Workshop for annual review of Building Resilient Agro-sylvopastoral Systems in West Africa through Participatory Action Research (BRAS-PAR) Project and planning “Partnerships for Scaling Climate-Smart Agriculture (P4S) Phase II

Building Resilient Agro-sylvo-pastoral Systems in West Africa through Participatory Action Research (BRAS-PAR) is a CCAFS Flagship 2 funded four year (2015-2018) project coordinated by the World Agroforestry (ICRAF) and implemented in collaboration with partners namely national agricultural research institutions (INERA in Burkina Faso, SARI in Ghana, INRAN in Niger and ISRA in Senegal) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN in Burkina Faso). BRAS-PAR sought to develop up-scalable technological and social innovations of climatesmart agriculture integrating tree-crop-livestock systems through improved understanding of farmer's perceptions and demands, by addressing barriers to adoption taking into consideration gender and social differentiation. The specific objectives include 1) testing, evaluating and validating with rural communities and other stakeholders, scalable climate-smart models of integrated tree-crop-livestock systems, the dominant farming systems in the region, that include climate-risk management strategies; 2) simulating options for improving water and tree-crop-livestock systems under different climate and socio-economic scenarios using models (WaNuLCAS, SWAT, etc.) for informed decision making; 3) assessing the conditions of success and failure of technological interventions on adaptation to climate change. The work here focus on research that evaluates climate-smart practices and technologies that are defined through participatory identification by multistakeholders in each site. Beyond these sites, the approach capitalizes lessons learnt from on-going climate resilient projects to encourage partners to add missing components to the climate-smart village model or initiate new activities when deemed appropriate. Started in 2015, BRAS-PAR targeted three main outcomes: (i) National agricultural research institutions institutionalize the principles of PAR through integration of non-traditional partners in technologies development to generate wider context specific information to be fed into programs and policies to create the enabling environment for the scaling of CSA technologies; (ii) National extension services, development projects and farmer’s organizations widely disseminate and ensure better access to information on best fit CSA portfolios to cope with climate change; and (iii) The private sector including NGOs (FNGN, Larwaal, ARCAD, Care international), microcredit institutions, agro-dealers, rural radios are scaling up/out relevant CSA portfolios through new incentive programs. This project has ended in December 2018 and the meeting review edthe main achievements. During the same first phase of CCAFS , the project “Partnerships for Scaling (P4S) Climate-Smart Agriculture (P56)” was implemented mainly in East Africa with a focus on supporting countries and partners to plan and program CSA actions. It developed new innovations (e.g., The Compendium and Climate Risk Profiles), refreshed and adapted others (e.g., Climate Wizard, mobile-based monitoring) and collaborated on tools (e.g., Rural Household Multi-Indicator Survey, CSA MRV Profile) to develop a comprehensive set of evidence and information to serve diverse stakeholder needs for situation analysis, targeting and prioritizing, program support and monitoring and evaluation (aka ‘CSA-Plan’, Girvetz et al. 2018). Merging the actions of BRAS-PAR and P4S I to become P4S II was done with the intention to use tools and evidence/lessons learned from the Climate-Smart Villages and other development activities, with existing and new partners through direct scientific support to decision makers (e.g., governments, civil society, and researchers) and capacity building to help bring CSA to scale. The scientific activities will be combined with dedicated communication activities such as photo essays, tweets, blog posts, etc. from field staff and partners to raise the visibility of the project and help show case of its successes in supporting countries and position of ICRAF, CIAT, and CCAFS as the go to research organization for the science of scaling up CSA. The key activity areas of P4S II will be around: supporting CSA investment and programming, de-risking agriculture, digital delivery and monitoring and, communauty based scaling of CSA. The present meeting was thought to plan the new activities around these areas for 2019 and beyond

Partnerships for Scaling Climate-Smart Agriculture (P4S) Phase II: 2019 annual report

First annual report of P4

Water acquisition, sharing and redistribution by roots: applications to agroforestry systems

