Abunyewa, Akwasi

Baron, J.

Cofie, Olufunke O.

Douxchamps, Sabine

Kizito, Fred

Lamptey, B.

Naaminong, K.

Wijk, Mark T. van

CGSpace (CGIAR)

The	  3rd	  International	  Forum	  	  on	  Water	  and	  Food	  Tshwane,	  South	  Africa	  November	  14	  –	  17, 2011	  	   	   	  	  	  Co-­‐hosted	  by:	  	  	   	  Volta Storylines and scenarios: A mouthpiece for interventions that enhance livelihoods FRED	  KIZITO1,	  JENNIE	  BARON2,	  MARK	  VAN	  WIJK3,	  SABINE	  DOUXCHAMPS4,	  OLUFUNKE	  COFIE4,	  KARBO	  NAAMINONG5,	  BEN	  LAMPTEY6	  AND	  AKWASI	  ABUNYEWA7	  1International	  Water	  Management	  Institute,	  Ghana	  2Stockholm	  Environmental	  Institute	  (SEI)	  	  3CIRAD-­‐UPR	  Green	  4IWMI	  Ouagadougou,	  Burkina	  Faso	  5Animal	  Research	  Institute	  (CSIR)	  6WASCAL	  7Savannah	  Agricultural	  Research	  Institute	  (SARI),	  Ghana	  fkizito@cgiar.org	  	  S e s s i o n :  L e a r n i n g  t o  I n n o v a t e     Summary Volta	  storylines	  and	  scenarios	  capture	  observed	  changes	  in	  the	  basin,	  their	   implications	  for	  human	  well-­‐being	  then	  provide	  a	  recipe	  for	  realistic	  interventions	  that	  enhance	  livelihoods.	  This	  effort	  relies	  on	  scenarios	   analysis	   using	   both	   qualitative	   (semi-­‐structured	   interviews)	   and	   quantitative	   (bio-­‐physical	  data)	   analyses	   with	   multi-­‐disciplinary	   tools,	   then	   map	   out	   existent	   conditions	   at	   various	   scales.	  Collectively,	  the	  Volta	  storylines-­‐scenarios	  will	  explore	  challenges,	  trade-­‐offs	  and	  identify	  opportunities	  from	  previous	  and	  on-­‐going	  case	  studies	  to	  yield	  a	  set	  of	  compelling	  and	  consistent	  storylines.	  Although	  this	  initiative	  does	  not	  suggest	  that	  an	  optimal	  path	  will	  be	  prescribed,	  it	  will	  realistically	  illuminate	  and	  Ke y M es sage  We	  hypothesize	  that	  Volta	  storylines	  and	  scenarios	  identify	  interventions	  that	  stand-­‐out	  from	  past	  and	  present	  research	  and	  serve	  as	  a	  collective	  mouthpiece	  that	  facilitates	  interventions	  and	  	  better	  communication	  of	  research	  findings	  to	  enhance	  resilience	  and	  livelihoods	  of	  target	  groups.	  	  International	  Forum	  on	  Water	  and	  Food	  capture	  relevant	  drivers	  and	  interventions	  that	  stand-­‐out	  at	  multiple	  scales.	  Storylines	  and	  scenarios	  will	  offer	  an	  amplified	  message	  that	  enhances	  communication	  of	  on-­‐going	  efforts	  from	  interventions	  carried	  out	  within	  the	  context	  of	  the	  VBDC	  research.	  A	  practical	  example	  is:	  “Increase	  in	  population	  within	  the	  basin	   is	   placing	   increasing	   pressure	   on	   limited	   natural	   resources	   that	   are	   in	   turn	   degrading	   e.g	  water	  quantity	   and	   quality.	   The	   returns	   from	   fisheries	   in	   reservoirs	   and	   out-­‐of-­‐season	   vegetable	   production	  using	   supplemental	   irrigation	   from	   the	   reservoirs	   promises	   income	   increases.	   The	   modest	   rise	   in	  incomes	  allows	  various	  farmers	  to	  experiment	  with	  more	  resource-­‐conserving	  agricultural	  practices	  such	  as	   soil	   and	  water	   conservation	   practices	   that	   reduce	   pressure	   on	   resources,	   partly	   counteracting	   the	  effect	   of	   rising	   populations.	   Other	   secondary	   benefits	   ensue	   from	   these	   practices	   and	   enhance	  environmental	   security	   through	   reduced	   degradation	   and	   depletion	   of	   water	   resources	   as	   well	   as	  increasing	   food	   security	   at	   household,	   community	   and	   regional	   levels”.	   This	   will	   serve	   as	   a	   tool	   for	  building	   understanding	   in	   support	   of	   decisions	   that	   target	   pathways	   to	   transformation	   of	   livelihoods.	  Results	  from	  this	  research	  could	  be	  used	  as	  a	  decision	  support	  tool	  for	  policy	  makers	  and	  researchers	  to	  communicate	   findings	   to	   target	   groups	   in	   a	   manner	   that	   promotes	   easy	   uptake	   and	   sustainable	  implementation	  of	  interventions	  that	  enhance	  livelihoods.	  	  CONCEPTUAL	  ILLUSTRATION	  FOR	  VOLTA	  STORYLINES	  AND	  SCENARIOS	  	  	  BRIEF	  DESCRIPTION	  OF	  CAPTION:	  IN	  THE	  FIGURE	  ABOVE,	  	  THE	  VOLTA	  BASIN	  IS	  SUBJECTED	  TO	  VARIOUS	  DRIVERS	  AND	  OFFERS	  DIVERSE	  LIVELIHOOD	  CHALLENGES,	  THERE	  LIES	  AN	  OPPORTUNITY	  TO	  HAVE	  CONSISTENT	  STORYLINES	  ACROSS	  THE	  VBDC	  PROJECTS	  TO	  PROVIDE	  A	  FRAMEWORK	  WITHIN	  WHICH	  THE	  PROJECTS	  	  CAN	  FORMULATE	  THEIR	  SPECIFIC	  SCENARIOS	  AND	  APPROPRIATE	  INTERVENTIONS	  TO	  IMPLEMENT	  THE	  VBDC	  CHALLENGE	  (FIG.1).	  THE	  DESIRED	  INTERVENTIONS	  SUCH	  AS	  GOOD	  PRACTICES	  AND	  ACTION	  RESEARCH	  RESULT	  IN	  “MODIFIED	  STORYLINES”	  WHICH	  TRANSLATE	  TOWARDS	  ACHIEVING	  THE	  VBDC	  RESEARCH	  OUTCOMES	  AS	  SHOWN	  IN	  THE	  FIGURE.	  

Volta storylines and scenarios: A mouthpiece for interventions that enhance livelihoods

https://cgspace.cgiar.org/bitstream/10568/10418/1/VSt001_Final_RD_1410.pdf

Volta storylines and scenarios: A mouthpiece for interventions that enhance livelihoods

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

CGSpace (CGIAR)