Communication for Development in Climate Field School: The Case of Livelihood Adaptation to Climate Change Project in Bangladesh

CLEOFE S. TORRESAssociate Professor and Dean

College of Development Communication

University of the Philippines Los Banos

Livelihood Adaptation to Climate Change (LACC)

•Subcomponent of Comprehensive Disaster Management Program (CDMP) funded by UNDP,DFID, EC •Being implemented by Dept of Agriculture Extension, Ministry of Agriculture. •With technical support from FAO •Aims to improve adaptive capacity to climate change for sustainable livelihoods in agriculture sector among farmers in drought prone and saline coastal regions of Bangladesh

Adaptation as a human behavior

A human behavior that depends largely on one’s knowledge; starts with awareness but should go further towards

empowerment

Communication as enabler

Climate Field School (CFS)

Transformation from short- to longer-term adaptation behavior

Communication as FACILITATOR of experiential learning

Experience

Reflection and analysis

Lessons learned

Application

Merger of local and technical knowledge

Guided pilot testing/demo

Local AdaptationPractices(Home Gardens)

Scientific Results (amt. of water,

fertilizer, quality of seeds, multiple cropping)

Menu of Viable Adaptation Practices

• Suitable to local conditions• Sustainable and eco-friendly• Economically feasible• Socio-culturally acceptable• Integrated with development

Upazila Services(infra, seeds, fertilizer,

technical advise)

Value-added of comdev in CFS

• Comdev facilitates and extends participation as farmers see need to discuss and learn together (Nachole)

• Participation in CFS generates proactive stance to seek for more and different knowledge inputs, e.g., compost preparation, dried water hyacinth as potato mulch (Nazirpur)

Value-added of comdev in CFS

• Use of low cost ICTs such as flipcharts, framed photos, flowcharts contributes to better understanding of concepts and processes, e.g., host-parasite relationship (Nazirpur)

• Use of modern ICTs such as video, film showing, etc. enriches and promotes variety to group learning

Value-added of comdev in CFS

• Promotion of messages about climate change through folk songs (gambhira, jarikan) enhances social inclusion and participation (Nachole, Bhandaria)

• Social mobilization engages farmers in horizontal knowledge sharing about their adaptation needs, and in mobilizing local initiative and resources in support of their adaptation options (Nachole, Gomostapur, Bhandaria, Dacope, Nazirpur)

Features of comdev approach in CFS

• Starts from local knowledge• Decentralized but coordinated• Enables farmers to make evidence-based

decision• Provides avenue for collective learning• Uses variety of communication tools

to enrich learning

Lessons learned

Planned use of communication enhances collective learning.

Use of ICTs can provide new and better learning experience in a local setting as well as help capture local knowledge.

More than the technology, CFS enables farmers to engage in critical and analytical thinking, thus, prepare them to a more informed decision making process.

Validation of local adaptation practices through scientific process yields long-term adaptation options for the farmers.

cleofe.torres@yahoo.com

Thank you.