Scaling land and water technologies in Tanzania: Opportunities, challenges and policy implications

The scaling of land and water technologies has widely increased across different parts of the world; and is recognized as important for ecological systems. These technologies contribute to sustainable management of watersheds on which agriculture, food production and rural livelihoods for most developing communities depend upon. There are ongoing efforts designed to halt land degradation in the Western Usambara which have arisen from pressure on land resources mainly caused by demographic growth, deforestation and the abandoning of the traditional regenerative land use and farming systems. Socio-cultural and economic factors such as education level, age, gender, and land tenure, marital status and income earnings of smallholder farmers are factors considered important in the adoption of land and water management practices. Environmental factors were also identified as limiting factors to smallholder farmers in soil-water management practices. Such factors involved physical distance, slope, type of crops grown and farm sizes. Insecure land tenure especially among women limits their adoption of the technologies. Technological complexity of the technology (farmers prefer technology that are less complex and easier to use), preference for less labor intensive technology, required capital, land ownership (less adoption in new technology on hired/leased land), approach of introducing the technology (preference of participatory bottom up approach), and motivation and the involvement of farmers from conceptualization to implementation are factors that impact adoption of technologies between farmers. Unsustainable cultivation in catchments and destruction of water sources in Tanzania is limiting the flow of water on which some of water use technologies directly depend. In some areas where farmers and pastoralists co-exist, conflicts always arise from grazing on farmland, with destruction to water infrastructure. In recognition of the need for sustainable management of land and water, and the increasing conflicts over use of resources by different sectors, Tanzania has enacted several policies. The irrigation policy calls for the improvement of irrigation water use efficiency and effectiveness by promoting closed conduit systems and high efficiency methods such as drip irrigation and promotion of efficient water utilization technologies such as the System of Rice Intensification. There is need for harmonization and linkage of land and water management and the policies to avoid conflicts. Whereas for example the customary land law recognizes the right to land entailing some resources therewith, the water law does not recognize such customary right by granting the ownership right to water by the owner of land on which the water resource is found. There is need for adequate mechanisms for enforcing policies, regulations and by-laws. Local water governance institutions such as water user associations are important for sustainable scaling of land and water technologies. Horizontal and vertical scaling of the land and water technologies depends on factors such as facilitation of registration of water user associations and empowering them; implementing projects based on actual ground conditions for ease of adoption by communities; and involvement of the local government. Strengthening linkages between relevant institutions and their respective roles and responsibilities also require to be clearly defined. Promotion of land and water technologies should not be gender-blind but rather ensure participation of women and youth in the training and implementation. An integrated systems approach is needed to address the multi-faceted challenges in sustainable land and water management, and a focus on the entire value chain activities; from input supply to output market

An evaluation of multi-stakeholder platforms for scaling land restoration practices in Kilolo and Lushoto districts, Tanzania

This report investigates the functioning and outcomes of the multi-stakeholder platforms established in Tanzania. The study focused on two platforms in Kilolo and Lushoto districts and analyzed their activities to support scaling agricultural innovations. The findings show that the platforms are successful in network building and knowledge dissemination. However, there is a low participation of women and young people. In Lushoto district, the platform activities to support land restoration focused on erosion control engaging village ambassadors to disseminate knowledge on creation of water canals, afforestation, dissemination of tree seedlings to farmers and the drafting of a bylaw to protect the natural resources used as indicators in indigenous forecasting by elders. The platform in Kilolo focused on bee keeping to incentive protection of natural resources, protection of riparian zones and water bodies, terracing, dissemination of seasonal forecasts and agro-advisories, and set up farmer field schools on conservation agriculture and good agricultural practices

Climate vulnerability assessment for selected crops in Senegal

The Adaptation and Valorization of Entrepreneurship in Irrigated Agriculture (AVENIR) project aims to improve the socioeconomic well-being and resilience of farming households in the regions of Sedhiou and Tambacounda, Senegal. The project focuses on smallholder-irrigated systems through promotion of climate-adapted crops, smallholder irrigation and climate-smart agricultural technologies, particularly for women and young people. AVENIR seeks to promote crop diversification through the integration of rice, agroforestry,and horticulture. In the Tambacounda Region, in the Goudiry and Tambacounda Departments, the project will focus on activities along the rice and baobab value chains. In the Sédhiou Region, in the departments of Bounkiling and Goudomp, AVENIR will center on the rice, mango, and cashew value chains. Other crops prioritized for the two regions are ditakh, madd, onion,okra, and pepper. The Adaptation and Valorization of Entrepreneurship in Irrigated Agriculture (AVENIR) project aims to improve the socioeconomic well-being and resilience of farming households in the regions of Sedhiou and Tambacounda, Senegal. The project focuses on smallholder-irrigated systems through promotion of climate-adapted crops, smallholder irrigation and climate-smart agricultural technologies, particularly for women and young people. AVENIR seeks to promote crop diversification through the integration of rice, agroforestry,and horticulture. In the Tambacounda Region, in the Goudiry and Tambacounda Departments, the project will focus on activities along the rice and baobab value chains. In the Sédhiou Region, in the departments of Bounkiling and Goudomp, AVENIR will center on the rice, mango, and cashew value chains. Other crops prioritized for the two regions are ditakh, madd, onion,okra, and pepper. To produce a crop-specific vulnerability index and a final accumulative score, we combined the components of vulnerability using equal weighting. We also map the hotspots of climate change vulnerability and identify the underlying driving indicators. In Senegal, all the nine crops studied are most vulnerable in the southeastern regions, especially Tambacounda, Kaffrine, Sedhiou, Kolda, and Kedougou regions. More so, there is high vulnerability for baobab trees, ditakh, and madd to the north, and cashews, okra, mangoes, onions, peppers, and rice to the northeast. This study highlights how the adaptive capacity of the farming population can be enhanced by augmenting access to education and health care, improving nutrition, and developing infrastructure for marketing, transportation, and irrigation