[EN] Aims In the face of problems caused by ‘intensive agriculture’ dominated by large areas of monocultures, mixed intercropping mimicking natural ecosystems has been reported to constitute a viable solution to increase and stabilize productivity. When designing such systems, root niche separation was thought to be a prerequisite to optimize production. Methods This paper reviews the beneficial and adverse effects of trees and crops on water acquisition and redistribution in agroforestry ecosystems using the concepts of competition and facilitation between plants in link with root functional traits. Results The results of the review showed that the reality was more complex leading agroforestry practitioners to adopt management practices to induce a separation in root activities thus avoid competition, particularly for water. Water uptake by plant roots is triggered by the water potential difference between the soil and the atmosphere when leaf stomata are open and depends largely on the root exploration capacity of the plant. Thus, root water uptake dynamics are strongly related to root-length densities and root surface areas. In addition, plants with deep roots are able to lift up or redistribute water to the upper layers through a process known as hydraulic lift, potentially acting as “bioirrigators” to adjacent plants. The redistributed water could be of importance not only in regulating plant water status, e.g. by enhancing transpiration, but also in increasing the survival and growth of associated crops in mixed systems. Conclusions Even though some more work is still needed to assess the volume of water transferred to neighbors, hydraulic lift could constitute an ecological viable mechanism to buffer against droughts and ensure productivity in regions with erratic rainfall. Giving the difficulty in measuring the above-mentioned aspects in the field, modeling of some of the most relevant parameters to quantify them might inform the design of future empirical studieSIJB was supported by the Livelihood Sys- tems flagship of the CGIAR research program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA) and IP acknowledges funding from the Juan de la Cierva program (FPDI-2013-16221) and the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (project CGL2013- 48753-R

Rapport de l’atelier de clôture Capacitating Stakeholders in Using Climate Information for Enhanced Resilience in the Agricultural Sector in West Africa (CaSCIERA-TA)

CaSCIERA-TA est un projet de « Renforcement des capacités des parties prenantes à l'utilisation de l'information climatique pour l’amélioration de la résilience dans le secteur agricole en Afrique de l'Ouest" de 2 ans financé par le CORAF et les parties nationales du Programme de Productivité Agricole en Afrique de l’Ouest (PPAAO) des pays bénéficiaires. Il vise à améliorer la résilience du système agricole (cultures, élevage et arbres), la sécurité alimentaire et la nutrition face aux chocs climatiques saisonniers, depuis l’échelle champ jusqu’au niveau national. Il vise spécifiquement à fournir des services d'information agrohydro-climatiques pertinents et précis aux principales parties prenantes. Sept axes d’activités (workpackages- WP) ont été définis dans le projet dont le renforcement des capacités des acteurs clés pour générer et utiliser les informations climatiques (WP1), la production des informations agro-hydro-climatiques (WP2), la diffusion des informations agro-hydroclimatiques (WP3); les essais participatifs au champ et la validation des outils et méthodes (WP4); la mise à l’échelle des innovations réussies (WP5); le suivi et l'évaluation (WP6) et la gestion globale du projet (WP7). Coordonné par le World Agroforestry (ICRAF), le projet est mis en oeuvre au Benin, en Guinée, au Niger et au Togo par un consortium d’institutions nationales et internationales incluant le programme de recherche du CGIAR sur le Changement Climatique, l'Agriculture et la Sécurité Alimentaire (CCAFS), le Centre Régional de Formation et d’Information en Agro-météorologie et Hydrologie Opérationnelle (AGHRYMET), l’Institut National des Recherches Agricoles du Bénin (INRAB), l’Institut de Recherche Agronomique de Guinée (IRAG), l’Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique du Niger (INRAN) et l'Institut Togolais de Recherche Agronomique (ITRA). Après deux années de mise en oeuvre des activités définies, l’atelier final du projet a eu lieu les 9-10 décembre 2019 dans la salle de réunion de l’ICRAF a Samanko au Mali

