developing climate-smart village models through integrated participatory action research at site in...

In West Africa, the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change,

Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) has been working since

2011 with various local partners to develop Climate-Smart

Village (CSV) models in its pilot sites in Burkina Faso, Ghana,

Mali, Niger and Senegal.

The CSV models is an approach where CCAFS in partnership

with rural communities and other stakeholders (NARS, NGOs,

local authorities, …), tests & validates in an integrated manner,

several agricultural interventions. The idea is to integrate

Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) into village development plans,

using local knowledge and expertise and supported by local

institutions (Fig. 1).

• baCkground

To develop CSV models to test and validate several agricultural

interventions with the participation of various local partners.

• objeCtives

The development of CSV model is based on a Participatory

Action Research (PAR) approach. The setting up of CSV in West

Africa followed the general framework developed by CCAFS

which encompassed seven steps including i) Selecting the site,

(ii) Working with communities, (iii) conducting the baseline

survey, (iv) Prioritizing interventions, (v) Building capacity, (vi)

Monitoring and evaluating progress and (vii) Disseminating

outcomes.

• methodology

Integration of flagship projects - gender mainstreaming

into CSVs action research - modelling of CSVs –

Profiling of emerging CSA options –

CSA investment prioritization in countries.

• aCtivities

Eight (8) CSVs established in Burkina Faso (1), Ghana (2),

Mali (2), Niger (1) and Senegal (2).

CSA technologies including farmer managed natural

regeneration (FMNR), Soil and Water Conservation

techniques (SWC), improved crop varieties, tree planting,

etc. tested and validated in 5 countries.

Farmers & extension agents capacitated in climate infor-

mation use for climate risk management in agriculture.

Farmers behavior change toward climate change is noted.

• results and main aChievements

• Current partnerships and future

engagements for out sCaling

Technologies and practices including SWC techniques, tree

planting, FMNR practices, and shorter cycle varieties of crops

generated through the CSV models could be scaled up to the

same agro-ecological zone in each country.

The CSV model is an appropriate tool to boost farmers’ ability

to adapt to climate change, manage risks and build resilience.

• ConClusions

A strong partnership is established involving all actors

working on climate change issues at site in each country for

the development of CSVs.

CCAFS’ Flagship Projects led by ICRISAT, ICRAF and IWMI are

working currently at site to consolidate the main achieve-

ments for the scaling up purpose of CSVs.

Some national agricultural development projects are willing

to adopt the CSV approach for the scaling up CSA in Niger.

Partners

INERA-Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches

Agricoles - Burkina Faso,

INRAN - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique du

Niger- Niger,

ISRA - Institut Sénégalais de Recherche Agricole – Senegal,

IER - Institut d'Economie Rurale– Mali,

CSIR - The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research –

Ghana,

ICRAF- World Agroforestry Centre.

Developing climate-smart village models through integrated

participatory action research at site in West Africa Mathieu Ouédraogo1, Robert Zougmoré1, Samuel T. Partey1 and Jules Bayala2

1 International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) 2ICRAF (World Agroforestry Centre)

Corresponding author email: m.ouedraogo@cgiar.org

Fig 1: Theoretical framework of the Climate-Smart Village model

Fig 2: Climate-Smart Village model of Kampa - Zarma in Niger