Participatory Action Research (PAR) forincreased adoption of climate smart agriculture

by rural poor in West Africa

Robert ZougmoréRegional Program Leader West Africa, CCAFS

Average projected % change in suitability for 50 crops, to 2050

Crop suitability is changing

In order to meet global

demands, we will need

60-70% more food by 2050.

Food security is at risk

Climate change and Agriculture• Climate change is making it increasingly

urgent for more widespread and significant changes in farming practices to increase productivity and, at the same time, use natural resources more efficiently and sustainably.

• shifts to new crops and varieties, • water and soil conservation measures• planting trees on farms;• …..

Agriculture must become “climate-smart”

• contributes to climate change adaptation by sustainably increasing productivity & resilience;

• mitigates climate change by reducing and removing greenhouse gases;

• and enhances the achievement of national food security and development goals.

Participatory Action Research

• More research and development work is called for to ensure that the most appropriate options for change are adopted.

• PAR is an approach that combines both research and development work.

• PAR approach: particular actions, interventions, are tested and implemented simultaneously with local partners, researchers & development workers cooperating closely;

• PAR is not easy to undertake.

Scaling upScaling up

Impact

Outcomes

Scaling-outScaling-up

Iterations of learning cycle

Generation of knowledge & tools (diagnosis, vulnerability assessment, trade-offs between adaptation & mitigation, technologies, practices & policies)

Pathways to Impact

Outputs

Participatory diagnosis to identify pilot sites and scope of options

PLAR to adapt, develop and validate technological options

2. Changes in farmers’/ communities’ attitude & perceptions

1. Improved knowledge of farmers

3. Farmers/communities modify and innovate

6. Stakeholders learning of NRM

4. Adoption of technologies & changes in practices

7. Adopting farmers/ communities enjoy higher & more stable income

8. Community livelihood improvements

Changes in knowledge and attitudes of stakeholders

5. Adoption in other villages

Changes in knowledge & attitudes of farmers/ communities

Eventual wider adoption

Enabling policy environment created

Improved livelihoods/food security/reduced poverty amongst farmers in Africa

Objectives of CCAFS PARTest and validate, in partnership with rural communities & other stakeholders, a scalable climate-smart model for agricultural development that includes a range of innovative agricultural risk management strategies

Place-based field work

Indo-Gangetic Plains:There is risk of heat stress, melting glaciers, and sea level rise; the intensity and probability of extreme events will likely increase.

Regional director:Pramod Aggarwal

East Africa:Climate change will likely intensify surface and groundwater stress.

Regional director:James Kinyangi

West Africa:Extreme rainfall variability impedes precipitation predictions, but the Sahel will likely experience shorter growing periods.

Regional director:Robert Zougmoré

PAR: test of integrated adaptation and mitigation technologies/practices

Priority production interventions with expected mitigation and adaptation synergies:

• Soil nutrient management (e.g.: organic manure and fertilizer management through micro-dosing)

• Agroforestry (e.g.: Natural AGF parklands, biofuel and drought tolerant varieties of maize, millet and sorghum)…

• Rehabilitation of degraded lands, soil & water management

• Conservation agriculture for increased carbon sequestration and improved soil health

Potential mitigation practices to be examined from the perspective of carbon sequestration, mitigation incentives, institutional arrangements, gender impacts…

PAR: test of integrated adaptation and mitigation technologies/practices

Priority interventions for mitigation and/or adaptation:• Use of the analogue method and methods for

innovative knowledge sharing and networking among farmers;

• Climate risk management strategies with focus on ground application for downscaled seasonal climate - crop forecasting – drought-tolerant varieties– Index-based crop insurance;

• Capacity building on crop forecasting: National/regional teams established; capacity building workshops for local teams, data needs identified; stakeholders meeting organized

Support to policy decision making and Capacity strengthening

Policies to be oriented towards empowering local decision making around natural resources concerns: reconciling traditional laws and formal legal codes for managing natural resources:

Use of existing tools & methods, data collection and analysis that support decision making for adaptation and mitigation (When climate finance becomes a reality)

• Data requirement and management strategy to be developed by the partners

• SHG to maintain a diary of all agricultural operations/interventions on a daily basis.

• Some baseline soil & water samples to be collected and analyzed.

• Weather Data of current season and past years to be collected from nearby Weather Station.

• Village land use map to be procured from Local Government agencies.

• All data to be entered in a Database.

Recording and Management