R4D Climate Change

Using Demand Side Management to Adapt to Water Scarcity and Climate Change in the Saïss Basin, Morocco. Final Technical Report.

Tue, 22 May 2012 09:04 GMT

Document Type: Technical Report

Production Year: 2012

Citation: Legrouri, A.; Kettani, D.; Kalpakian, J. Using Demand Side Management to Adapt to Water Scarcity and Climate Change in the Saïss Basin, Morocco. Final Technical Report. (2012) 61 pp.

Summary: This project proceeded on three tracks, a technical approach oriented towards testing the feasibility of and dissemination of drip irrigation techniques in disadvantaged contexts in the Saïss Basin, a part of the Sebou River Basin, in Morocco. We also conducted a KAP survey and its associated qualitative work that aimed to establish what the population knows about Climate Change and how it utilizes existing state efforts to mitigate the damage of Climate Change and excessive abstraction of water resources. The expansion of the farmers’ capacity to utilize the resources made available by the state through the formation of cooperatives and using the loans and grants provided for drip irrigation was the third locus of our project and it is the one that was most successful. This aspect was actualized through our Climate Change and Training workshops which directly led to the formation of the Zoubiya cooperative by local farmers. The cooperative’s members pooled their resources to create a water reservoir and drip irrigation systems for its members thereby increasing the adaptive capacity of the region in response to water shortages.

Final technical report: an experimental approach to capacity and toolkit development for monitoring and evaluation within climate change adaptation initiatives

Tue, 22 May 2012 08:49 GMT

Document Type: Technical Report

Production Year: 2012

Citation: Redda, R. Final technical report: an experimental approach to capacity and toolkit development for monitoring and evaluation within climate change adaptation initiatives. (2012) 40 pp.

Summary: The Project 'An experimental approach to capacity and toolkit development for monitoring and evaluation within climate change adaptation initiatives' was implemented by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS), the AGRHYMET Regional Center, and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The Project was funded through the Climate Change Adaptation in Africa Programme of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada and the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and had the following four specific objectives:

1. To harmonise approaches to Monitoring and Evaluation of climate change adaptation
2. To test methodologies through case studies integrating different administrative levels
3. To develop, test and improve training materials on selected methodologies
4. To develop a strategy for outreach

The project was able to deliver the required outputs and to effect some changes within the project implementing partners. Furthermore, it was able to facilitate an increased understanding on M&E practices, methods and tools in the context of climate change adaptation and to instigate change in stakeholder organizations.

Farmers’ Perceptions of Climate Change and Variability and Existing Opportunities for Adaptation in Wenchi Area of Ghana

Tue, 22 May 2012 08:19 GMT

Document Type: Journal Article

Production Year: 2010

Citation: Adjei-Nsiah, S.; Issaka, R.N.; Fening, J.O.; Mapfumo, P.; Anchirina, V.; Giller, K.E. Farmers’ Perceptions of Climate Change and Variability and Existing Opportunities for Adaptation in Wenchi Area of Ghana. International Journal of Climate Change: Impacts and Responses (2010) 2 (2) 49-60.

Summary: Climate change is increasingly emerging as the most significant environmental threat to sustainability of human livelihoods in Ghana, as in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa. A participatory research study initiated in 2007 in Wenchi, Ghana, shows that farmers consider poor rainfall distribution and frequent droughts as the most commonly observed indicators of climatic variability in recent times. About 55% of the farmers considered the 1980s as the decade of worst observed adverse weather events, and poor rainfall distribution was mentioned as the most observed adverse weather event by about 70% of the respondents. Farmers have responded to these adverse weather events by making changes in their farming practices. These changes included increased crop diversification such as planting of early maturing crops, use of drought tolerant crop varieties and planting of different crop varieties as well as escaping sensitive crop stages through crop management practices that ensure that critical crop growth stages do not coincide with harsh climatic conditions in the growing season. Early planting was the strategy frequently used by majority (34%) of the farmers, followed by the use of agro-chemicals (18%) and planting of early maturing crops (16%). Emerging priority areas for research include development of appropriate cropping systems to improve soil fertility and enhance sustainable production, and to develop appropriate soil and crop management practices for cassava-based cropping systems in order to improve yields and cooking quality of cassava, a major staple food for the people of Wenchi. Poor access to climate information and knowledge on crop management technologies is a major factor influencing the responsiveness of farmers to any externally introduced adaptation options.

