientists and policymakers. In Ghana, Mali and Senegal, multi-stakeholder national science-policy dialogue platforms on climate-smart agriculture (CSA) were setup to use scientific evidence to create awareness of climate change impacts on agriculture and advocate for the mainstreaming of climate change and CSA into agricultural development plans. Based on the platforms' operations and achievements, we used semi-structured questionnaire interviews and reviewed technical reports produced by the platforms to analyse how their modes of operation and achievements improve understanding of the science-policy interfaces between agricultural and climate change decision making. Results showed that these platforms constitute an innovative approach to effectively engaging decision-makers and sustainably mainstreaming climate change into development plans. Effective science-policy interaction requires: (a) institutionalizing dialogue platforms by embedding them within national institutions, which improves their credibility, relevance and legitimacy among policymakers; (b) two-way communication, which contributes substantially to the co-development of solutions that address climate change vulnerabilities and impacts; and (c) relevant communication products and packaging of evidence that aligns with country priorities, which facilitates its uptake in policy-making processes. We conclude with a framework of sustainable operation for such platforms based on lessons learnt in the three countries.

Feed shortage in urban and peri-urban areas has triggered the emergence of feed markets in Northern Ghana. These markets were surveyed at three locations (Tamale, Bolgatanga, and Wa markets) to determine types and prices of feedstuffs sold across seasons; early dry (November-January), late dry (February-April), early wet (May-July), and main wet (August-October). Semi-structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Three samples of each feed type in the markets were bought from three different sellers per market in each season. The samples were oven dried to constant weight and price/kg DM of each feed determined. The total respondents were 169. Out of this number, 41% were feed sellers, 46% buyers, and 13% retailers. The feedstuffs found were crop residues (groundnut haulm and cowpea haulm), agro-industrial by-products (bran of maize, rice, and sorghum), fresh grasses (Rotteboellia cochinchinensis), and local browses (Ficus sp. and Pterocarpus erinaceous). Prices of feeds differed (P < 0.05) among markets and were higher in Bolgatanga than Tamale and Wa markets. Prices of cereal bran were not different (P > 0.05) in all seasons but that of crop residues were higher (P < 05) in early to late dry season than the wet season. Majority (90%) of respondents opined that the feed market will expand due to increasing number of livestock population in the peri-urban areas.

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Effects of genetic and environmental factors on pre-weaning and post-weaning growth were studied in West African crossbred sheep. Effects of lamb genotype (7/8 Sahelian-1/8 Djallonké, 3/4 Sahelian-1/4 Djallonké and 1/2 Sahelian-1/2 Djallonké; hereafter denoted 7/8Sa, 3/4Sa and 1/2Sa, respectively), parity, type of birth, sex of lamb and year-season of lambing on birth weight, weaning weight, 8-month weight and pre- and post-weaning growth rates were determined. At birth 7/8Sa and 3/4Sa lambs were heavier (p < 0.01) than 1/2Sa lambs. Lambs born to first-parity ewes were lighter (p < 0.01) at birth than lambs of older ewes. At weaning and 8 months of age, lambs born to fourth-parity ewes were heavier (p < 0.05) than those born to ewes of the other parities. Parity did not have any significant effects on pre-weaning growth rate. Lambs born in the rainy season of 2001 were significantly heavier at birth and at 8 months of age than those born in the dry season of 2001/02, but there was no difference between the two groups at weaning. Pre-weaning growth rate was significantly faster in lambs born in the dry season of 2001/02 but the reverse was true for post-weaning growth rate.