Suitability of project M&E systems to support agricultural MRV: The case of the Kenya dairy NAMA

Several countries are developing nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs) in the livestock sector. Compared to research on emission factors, much less attention has been paid to understanding systems for collecting activity data on change in livestock management practices and animal performance. This paper presents a framework for synthetic assessment of MRV systems based on UNFCCC criteria for credible MRV. The framework is applied to case studies of two existing monitoring and evaluation systems in Kenya’s dairy sector to investigate the extent to which these systems could be used as the basis for collection and reporting of activity data for a dairy sector NAMA in Kenya. Analysis of the case studies highlights three main findings: (i) codifying data collection, management procedures and roles is important for increasing transparency, while quality control and quality assurance systems play key roles in increasing confidence in data quality; (ii) milk yield is a key indicator used in estimating GHG emissions in the dairy sector, but further research is needed on potential sources of uncertainty and bias associated with different data collection methods; (iii) the involvement of multiple institutions in implementation of the sector- wide NAMA raises challenges related to the consistency and comparability between data collected by different institutions. Options for improvement in MRV practices will be determined to a large extent by the requirements of data users. These issues are not unique to Kenya’s dairy NAMA. Further assessment of the quality of activity data and the characteristics of credible MRV systems will support practical improvements in MRV for agricultural mitigation actions

How to Effectively Enhance Sustainable Livelihoods in Smallholder Systems: A Comparative Study from Western Kenya

Increasing communities’ adaptive capacity is crucial to enhancing the sustainability of livelihoods and landscapes in smallholder systems. This study evaluates the contributions of an asset-based community-driven local development project, which has an objective to enhance farmer livelihoods through context-specific agricultural and agroforestry training, in line with farmers’ identities, interests, and preferences. The project was implemented in two areas of the wider Nyando river basin: the Lower and Middle Nyando sites. The project effects on farmer livelihoods were evaluated by analyzing overall income enhancement through the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices via the computation of total values of harvest. Socioeconomic data from 183 households, half of which were involved in the project, were considered. The findings showed that locality played an important role in the adoption and success of good agricultural practices. Additional significant positive factors included project participation, size of land operated, horticulture farming, livestock ownership, ownership of a title deed, hours worked, and crop species richness. The number of years farmed had a significant negative correlation with the value of harvest. Considering the stark differences in livelihood effects in both sites, researchers conclude that external support for climate-smart agriculture uptake needs to be considerate of, and respond to, biophysical and socioeconomic context

The business case for resilient agriculture: A financial and risk analysis of maize farming technologies in Malawi

Maize-based farming systems are the most important food production system in East and Southern Africa, stretching over 19% of the cultivated area and engaging approximately 60 million people [1]. In Malawi, maize (Zea mays L.) is the main staple crop. It represents roughly 48% of the population’s dietary energy consumption and occupies 80-85% of the total cultivated land [2]. Almost all farmers cultivate some maize. Maize areas cover all eight Agricultural Development Divisions (ADD), with Lilongwe and Kasungu containing nearly 50% of the country’s area planted to maize

Does climate-smart agriculture make economic sense to farmers? Yes, and there's more evidence than you think

Initial and sustained use of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) often hinges on the economic costs, benefits and risks of the new management practice, as well as farmer’s socio-economic endowments. However, data showing the economic performance of CSA is rarely presented. Incomplete or missing information limits the interest of investors at all levels—donors, governments, private sector, and farmers.Initial and sustained use of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) often hinges on the economic costs, benefits and risks of the new management practice, as well as farmer’s socio-economic endowments. However, data showing the economic performance of CSA is rarely presented. Incomplete or missing information limits the interest of investors at all levels—donors, governments, private sector, and farmers

What is the evidence-base for climate-smart agriculture in Kenya? An analysis of what works where powered by Evidence for Resilient Agriculture (ERA)

Agriculture, forestry and fishing drives Kenya’s economy. This sector accounts for 34% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), generates more than 60% of the national export earnings, and accounts for 40% of the country's total employment (World Bank 2020). Most farmers (between 70 and 80%) are smallholders who produce almost two thirds of the food in the country (FAO 2015). Maize and beans are the cornerstone of agricultural production, covering 37% and 21% of the total cultivated land, respectively. Other major food crops are cowpea, pigeon pea, potatoes, cassava, millet, sweet potato, mango, coconut, banana, rice and cabbage. Major export crops include tea, coffee, cut flowers, avocados, beans and nuts

Making Trees Count in Latin America and the Caribbean: Measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) of agroforestry in the UNFCCC