Predicting the future climate-related prevalence and distribution of crop pests and diseases affecting major food crops in Zambia

Environmental factors determine the suitability of natural habitats for crop pests and often facilitate their proliferation and that of the crop diseases they carry. Crop pests and diseases damage food crops, significantly reducing yields for these commodities and threatening food security in developing, predominantly agricultural economies. Given its impact on environmental factors, climate change is an important determinant of crop pest and disease distribution. This study uses Targeting Tools, a climate suitability analysis and mapping toolkit, to explore the potential impact of climate change on select environmental factors linked to crop pest and associated diseases’ proliferation. Based on the existing literature, prediction modeling was performed on 21 key pests and diseases that impact the major food crops for Zambian consumption. Future changes in habitat suitability for these crop pests and diseases were mapped based on their optimal temperature and relative humidity conditions for proliferation. Results project that there will be an overall increased geographical spread of suitable habitats for crop pests (and as follows, crop diseases) that thrive in warmer environments. By the 2030s, crop pests and diseases will increasingly spread across Zambia, with a higher likelihood of occurrence projected under RCPs 2.6, 4.5, and 8.5. Crop pests and diseases that thrive in cooler environments will experience decreasing habitat suitability in the 2030s, but will transition to a slower decrease in the 2050s under RCPs 2.6 and 4.5. Overall crop pest and disease habitat suitability will continue to rise slowly in the 2050s; RCP 8.5 shows an increased habitat suitability for crop pests and diseases that thrive in warm environments, with a decreased likelihood of occurrence for crop pests and diseases that thrive in cooler environments. The results highlight the need for future-facing, long-term climate adaptation and mitigation measures that create less suitable microclimates for crop pests and diseases

Synthesis on application of multi-stakeholder platforms for land restoration and sustainable land management in Tanzania

Multi-stakeholder platforms (MSPs), also referred to as innovation platforms or learning alliances, is a form of governance that utilizes pooled resources to address existing regulatory, participation, resource and learning gaps bringing together the strengths of private, public, and nonprofit partners . This document provides a synthesis on the major outcomes, elements of success, challlenges and opportunities for multi-stakeholder platforms in land restoration and sustainable land management in Tanzania

How can we develop value chain programs that address climate risks?

The “How To Do Note: Climate change risk assessments in value chain projects” provides guidance for the design and development of climate-smart value chains. A number of tools and resources are available to support decision makers at various stages in value chain development. Mainstreaming climate risk management approaches in different stages of value chain development helps increase resilience of smallholder farmers. The IFAD-CCAFS learning alliance generates and shares knowledge to support IFAD’s programming needs

Prioritizing climate-smart agriculture practices in Western Kenya.

A climate-smart agriculture (CSA) prioritization exercise in Western Kenya was carried out as part of the activities in the CIAT-led research project on ‘Climatesmart soil protection and rehabilitation in Western Kenya’, funded by GIZ. This project aims to encourage sustainable approaches to promote soil protection and rehabilitation of degraded soil in Benin, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, India and Kenya. It also supports policy development for soil rehabilitation, soil information, and extension systems. A two-day regional workshop with 45 participants was held in Western Kenya; participants were local agricultural experts, representatives of agriculture related local NGOs and farmers from Bungoma, Kakamega and Siaya counties. Six farmers were invited from each of the five farm typologies (that had previously been identified by this project): i) smallscale mixed subsistence; ii) medium-scale mixed with commercial horticulture; iii) medium-scale mixed with commercial dairy; iv) medium-scale mixed with commercial cereal; and v) large-scale commercial farming. Separate focus group discussions were held with farmers and local experts, respectively to explore the differences between stakeholders. The workshop modules included: validation of the typologies in the three counties; CSA indicator selection; development of a short list of agricultural practices appropriate for each farm type; and climatesmartness assessment based on the three CSA pillars (i.e. production, adaptation and mitigation). Practices were prioritized using pairwise ranking and information on the potential benefits of practices by stakeholder was also documented. This study highlights the value of evaluating which practices were preferred in a local context and highlights the climate smartness of these practices based on desired objectives by local experts and farmers. Efforts to increase soil restoration and rehabilitation in Western Kenya should target the prioritized practices in each farm type to achieve high adoption rates and attain CSA goals. In addition, barriers highlighted by the stakeholders should be considered. Assessing practices against the CSA pillars helps to ensure that prioritized practices can also provide win–win or co-benefits to climate change adaptation and mitigation. Implementing this study was a way of testing the CSA prioritization framework developed by CIAT in 2014, which led to the development of a revised CSA prioritization process