Background

As part of the effective implementation of climate-smart agriculture (CSA), the climate-smart village approach (CSV) has shown promise following pilot tests and evidence of success of the approach for the development of climate-smart technologies and their scaling up in several countries in West Africa. The CSV approach promotes participatory development of technological, institutional, socio-economic and climate-smart policy innovations that are specific to the context of climate change. This approach was introduced by the CCAFS program implemented by the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT and developed as a means of implementing agricultural research for development (AR4D) in the context of climate change.

Building on this work, Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) supports CORAF to advance the approach and provide technical support in implementing and managing climate-smart villages in the region.

AICCRA contributes to building a climate-smart African future driven by science and innovation in the field of agriculture. It is led by Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT and supported by a grant from the World Bank's International Development Association (IDA). AICCRA works to increase access to and use of climate information services and smart agricultural technologies for millions of smallholder farmers in Africa.

The Food System Resilience Program (FSRP) is a flagship regional investment program to strengthen the resilience of food systems in West Africa. The program finances investments in three mutually reinforcing thematic areas: (i) Digital advisory services for the prevention and management of agricultural and food crises; (ii) Sustainability and adaptability of the food system’s productive base (sustainable land and watershed management, agroecological approaches); and (iii) Market integration and trade (development of the regional staple food value chain). These areas are led respectively by 3 mandated regional institutions: AGRHYMET-CCR-AOS, CORAF and ECOWAS to ensure coordination and sustainable capacity building in the West African and Sahelian countries.

The climate- smart village (CSV) approach is an opportunity for synergy between FRSP Components 1 and 2 (AGRHYMET CCR-AOS and CORAF respectively) and AICCRA for the provision of CSA technology packages and climate information services to countries in the sub-region West and Central Africa.

About the workshop

The main objective of this workshop is to strengthen the capacities of researchers from the National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS), experts from the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS), partners of AGRHYMET and representatives of relevant non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on the concept of CSVs and their implementation in the FSRP intervention areas.

Including:

• Training NARS researchers and NMHS experts and NGO representatives in the ILM on techniques and methods for setting up a CSV
• Building the capacity of these actors on climate smart technologies and practices, climate information services (CIS) and safety nets, gender and social inclusion in CSA and the CIS and CSA technology packages that are used in CSVs
• Strengthening the capacity of these actors on methods and indicators for monitoring and managing CSVs
• Facilitating the exchange of knowledge between participants from different countries for the benefit of the FSRP project intervention areas
• Advocating for FSRP countries to commit resources to the implementation of CSVs
• Facilitating access to CSV driving tools

Process and outcomes

This interactive workshop places particular emphasis on methodological aspects and good practices in the use of proposed CSVs tools and approaches. At the end of the workshop, it is expected that: 

• NARS researchers, NMHA experts and representatives of NGOs partners are trained on techniques and methods for setting up a CSV
• The capacities of these actors on climate-smart agriculture and on monitoring and management methods and indicators of CSVs are strengthened
• Knowledge exchange between participants from different countries is facilitated on modern agricultural advisory tools and approaches
• Advocacy to encourage FSRP countries to commit resources in the implementation of CSV
• Access (if required) to CSV driving tools

Participants

Note: This is a by invitation only event.

Participants in this workshop are researchers from NARS and experts from NMHS and representatives of implementation partners from FSRP member countries. At the regional level, experts are expected from AICCRA, AGRHYMET CCR-AOS and CORAF. 

Contact

For enquiries or questions about the regional workshop, please contact Belmira Moustapha, AICCRA West Africa Comms Lead at b.moustapha@cgiar.org