Partnership for scaling up gender and nutrition-sensitive CSA II (P4S II) - 2020 Regional Annual Report

Agriculture is the main source of livelihood of the majority of the people living in the West Africa (Sissoko et al. 2011). At the same time, African societies face growing global change risks, with rapidly changing patterns of human settlements and intensity of use of ecosystem services. In addition, climate variability and change has emerged as a major threat on agriculture, food security and livelihood of millions of people in this continent (IPCC, 2014) and particularly in Africa. Climate change and variability trends are worsening the stress on the ecosystems that ensure environmental security, both locally (e.g., ecosystem services), regionally (e.g., sustainable development options) and internationally (e.g., carbon sequestration). Several studies indicated that agriculture production could be significantly impacted due to increased temperatures, changed rainfall patterns, and more frequent and intense floods and droughts. In West-Africa region, agro-sylvo-pastoral production systems are mostly climate-dependent, and climate-related risks can cause severe losses of crop, forest and livestock production, the main livelihood activities of more than 80% of the population. In light of these constraints, more sustainable production systems, ensuring provision of the needs of current generations without jeopardizing those of future ones, are called for. In response, a more holistic approach, known as Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA), is being developed, aiming at (i) sustainably improving productivity and income, (ii) adapting and building resilience to climate change and (iii) reducing and/or removing greenhouse gases emissions, where possible (FAO, 2010). There are many options to reduce the negative impacts of climate change on agricultural systems, make them resilient to climate change, and reduce emissions. Adopting Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) seems to be a suitable strategy to achieving food security while also mitigating and adapting to climate-related risks. In this perspectives, key elements include a comprehensive and gender-sensitive capacity development approach aligned with and driven by national priorities, applying knowledge management and effective learning approaches, facilitating multi-stakeholder processes, strengthening agricultural innovation systems and leveraging information and communication technologies (ICTs) and communication for development approaches FAO (2013). In line with the above, the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) seeks to develop up-scalable options of CSA through improved understanding of mitigation and adaptation opportunities in agriculture among smallholders in West Africa. In 2015, ICRISAT and ICRAF signed a partnership agreement to implement the project “Building resilient agro-sylvo-pastoral systems in West Africa through participatory action research (BRAS-PAR). Merging the actions of BRAS-PAR and P4S I to become P4S II was done with the intention to use tools and evidence/lessons learned from the Climate-Smart Villages and other development activities, with existing and new partners through direct scientific support to decision makers (e.g., governments, civil society, and researchers) and capacity building to help bring CSA to scale. This project led by the World Agroforestry (ICRAF) and jointly implemented with the national research institutes in Burkina Faso, Senegal and Ghana, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) aims to develop up-scalable technological and social innovations of climate-smart agriculture integrating croplivestock-tree systems through improved understanding of farmer's perceptions and demands, by addressing barriers to adoption taking into consideration the gender and social differentiation. P4S also aims to providing CSA evidence and tools to key partners at the right time and in the right format to create a sea change in CSA implementation in Burkina Faso, Ghana and Senegal

Assessing tree effect on total soil carbon in agroforestry parklands systems along a rainfall gradient in Burkina Faso (West Africa)

Trees contribution in improving soil carbon is well established, but few works addressed how this was affected by a climatic gradient. This research investigated effects of Vitellaria paradoxa C. F Gaertn and Parkia biglobosa (Jacq.) Benth on total soil carbon in parklands along a rainfall gradient for recommendations of tree species which better improve soil carbon under specific climatic conditions for parklands adaptation to climate change. Total soil carbon at topsoil and subsoil layers measured using spectrophotometry infrared method, was higher when rainfall increased and were respectively (1.598 ± 0.040; 1.033 ± 0.022; 0.834 ± 0.014; 0.857 ± 0.016%). It was higher at topsoil (0.529 ± 0.015%) and subsoil (0.282 ± 0.019%) under V. paradoxa when rainfall decreased while it was higher under P. biglobosa and V. paradoxa when rainfall increased slightly. Its improvement was higher under V. paradoxa and P. biglobosa when rainfall respectively decreased and increased. A decrease trend of total soil carbon under both tree species from trunk to outside the canopy whatever rainfall levels and soil layers was observed. Tree species choice could play an important role in improving total soil carbon and crop productivity according to rainfall level for parklands adaptation to climate change

