Case study of Daga-Birame CSV for CCAFS ISP11/6.1.2 – Senegal

Senegal, with 196,712 km2 land area, is located at the extreme west of the African continent (Longitudes 11°21W - 17°32N and Latitudes 12°8N - 16°41N). The country’s soils are in general of low fertility, fragile and very susceptible to wind and water erosion. The climate is of Sudano-Sahelian type characterized by alternating dry season (November to May) and rainy season (June to October). The 700 km coastline brings climatic differences between coastal areas and inland zones. Rainfall amount follows a latitudinal variation going from 300 mm in the north semi-desertic areas to 1200 mm in the south. Senegal is divided into 7 agro-ecological zones for management perspectives: River Valley, Niayes, Groundnut Basin (North and South), Silvo-Pastoral zone, Eastern Senegal and Upper Casamance, Lower Casamance (CIAT-BFS/USAID, 2016). The country’s economy is mainly driven by crop and livestock production contributing 17% of the GDP and employing about 70% of the population (NAPA, Republic of Senegal 2006). Like other sub-Saharan African countries, Senegal faces food insecurity as a consequence of climate variability and change combined with other global changes (Zougmoré et al., 2015)

Low-cost adaptation options to support green growth in agriculture, water resources, and coastal zones

The regional climate as it is now and in the future will put pressure on investments in sub-Saharan Africa in water resource management, fisheries, and other crop and livestock production systems. Changes in oceanic characteristics across the Atlantic Ocean will result in remarkable vulnerability of coastal ecology, littorals, and mangroves in the middle of the twenty-first century and beyond. In line with the countries' objectives of creating a green economy that allows reduced greenhouse gas emissions, improved resource efficiency, and prevention of biodiversity loss, we identify the most pressing needs for adaptation and the best adaptation choices that are also clean and affordable. According to empirical data from the field and customized model simulation designs, the cost of these adaptation measures will likely decrease and benefit sustainable green growth in agriculture, water resource management, and coastal ecosystems, as hydroclimatic hazards such as pluviometric and thermal extremes become more common in West Africa. Most of these adaptation options are local and need to be scaled up and operationalized for sustainable development. Governmental sovereign wealth funds, investments from the private sector, and funding from global climate funds can be used to operationalize these adaptation measures. Effective legislation, knowledge transfer, and pertinent collaborations are necessary for their success