CDE - Centre for Development and Environment, University of Bern

❓Which is the hottest surface on a sunny day: tarmac road or bare dried-out soil in the farmland next to it?

Watch the video 𝗛𝗼𝘁 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗹 and get the answer!

🔎 Hanspeter Liniger and Jovana Askrabic study the warming of different land uses, and its effects on soil and our climate.

💡Their measurements on green grass, bare soil, and asphalt show huge temperature differences — reaching over 30 °C.

Using a thermal drone, soil sensors, a soil stability test, and a rainfall simulator, the researchers reveal how land management affects:
🌡️ Soil temperature
🌱 Soil structure and health
💧 Water infiltration and storage
🌧️ ☀️ Climate and landscape resilience: global warming, heat waves, heavy rainfall, floods and erosion.
👉 Bare soil heats up fast, loses its stability and loses water. Covered soil stays cooler, healthier, and protects our water and climate.

🔗 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aNTQFVNyiw

WOCAT - World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies

Hot Earth Is Not Cool - English Version Hot Earth Is Not Cool – Why Cover Matters for Soil, Water, and Clim...

🌐 Just published: 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀, 𝘀𝗼𝘆 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮
This new study led by CDE researcher Sandra Eckert explores how large-scale land acquisitions (LSLAs) for soy production in Argentina and Brazil connect investors, global trade flows, and deforestation risk.
🔎 By combining data from the Land Matrix, TRASE, and ORBIS, the researchers developed a spatially explicit analysis linking land deals, investor origins, soy exports, and deforestation patterns.

Some key findings:
🔹 Domestic investors account for the majority of acquired soy-producing land (54.7%)
🔹Foreign investors play smaller but still important roles:
🇺🇸 USA: 15.4%
🇪🇺 EU: 5.6%
🌍 Gulf region: 4.6%

🔹China is the dominant destination for soy exports, despite not appearing among investor countries.
🔹Investment origins and export destinations are largely decoupled.
🔹14.2% of the soy production area analysed (269,350 ha) is likely linked to deforestation, 2.2% of this deforestation-linked production is destined for EU markets.

💡These findings highlight the complexity of global agricultural commodity networks and the need for coordinated multilateral governance that addresses actors across the entire supply chain — including domestic investors, international traders, and importing markets.

As discussions around sustainable supply chains and deforestation-free commodities continue to evolve, understanding these interconnected dynamics becomes increasingly important.

The alluvial plot shows the links between origins of investments and trade destinations of soy produced by LSLAs in Argentina (blue) and Brazil (yellow). Numbers in parentheses represent production area (in 1,000 ha).
Go to paper 👉https://t.ly/aK1L1

📱𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱: 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗳𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗵 🌱
The international research and innovation AgriPath Project began with a clear mission: to use digitally supported agricultural advisory services to promote sustainable agricultural practices among nearly 50,000 smallholder farmers in Africa and Asia – and to enable them to make informed decisions that improve their productivity, income, and climate resilience.

After five years, CDE’s Nicole Harari and Maurice Tschopp take stock – and offer key insights. Read the interview 👉 https://t.ly/LS32r

💡The project developed an entire set of practical products that can inspire many stakeholders and shows pathways to scaling evidence-based solutions.

📅 Today and tomorrow, the project brings together various stakeholders from Africa and Asia at a symposium in Nairobi to discuss digital advisory services for sustainable agriculture and land management.
Join the discussion online 👉 https://www.agripath.net/symposium

🙏 Thanks to all who contributed and continue to contribute to this important project!

Grameen Foundation Grameen Foundation India farmbetter
Kathmandu University, Dhulikhel ICIPE - International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology WOCAT - World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies Kilimo Trust iDE Nepal
Swiss Development & Cooperation

CDE scientist Theresa Tribaldos and Gabriela Wülser, Head of sustainability research at the Swiss Academy of Sciences (scnat), held a productive exchange with the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development ICIMOD in Nepal. During their visit, Theresa Tribaldos presented the work of the UNESCO Chair “Natural and Cultural Heritage for Sustainable Mountain Development” she holds. She also introduced in her research on the role of food systems in and for sustainability transformations from a systemic perspective and with a focus on justice aspects in transformation processes.