Report of Annual review of “Partnerships for Scaling Climate Smart Agriculture Phase 2 (P4S II)’’

P4S II resulted from the merging the actions of BRAS-PAR and P4S I with the intention to use tools and evidence/lessons learned from the Climate-Smart Villages and other development activities, with existing and new partners through direct scientific support to decision makers (e.g., governments, civil society, and researchers) and capacity building to help bring CSA to scale. The scientific activities will be combined with dedicated communications activities such as photo essays, tweets, blog posts, etc. from field staff and partners to raise the visibility of the project and help show case of its successes in supporting countries and position of ICRAF, CIAT, and CCAFS as the go to research organization for the science of scaling up CSA. The key activity areas of P4S II will be around: supporting CSA investment and programming, De-risking agriculture, digital delivery and monitoring and community based scaling of CSA. The present meeting reviewed the achievements for year 2019 of P4S and planed the new activities around these areas for 2020

Rapport de l’atelier de revue des activités menées en 2018 et de planification de 2019 Capacitating Stakeholders in Using Climate Information for Enhanced Resilience in the Agricultural Sector in West Africa (CaSCIERA-TA)

CaSCIERA-TA est un projet de « Renforcement des capacités des parties prenantes à l'utilisation de l'information climatique pour l’amélioration de la résilience dans le secteur agricole en Afrique de l'Ouest" de 2 ans financé par le CORAF et les parties nationales du Programme de Productivité Agricole en Afrique de l’Ouest (PPAAO) des pays bénéficiaires. Il vise à améliorer la résilience du système agricole (cultures, élevage et arbres), la sécurité alimentaire et la nutrition face aux chocs climatiques saisonniers, depuis l’échelle champ jusqu’au niveau national. Il vise spécifiquement à fournir des services d'information agro-hydro-climatiques pertinents et précis aux principales parties prenantes. Sept axes d’activités (workpackages- WP) ont été définis dans le projet dont le renforcement des capacités des acteurs clés pour générer et utiliser les informations climatiques (WP1), la production des informations agro-hydro-climatiques (WP2), la diffusion des informations agro-hydro-climatiques (WP3); les essais participatifs au champ et la validation des outils et méthodes (WP4); la mise à l’échelle des innovations réussies (WP5); le suivi et l'évaluation (WP6) et la gestion globale du projet (WP7). Coordonné par le World Agroforestry (ICRAF), le projet est mis en oeuvre au Benin, en Guinée, au Niger et au Togo par un consortium d’institutions nationales et internationales incluant le programme de recherche du CGIAR sur le Changement Climatique, l'Agriculture et la Sécurité Alimentaire (CCAFS), le Centre Régional de Formation et d’Information en Agro météorologie et Hydrologie Opérationnelle (AGHRYMET), l'Académie des Sciences de Californie (CAS), l’Institut National des Recherches Agricoles du Bénin (INRAB), l’Institut de Recherche Agronomique de Guinée (IRAG), l’Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique du Niger (INRAN) et l'Institut Togolais de Recherche Agronomique (ITRA). Après une année de mise en oeuvre des activités définies, les rapports produits ont été soumis au CORAF qui a financé le projet. Ainsi, pour permettre aux partenaires du projet de discuter des activités réalisées en 2018, les leçons apprises et et les activités planifiées pour l’année 2019, un atelier a été organisé à l’ICRAF, Bamako, au Mali du 4 au 5 mars 2019. Au total, 21 participants venant des services météorologiques, des instituts nationaux de recherche et des représentations WAAPP du Benin, de la Guinée et du Niger, ainsi que des représentants du CORAF, du CCAFS, de l’AGRHYMET et de l’ICRAF ont pris part à l’atelier. L’équipe du Togo était absente à cette première rencontre de l’année 2019

