Livelihood adaptation is the key element of the support that CSDI is doing to FAO projects in Bangladesh to develop CCA. CSDI is developing a communication action plan for: institutionalization of the learning process; replication of good adaptation practices through the Climate Field School approach; up-scaling and mainstreaming successfully pilot tested livelihood adaptation options into development planning and policy decision making.

1. Communication for Development in
Climate Field School: The Case of
Livelihood Adaptation to Climate
Change Project in Bangladesh
CLEOFE S. TORRES
Associate Professor and Dean
College of Development
Communication
University of the Philippines
Los Banos

2. Livelihood Adaptation to
Climate Change (LACC)
•Subcomponent of Comprehensive
Disaster Management Program
(CDMP) funded by UNDP,DFID, EC
•Being implemented by Dept of
Agriculture Extension, Ministry of
Agriculture.
•With technical support from FAO
•Aims to improve adaptive capacity
to climate change for sustainable
livelihoods in agriculture sector
among farmers in drought
prone and saline coastal regions
of Bangladesh

3. Adaptation as a human behavior
Ahumanbehaviorthatdepends largelyon
one’s knowledge; starts withawareness but
shouldgofurthertowards empowerment
Communication as enabler

4. Climate Field School (CFS)
Transformation from
short- to longer-term
adaptation behavior
Communication as FACILITATOR of experiential learning
Experience
Reflection and
analysis
Lessons learned
Application

5. Merger of local
and technical knowledge
Guided pilot
testing/demo
Local
Adaptation
Practices
(Home Gardens)
Scientific Results
(amt. of water,
fertilizer, quality of seeds,
multiple cropping)
Menu of Viable
Adaptation Practices
• Suitable to local conditions
• Sustainable and eco-friendly
• Economically feasible
• Socio-culturally acceptable
• Integrated with development
Upazila Services
(infra, seeds, fertilizer,
technical advise)

6. Value-added of comdev in CFS
• Comdev facilitates and
extends participation as
farmers see need to discuss
and learn together
(Nachole)
• Participation in CFS
generates proactive stance
to seek for more and
different knowledge inputs,
e.g., compost preparation,
dried water hyacinth as
potato mulch (Nazirpur)

7. Value-added of comdev in CFS
• Use of low cost ICTs such as
flipcharts, framed photos,
flowcharts contributes to better
understanding of concepts and
processes, e.g., host-parasite
relationship (Nazirpur)
• Use of modern ICTs such as
video, film showing, etc.
enriches and promotes variety
to group learning

8. Value-added of comdev in CFS
• Promotion of messages about
climate change through folk songs
(gambhira, jarikan) enhances
social inclusion and participation
(Nachole, Bhandaria)
• Social mobilization engages
farmers in horizontal knowledge
sharing about their adaptation
needs, and in mobilizing local
initiative and resources in support
of their adaptation options
(Nachole, Gomostapur, Bhandaria,
Dacope, Nazirpur)

9. Features of comdev approach
in CFS
• Starts from local knowledge
• Decentralized but coordinated
• Enables farmers to make evidence-based
decision
• Provides avenue for collective learning
• Uses variety of communication tools
to enrich learning

10. Lessons learned
Planned use of communication
enhances collective learning.
Use of ICTs can provide new and
better learning experience in a
local setting as well as help
capture local knowledge.
More than the technology, CFS
enables farmers to engage in
critical and analytical thinking,
thus, prepare them to a more
informed decision making process.
Validation of local adaptation
practices through scientific process
yields long-term adaptation
options for the farmers.

11. cleofe.torres@yahoo.com
Thank you.