National Farmers Organisations

These advanced training materials have been produced to foster the capacity of practitioners from private, nongovernmental and public sectors on one hand, and academics and scientists on the other, to practically implement cost-efficient RWHI technologies and practices in arid and semi-arid areas.

Therefore, these training materials intend to provide the required information to support proper planning, design and construction of cost-efficient RWHI technologies and practices, with special emphasis on the specific problems encountered in Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Further, this manual also suggests relevant technical manuals which specifically focus on each of the RWHI technologies and practices. It is strongly recommended that reference is also made on this additional materials with help from experienced professionals in this field of knowledge.

This study has been produced with the overall goal to document and analyse exisiting best practices in the field of RWHI management in sub-Saharan Africa, with a special focus on Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. This is meant to determine the suitability of RWHI management under multivariate biophysical and socioeconomic conditions. The best practices include specific information and know-how on the performance, cost-efficiency and impacts of RWHI technologies. This information and know-how intends to contribute on the capitalisation of successful and unsuccessful experiences in the field of RWHI management in order to identify best practices which can then be replicated, adapted, improved and scaled-up, leading to greater impacts and benefits on one hand, and effective policies and investments on the other.

This study examines the vulnerability to climate variability and change of the conventional maize value chain in the mid and low altitude agro-ecological zones of Malawi, agro-ecological zone II of Zambia and agro-ecological zone III of Zimbabwe. The aim is to develop feasible priorities and strategies for climate variability and change adaptation based on farmer preference. A literature review for the countries Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe was conducted to assess the current and future impact of climate change and variability on the smallholder farming system. A mix of methods, which included participatory vulnerability assessment tools, focus group discussions and key informant interviews among 108 farmers from five communities, complemented the literature review. Data were collected on the current and likely future impacts and sensitivity of the systems and adaptation capacities.

This publication was launched yesterday at the COP24 in Poland at the Global Alliance for Climate Smart Agriculture side event. Hard copies of this CSA publication can be found at the Rome-Based Agencies booth.

The aim of this publication is to provide the best FAO-led examples of how the CSA is not a “one-size-fits-all” approach that can be universally applied but, rather, involves different elements embedded in local contexts. The case studies show how the management of farms, crops, livestock and aquaculture can balance short- and long-term food security needs with priorities for the farmer/ producer, as well as build adaption to climate change and contribute to mitigating GHG.

The case studies were selected and adapted from the Climate-Smart Agriculture Sourcebook Second Edition 2017, and other FAO projects.

This brochure explains what climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is and what is new and different about it. CSA options and benefits for farmers at a local level are being addressed and examples of best practices, technologies and services given. The enabling environments for CSA at regional and national level are being described and the important aspects regarding equity, gender and youth highlighted. Global climate agreements frame climate action on the ground and the already visible climate change impacts in SADC justify why wee need CSA to ensure agricultural productivity and food security.

In two weeks’ time, the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will hold the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP 21) in Paris, France. Namibia has been a signatory to this international treaty since 1995 and is as such at an important juncture of commemorating the progress and lessons to come out of the past 20 years of responding to the challenges presented by climate change within the context of international development. Another important juncture in international development is that of the soon to be enacted intergovernmentally agreed set of targets, the Global Goals for Sustainable Development (SDGs). In less than two months, the SDGs will take effect when UN member states are expected to enact policies and legislation to realise them and their associated targets.

Majority of farmers in Zimbabwe are small-scale based, poverty stricken and vulnerable to climate shocks, stresses and impacts. The small-scale farmers have no access to bank loans, crop insurance and other public interventions. This leaves them highly exposed, neglected and defenceless to climatic threats. The national input scheme, otherwise known as the Presidential Input Scheme, has its shortcomings and a few merits.

This presentation made during the tackling climate change in agriculture training in Zimbabwe, talks about climate change elements and  interventions in the RAP.

Dans un article publié par Le Monde, Laetitia Van Eeckhout affirme que le ricin, plante herbacée originaire d’Afrique tropicale, peut être une arme de lutte contre la faim à Madagascar:

Situé à l’ouest de l’Océan Indien, Madagascar n’est pas juste l’île de beauté version africaine aux paysages aussi variés que splendides. Madagascar c’est aussi une autre réalité : un pays dans lequel plus de 80% de la population vit sous le seuil d’extrême pauvreté établi à moins de 1,25$ par jour par la Banque Mondiale. Phénomène complexe et aux multiples facettes, la pauvreté est notamment définie par la faiblesse du pouvoir d’achat. Le pouvoir d’achat a un impact direct sur la consommation d’un individu, il définit la potentialité de se nourrir correctement aussi bien en quantité qu’en qualité. Faute de pouvoir d’achat suffisant, les habitants de Madagascar les plus pauvres troquent parfois leur consommation de riz, base de l’alimentation malgache, contre celle de racine de manioc.

Falling prices of cotton, normally referred to as ‘‘white gold’’ is not good news for small- scale farmers in Eastern province, as the crop has been a source of livelihoods to them for many years. A significant decrease in the number of small-scale farmers currently growing cotton in the province has resulted in an increase in poverty levels. This has exposed small-scale farmers whose livelihood is derived from farming to much more challenging survival mechanisms.