Rapport de l’atelier de formation sur l’approche PICSA

La vulnérabilité des moyens de subsistance de la population locale reste de nature structurelle, et nécessite une solution politique, économique voire socio-culturelle pour améliorer la résilience de leurs ressources naturelles de base face aux effets des changements climatiques et construire une conscientisation sur les meilleures pratiques, à la fois parmi les décideurs politiques, les collectivités et les populations locales. Il est donc important d'intervenir avec des mesures d'adaptation répondant aux besoins des producteurs pour promouvoir la résilience afin d’atténuer les impacts des changements climatiques. Pour relever ces défis, le renforcement de la capacité des institutions locales, les Organisation non gouvernementale (ONGs) et des communautés locales s’avère indispensable. D’où le besoin d’une approche holistique (technologies climato-intelligentes) pour gérer les contraintes de production en tenant compte des risques climatiques. C’est pour remédier à certaines de ces contraintes que l’Agence belge de développement (ENABEL) et le Centre Mondial de l’Agroforesterie (ICRAF) ont convenu de la mise en œuvre d’un projet de 18 mois nommé « Renforcement de capacité des pasteurs et agropasteurs sur les Plateformes d’Innovation et la Valorisation de l’Information Climatique (PVIC). L’objectif général du projet consiste à renforcer la capacité technique des formateurs et producteurs leaders dans le cadre du projet d’Intervention Renforcement des Capacités des institutions et acteurs de la Région de Koulikoro pour accélérer l’adoption de l’agriculture climato-intelligente (ACI) et l’amélioration de la résilience des pasteurs et agropasteurs aux effets des changements climatiques. En effet, ENABEL Mali intervient dans la région de Koulikoro, une région située au Centre Ouest du Mali et peuplée de 2.418.305 d’habitants répartis dans 108 communes dont 3 urbaines et 7 cercles (Banamba, Dioïla, Kangaba, Kati, Kolokani, Koulikoro et Nara). La région de Koulikoro, à l’instar de toutes les autres régions du Mali, est extrêmement dépendante de l’agriculture, l’élevage, l’exploitation forestière, la pêche et la chasse. Ce mode de vie, déjà confrontée à la diminution et à la dégradation des terres due à la pression démographique et à l’appauvrissement des sols, associé à une variabilité climatique expose les pasteurs et agropasteurs aux risques climatiques. Autrement dit, l’économie de la région est fortement tributaire des performances du secteur agricole, qui est particulièrement sensible aux variations climatiques, et á la dégradation des ressources naturelles. La résilience de la population dans la région dépendra d’une adaptation efficace au changement climatique. Ainsi, le projet PVIC issu d’un partenariat entre le Centre International de recherche en Agroforesterie (ICRAF) et la Représentation Enabel au Mali est envisagé dans le domaine de la recherche action sur le changement climatique. Le projet vise spécifiquement à : § Renforcer les capacités des parties prenantes (services techniques déconcentrés, organisations non gouvernementales et organisations de la société civile) sur la notion, la mise en place, et la gestion des plateformes multi-acteurs d’innovation pour améliorer l’adaptation des populations et l’atténuation au changement climatique dans la Région de Koulikoro ; § Améliorer l’accès et l’utilisation de l’information climatique par les pasteurs et agropasteurs pour renforcer la résilience de leurs systèmes de production à travers la valorisation, la promotion de l’information climatique et des technologies intelligentes face au climat. § Renforcer la capacité des acteurs sur les techniques de production de fourrage et les pratiques agroforestières intégrées dans le système de production

West Africa Climate-Smart Villages AR4D sites: 2016 Inventory

Inventory of CSA practices in West Africa's Climate-Smart Villages