Key messages ◼ About one-third of countries in Latin America express an intent to use agroforestry to meet national climate commitments. ◼ Despite this interest, technical and institutional barriers often prevent agroforestry from being represented and counted in United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) MRV processes such as national greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories and REDD+. ◼ The fact that agroforestry often isn’t counted in MRV systems has serious implications. Only if agroforestry resources can be properly measured and reported will they gain access to finance and other support, and thereby assume a prominent role as a response to climate change. ◼ Countries in the Americas that have found ways to make agroforestry visible in MRV have coordinated institutional environments, improved technical capacity in land use classification and tracking, and developed programs such as NAMAs to direct attention and resources to the issue

Hacer que los árboles cuenten en América Latina y el Caribe: Medición, reporte y verificación (MRV) de agroforestería en la CMNUCC

Alrededor de un tercio de los países de América Latina han expresado la intención de utilizar la agroforestería para cumplir con sus compromisos climáticos nacionales. A pesar de este interés, barreras técnicas e institucionales a menudo impiden que la agroforestería sea incluida y tomada en cuenta por los procesos de MRV de la CMNUCC, tales como los inventarios nacionales de gases de efecto invernadero (GEI) y REDD+. ◼ El hecho de que la agroforestería a menudo no sea tomada en cuenta por los sistemas de MRV tiene serias implicaciones. Solo midiendo y reportando adecuadamente los recursos agroforestales, estos podrán obtener acceso a financiamiento y otros tipos de apoyo, logrando que asuman un rol prominente como agentes de respuesta al cambio climático. ◼ Algunos países han encontrado formas de superar estas barreras y hacer notar a la agroforestería en sus sistemas de MRV, proporcionando lecciones que otros pueden seguir

Making trees count in Africa: Improved MRV is needed to meet Africa’s agroforestry ambitions

Key messages ◼ The UNFCCC’s Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture creates an opening for agroforestry to take on an important role in Africa’s response to climate change. ◼ We reviewed measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) of agroforestry under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) by examining national communications, nationally determined contributions (NDCs), REDD+ and Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) in developing countries, including all African nations. ◼ Support for agroforestry was stronger in Africa than any other region, and many African nations plan to use agroforestry to meet climate goals. However, technical and institutional barriers often prevent agroforestry from being represented in UNFCCC MRV processes. ◼ The fact that agroforestry often isn’t counted in national MRV systems has significant implications. Only if agroforestry resources can be properly measured will countries gain access to sources of finance and other support for agroforestry as a response to climate change. ◼ Widespread and strong support for agroforestry suggests that, in responding to the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture, African nations should emphasize agroforestry as a central strategy in the continent’s climate change strategies

The business case for resilient agriculture: A financial and risk analysis of maize farming technologies in Kenya

Maize-mixed farming is the most important food production system in East and Southern Africa, stretching over 19% of the cultivated area and engaging approximately 60 million people [1]. In Kenya, maize (Zea mays L.) is the main staple of 96% of the population and is cultivated by more than a third (38%) of the farmers [2]. Roughly 70% of production is small-scale (0.1-2 hectares [ha]) [3]. Maize areas cover approximately 1.8 million ha, from the coast lowlands (1-1250 meters above the sea level [masl]) to high potential highlands (>2100 masl), including eight provinces: Rift Valley (with the largest area under maize), Nyanza, Eastern, Western, Coast, Central, North Eastern, and Nairobi

Faire compter les arbres en Afrique: Une meilleure stratégie de MRV de l’agroforesterie pour satisfaire aux ambitions de l’Afrique

Messages clé ◼ L’Action commune de Koronivia pour l’agriculture, adoptée dans le cadre de la CCNUCC, est une opportunité pour faire de l’agroforesterie un élément clé de la réponse africaine aux changements climatiques. ◼ Nous avons évalué la visibilité de l’agroforesterie dans les processus de MRV de la CCNUCC en examinant les communications nationales, les CDN, la documentation REDD+ et les MAAN des pays en développement, en particulier l’ensemble des pays d’Afrique. ◼ L’agroforesterie est plus largement répandue en Afrique que dans toute autre région et de nombreux pays africains entendent l’utiliser pour atteindre leurs objectifs climatiques. Mais en raison d’obstacles techniques et institutionnels, l’agroforesterie est souvent sous-représentée dans les processus de mesure, notification et vérification (MRV) de la CCNUCC. ◼ Le fait que l’agroforesterie échappe souvent aux systèmes nationaux de MRV a des conséquences sérieuses. Ce n’est qu’en mesurant correctement les ressources agroforestières qu’il sera possible de donner au secteur un accès aux sources de financement et autres soutiens, pour faire de l’agroforesterie une pièce centrale de la riposte aux changements climatiques. ◼ Le soutien considérable accordé à l’agroforesterie tend à suggérer qu’en réponse à l’Action commune de Koronivia pour l’agriculture, les pays africains devraient miser sur l’agroforesterie comme stratégie centrale de leur réponse climatique