🌐 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀 🌿
Biodiversity loss doesn’t happen in isolation – it is deeply intertwined with climate change and pollution. Yet, many current governance approaches still focus narrowly on nature’s benefits for humans, overlooking the full spectrum of values that shape our relationship with the natural world – especially those of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

This is where the new LEVER project, which is funded by Biodiversa+ together with national funding organisations and led by a consortium including CDE, comes in.

🔎 LEVER (“Enhancing pluriversality for a human-rights-based approach: Governing the climate–biodiversity–pollution nexus”) pushes beyond conventional frameworks. It combines a human rights-based approach with pluriversal thinking: recognizing diverse worldviews, including the spiritual, emotional, and historical relationships people have with non-human life.

🌱 Across five regions – Brazil, Indonesia, Sweden, Spain, and Uganda – researchers, local communities, and policymakers co-develop pathways to better govern the climate–biodiversity–pollution nexus – translating local values into policy and practice.

Learn more about the project 👉 https://www.cde.unibe.ch/research/projects/lever__governing_the_climatebiodiversitypollution_nexus/index_eng.html

🌍 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝘆𝗮’𝘀 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗮𝗵: 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿, 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 📱
Kenya’s rapid digital transformation is changing how people live and work – from the rise of online jobs to the spread of mobile connectivity in underserved neighbourhoods.

But while this shift is opening up new opportunities, it’s also exposing workers – especially women – to new risks and inequalities.

What does this digital boom mean for people on the ground❓

Agnieszka Fal Dutra Santos, a CDE scientist in the UPDATE project, gives insights in the ongoing research. Read the story and watch the videos from our project partner Pollicy 👉 https://www.cde.unibe.ch/insights__media/spotlight/inside_kenyas_silicon_savannah_gender_work_and_digital_future/index_eng.html

The project is a collaboration between CDE (Universität Bern), Pollicy, Geneva Graduate Institute , and the University of Nairobi. It’s funded by the Swiss Solution-oriented Research for Development programme SOR4D (SNF FNS SNSF & Swiss Development & Cooperation).

🌍✨Through the Land for Life (LFL) project, CDE in Laos supports sustainable land management, links farmers to better markets, and enhances long-term stability for Lao families through income diversification. Here's an example for it: a hands-on training workshop on sustainable cocoa cultivation and processing in Laos 👇

We are delighted that our new project 𝗡𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 (𝗦𝗜𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗔) has been launched.
🐟 In the project, CDE researcher Vanessa Jaiteh and her team (Universität Bern) will investigate together with local actors how formalization interacts with informal systems at the source of seafood value chains putting a special spotlight on:

🔹 Informal institutions
🔹 Gendered access to resources
🔹 Ecological decline

💧Focusing on Ghana, Senegal, and The Gambia and using ethnographic methods, participatory modelling, and arts-based approaches, SIRENA asks: Whose knowledge counts in fisheries regulation?

💡The overall goal of the project is to help shape governance approaches that advance both sustainability and social justice.

The project is funded by the SNF FNS SNSF, Starting Grant. Partners include the University Of Cape Coast (UCC), Ghana, the National Union for Seafarers, Port and Allied Workers, Ghana, Hen Mpoano - Our Coast, Ghana, and the West Africa Fishers Organising Project (ITF - International Transport Workers' Federation), Senegal/Gambia/Ghana
Read more 👉 https://www.cde.unibe.ch/research/projects/navigating_regulatory_governance_in_west_african_fisheries_sirena/index_eng.html

on dynamics and futures in regions: How are increasingly frequent, severe, and prolonged droughts in mountains affecting people and ecosystems, and how can we respond? Mountain Research and Development invites empirical studies on drought processes and their cascading effects, systematic assessments of innovative interventions addressing drought in mountains, as well as review-based agendas for future research, policies, or action. Notices of intent are due by 15 June 2026, full papers by 15 September 2026. https://t.ly/AgJrB

ICIMOD
Mountain Research Initiative
Mountain Partnership
United Nations University - EHS
CONDESAN
Iniciativa Andina
Eurac Research
Università della Montagna
Euromontana
Moving - Mountain Valorisation through Interconnectedness and Green Growth
Braiding Knowledges Canada
Mountain Sentinels
Centre for Mountain Studies, UHI Perth
Scientific Network for the Caucasus Mountain Regions

𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗮𝗼𝘀 🇱🇦
Recent Land Lease and Concession Information System trainings are helping national and provincial leaders access, update, and use land concession data more effectively – strengthening transparency and monitoring across the country. More to come through the Land For Life project! 👇