Promoting participatory action research through structured learning on climate change adaptation in Africa, April 2009 through March 2010

Tue, 22 May 2012 08:02 GMT

Document Type: Report

Production Year: 2010

Citation: German, L.; Chuma, E.; Daoudi, A.; Maravanyika, T.; Tiani, A.M. Promoting participatory action research through structured learning on climate change adaptation in Africa, April 2009 through March 2010. (2010) 22 pp.

Summary: This project is designed to support the Climate Change Adaptation in Africa (CCAA) programme through support to project grantees in Participatory Action Research (PAR). CIFOR was contracted to work with and support a team of African mentors in supporting CCAA grantees to strengthen PAR within their research programmes, to enhance project impacts and lessons learning and publication of research findings. Activities and achievements in April 2009-March 2010 are presented.

Gender, climate change and REDD+ in the Congo Basin forests of Central Africa

Tue, 22 May 2012 07:40 GMT

Document Type: Journal Article

Production Year: 2011

Citation: Peach Brown, H.C. Gender, climate change and REDD+ in the Congo Basin forests of Central Africa. International Forestry Review (2011) 13 (2) 163-176. [DOI: 10.1505/146554811797406651]

Summary: The Congo Basin region of Central Africa contains the second largest contiguous tropical rainforest in the world, which is an important source of livelihood for millions of people. It is also important for climate change adaptation, as well as mitigation policies on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+). Men and women relate to and use the forest differently and so may experience the effects of climate change and REDD+ policies differently. Investigations through semi-structured interviews and document reviews in three countries of the region revealed that women have had limited participation in discussions on issues of climate change or REDD+. There is some evidence that gender consideration will become part of future national REDD+ strategies. Strategies to foster the effective participation of all stakeholders are essential to ensure that gender dimensions are addressed in issues of climate change, forest access, forest management and distribution of carbon benefits.

Enhancing smallholders' capacity to cope with climate change: Participatory Action Research and Integrated Soil Fertility Management

Tue, 22 May 2012 07:10 GMT

Document Type: Fact Sheet

Production Year: 2012

Citation: Mapfumo, P.; Adjei-Nsiah, S.; Mahoo, H.; Majule, A. Enhancing smallholders' capacity to cope with climate change: Participatory Action Research and Integrated Soil Fertility Management. (2012) 10 pp.

Summary: This factsheet aims to share the CCAA projects’ experience of and lessons from Participatory Action Research that focused on Integrated Soil Fertility Management with a wider audience. This includes rural development practitioners, non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, farmers’ organizations and extension services. The purpose is also to inform policy- and decision makers, donors and researchers.

Enhancing smallholders' capacity to cope with climate change: Use of Seasonal Climate Forecasts

Tue, 22 May 2012 06:59 GMT

Document Type: Fact Sheet

Production Year: 2012

Citation: Mugabe, F.T.; Admassu, H.; Sall, A.; Omolo, N.A.; Honkponou, S. Enhancing smallholders' capacity to cope with climate change: Use of Seasonal Climate Forecasts. (2012) 8 pp.

Summary: This factsheet aims to share the CCAA projects’ experience of and lessons from Participatory Action Research focused on use of Seasonal Climate Forecasts (SCFs) with a wider audience. This includes rural development practitioners, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil society organizations, farmers’ organizations and extension services. The purpose is also to inform policy and decision makers, donors and researchers.

