This document discusses Participatory Action Research (PAR) to test and validate climate-smart agricultural practices with rural communities in West Africa. The objectives are to develop a scalable model for agricultural development that incorporates innovative risk management strategies and integrated adaptation and mitigation technologies. Priority interventions being tested include soil nutrient management, agroforestry, land rehabilitation, and conservation agriculture. The goal is to empower local decision making around natural resources while supporting policy decisions with data collection and analysis on adaptation and mitigation options.

1. Participatory Action Research (PAR) for
increased adoption of climate smart agriculture
by rural poor in West Africa
Robert Zougmoré
Regional Program Leader West Africa,
CCAFS

2. Crop suitability is changing
Average projected % change in suitability for 50 crops, to 2050

3. Food security is at risk
In order to meet
global demands,
we will need
60-70%
more food
by 2050.

4. Climate change and Agriculture
• Climate change is making it increasingly urgent
for more widespread and significant changes in
farming practices to increase productivity and,
at the same time, use natural resources more
efficiently and sustainably.
• shifts to new crops and varieties,
• water and soil conservation measures
• planting trees on farms;
• …..

5. Agriculture must become
“climate-smart”
• contributes to climate change adaptation by
sustainably increasing productivity & resilience;
• mitigates climate change by reducing and
removing greenhouse gases;
• and enhances the achievement of national food
security and development goals.

6. Participatory Action Research
• More research and development work is called
for to ensure that the most appropriate options
for change are adopted.
• PAR is an approach that combines both
research and development work.
• PAR approach: particular actions, interventions,
are tested and implemented simultaneously
with local partners, researchers & development
workers cooperating closely;
• PAR is not easy to undertake.

7. Improved livelihoods/food
security/reduced poverty
Impact
amongst farmers in Africa
Enabling policy Eventual wider
environment created 8. Community livelihood adoption
improvements
Outcomes
Changes in knowledge 7. Adopting farmers/ Changes in knowledge
and attitudes of communities enjoy higher & & attitudes of farmers/
stakeholders more stable income communities
4. Adoption of Scaling-out
Scaling up
Scaling-up
6. Stakeholders
Scaling up technologies & 5. Adoption in
learning of NRM changes in practices other villages
3. Farmers/communities Iterations of 2. Changes in farmers’/
modify and innovate learning cycle communities’ attitude &
perceptions
1. Improved knowledge of
farmers
PLAR to adapt, develop and
Outputs
validate technological options
Generation of knowledge & tools (diagnosis,
vulnerability assessment, trade-offs between
Participatory diagnosis to identify adaptation & mitigation, technologies,
pilot sites and scope of options practices & policies)
Pathways to Impact

8. Objectives of CCAFS PAR
Test and validate, in partnership with rural communities & other
stakeholders, a scalable climate-smart model for agricultural
development that includes a range of innovative agricultural risk
management strategies

9. Place-based field work
Indo-
Gangetic
Plains:
There is risk of heat
West stress, melting
Africa: East glaciers, and sea level
Extreme rainfall variability Africa: rise; the intensity and
impedes precipitation Climate change will probability of extreme
predictions, but the Sahel likely intensify events will likely
will likely experience surface and increase.
shorter growing periods. groundwater stress.
Regional director:
Regional director: Regional director: Pramod Aggarwal
Robert Zougmoré James Kinyangi

10. PAR: test of integrated adaptation and
mitigation technologies/practices
Priority production interventions with expected mitigation
and adaptation synergies:
• Soil nutrient management (e.g.: organic manure and
fertilizer management through micro-dosing)
• Agroforestry (e.g.: Natural AGF parklands, biofuel and
drought tolerant varieties of maize, millet and sorghum)…
• Rehabilitation of degraded lands, soil & water management
• Conservation agriculture for increased carbon
sequestration and improved soil health
Potential mitigation practices to be examined from the
perspective of carbon sequestration, mitigation incentives,
institutional arrangements, gender impacts…

11. PAR: test of integrated adaptation and
mitigation technologies/practices
Priority interventions for mitigation and/or adaptation:
• Use of the analogue method and methods for innovative
knowledge sharing and networking among farmers;
• Climate risk management strategies with focus on ground
application for downscaled seasonal climate - crop
forecasting – drought-tolerant varieties– Index-based crop
insurance;
• Capacity building on crop forecasting: National/regional
teams established; capacity building workshops for local
teams, data needs identified; stakeholders meeting organized

12. Support to policy decision making
and Capacity strengthening
Policies to be oriented towards empowering local
decision making around natural resources
concerns: reconciling traditional laws and formal
legal codes for managing natural resources:
Use of existing tools & methods, data collection
and analysis that support decision making for
adaptation and mitigation (When climate finance
becomes a reality)

13. Recording and Management
• Data requirement and management strategy to
be developed by the partners
• SHG to maintain a diary of all agricultural
operations/interventions on a daily basis.
• Some baseline soil & water samples to be
collected and analyzed.
• Weather Data of current season and past years
to be collected from nearby Weather Station.
• Village land use map to be procured from Local
Government agencies.
• All data to be entered in a Database.