The Application of Participatory Action Research to Climate Change Adaptation in Africa: a reference guide

Tue, 22 May 2012 06:44 GMT

Document Type: Report

Production Year: 2012

Citation: German, L.A.; Tiani, A.M.; Daoudi, A.; Maravanyika, T.M.; Chuma, E.; Jum, C.; Nemarundwe, N.; Ontita, E.; Yitamben, G. The Application of Participatory Action Research to Climate Change Adaptation in Africa: a reference guide. Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Bogor, Indonesia (2012) 106 pp.

Summary: This document originated from a workshop held in May 2008 whose aim was to distill the experiences of seasoned PAR practitioners across the continent into diverse development and national resource management challenges. As most of these experiences dealt with complex socio-ecological systems but without an explicit focus on climate change adaptation, this Reference Guide is intended as a draft, describing the anticipated relevance of PAR to climate change adaptation and presenting a “best bet” approach to the application of PAR in addressing adaptation challenges. As such, further elaboration of this PAR methodology is viewed as a research process in and of itself, with this draft guide being refined through field-based application and learning in the context of the CCAA program.

Following a description of the purpose of this guide and the targeted end users, and an introduction to the theory underpinning the application of PAR to climate change adaptation, we present a detailed description of the PAR methodology. Diverse PAR tools and stages in the PAR process are portrayed in detail, including basic tools that are used throughout the PAR process (facilitation, process documentation), preparatory steps in building teams and engaging stakeholders, ways of understanding the problem or opportunity and conceptualizing change, planning, managing of change, and the role of empirical research as inputs to decisionmaking. The guide finishes with a description of common challenges faced in the implementation of PAR and how these can be effectively addressed.

Potential impact of climate change on termite distribution in Africa

Tue, 22 May 2012 03:02 GMT

Document Type: Journal Article

Production Year: 2011

Citation: Shiday, B.M.A.; Nkunika, P.O.Y.; Sileshi, G.W.; French, J.R.J.; Nyeko, P.; Jain, S. Potential impact of climate change on termite distribution in Africa. British Journal of Environment and Climate Change (2011) 1 (4) 172-189.

Summary: Termites (Order: Isoptera) constitute an integral component of various ecosystems in Africa. Termites are also amongst the most difficult insects to study because of their cryptic behaviour and natural nesting habitat. There are around 2600 species of termites in 280 genera which have been described worldwide and about 39% of the total termite species are found in Africa. Termite identification is crucial to understanding termite distribution and their relationship to climate change. Some termite species are well known pests of agricultural crops, forest trees, wood products and timber-in-service causing considerable damage in Africa.

This review paper attempts to collate information on African termite distribution and climate change and highlights some knowledge gaps. Africa is the origin of the termite family of Macrotermitinae. The paper focuses more on economically important termite species in Africa. The use of traditional identification methods coupled with molecular techniques in resolving some of the challenges in termite distribution with particular reference to climate change in Africa are discussed. There is scant information on published literature on the impact of climate change on termites with particular reference to termite distribution in Africa. However there is anectodal evidence to suggest that African termite species will be affected by changes in the local and global climate.

The economics of agrobiodiversity conservation for food security under climate change

Tue, 22 May 2012 01:42 GMT

Document Type: Journal Article

Production Year: 2011

Citation: Pascual, U.; Narloch, U.; Nordhagen, S.; Drucker, A.G. The economics of agrobiodiversity conservation for food security under climate change. Economía Agraria y Recursos Naturales (2011) 11 (132) 191-220.

Summary: Subsistence-based and natural resource-dependent societies are especially vulnerable to climate change. In such contexts, food security needs to be strengthened by investing in the adaptability of food systems. This paper looks into the role of agrobiodiversity conservation for food security in the face of climate change. It identifies agrobiodiversity as a key public good that delivers necessary services for human wellbeing. We argue that the public values provided by agrobiodiversity conservation need to be demonstrated and captured. We offer an economic perspective of this challenge and highlight ways of capturing at least a subset of the public values of agrobiodiversity to help adapt to and reduce the vulnerability of subsistence based economies to climate change.