cimmyt presentation on csa

A Practical Guide to CSA technologies

Christian Thierfelder

„It is not possible to do the same things in the same way and expect different

results.....“

„We are running the danger of being too vague – we therefore need concrete

examples....!“

The Rationale of a Practical Guide to Climate Smart Agriculture

● Organizations need practical hands-on extension guidelines – no mixed messages – no confusion

● Information is needed for practitioners on what technologies we have where we should put them how climate smart the technologies are

and how do we get them out to the farmers

Different visual ways of quantifying and describing a climate smart technology

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Agroforestry

Nutrition securityPoverty alleviationNatural resource management

Improved cook-stove

Conservation agriculture

Increased yieldsSoil quality & carbon

Reduced degradation &

erosion

Dietary diversity

Intercropping

Market accessIncrease income

Participatory approach

Landscapes with multiple CSA options

Evolution from Toolbox Version 1.0● First toolbox information was considered useful

but not inclusive enough (too narrow)● Too much confusion - what do we mean by a

toolbox?● Change of name from a toolbox to a “Practical

Guide”

What will our Practical Guide consist of?● A set of tools to help users to determine farming

practices that are climate smart (targeting)● Farmers’ own agro-ecosystems and circumstances are

taken into account ● Selected farming practices lead to improved productivity,

adaptation and resilience to the effects of climate change.

● The Guide will help to choose techniques and practices and assess the “climate-smartness” of the technology

● The Guide includes extension approaches

Community profiling of climatic risks to

agriculture

Tools to analyse and articulate an evidence-based understanding of

the local agro-ecosystem and farming systems

Provides understanding of the risks and

vulnerabilities towards climate change

Segment 1

Climate smart farming technologies

and practices

A description of farming techniques and practices from which practitioners and decision makers can

select most suitable practices.

The description will provide information on the climate “smartness” of the technologies and

practices

Segment 2

Participatory selection of climate

smart farming technologies and

practices

Selection tools to choose a combination of

techniques/ practices from Segment 2, taking

the agro-ecosystems and climate vulnerability risks from Segment 1

into account

Segment 4

An Africa-specific CSA Guide for Practitioners and Decision Makers

Methodologies and approaches for CSA

extension

Provides a list of methodologies/approach

es for working with farmers and

communities to facilitate adoption of CSA practice.

Aide to extension of CSA technologies

Segment 3

Which CSA technologies and practices we will be include at this stage?CA (including CAWT)Stress-tolerant germplasmZai pits and other water harvesting

systemsImproved and targeted fertilizer use Crop diversificationFodder shrubs for improved cattle feedingAlternate wetting and drying in rice Farmer management natural

regeneration (FMNR)

● Task teams have been identified● A series of eight CSA systems have been prioritized and are

currently summarized following a template● Decision support systems are being developed● A writeshop is scheduled for May 04-08, 2015 in

Johannesburg● Outcome expected: almost final CSA Practical Guide

needing design● Final product ready by June 2015

The CSA Practical Guide – where are we?

Work stream March April May June July Aug Sept Oct1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

Nominate and commission task teams to work on each Segment

General Stakeholder consultation on what is expected in a tool box - (done by task teams)

Joint task team working session to review and technically validate the Practical Guide – COMESA Region

Expert team refine and finalise the Practical Guide; publication and printing

Use the West Africa CSA Regional Workshop to interrogate the Practical Guide and align/domesticate to regional circumstances and needs

Launch of the Practical Guide at the Africa CSA pan-African forum

Dissemination and training programmes for users

The 3rd international Conference on Financing for Development will be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,

The 25th AU Summit

Timelines – the Guide will be ready by June

An Example: Conservation Agriculture

CA – decision tree

Manual systems Animal traction systems

Manual direct seeding Rip-line seeding Direct seeding

Maize, sorghum,

groundnuts, cowpea,

Vulnerable farmers

Manual farmers without access to draft power

Cash constraint farmers with access to draft power

Emerging commercial farmers

Maize, sorghum, groundnuts,

cowpea, beans sunflower

Maize, groundnuts, cowpea, beans, soybean, cotton,

sunflower


sunflower

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Rainfall: 500-700 mm; Plant

population: 36,000 plants/ha


population: 44,000-53,000 plants/ha

Rainfall: 800-1400 mm, Plant

population: 44,000 -53,000 plants/ha


population 44,000 -53,000 plants/ha

Maize, sorghum,

groundnuts, cowpea,



Basin planting

Manual systems Animal traction systems

Manual direct seeding Rip-line seeding Direct seeding

Maize, sorghum,

groundnuts, cowpea,

Vulnerable farmers

Manual farmers without access to draft power

Cash constraint farmers with access to draft power

Emerging commercial farmers




sunflower


sunflower

Fa

rm

typ

olo

gy

Rec

om

me

nd

ed

c

rop

s

Ra

infa

ll

reg

ime

See

din

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sys

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population: 36,000 plants/ha


population: 44,000-53,000 plants/ha


population: 44,000 -53,000 plants/ha


population 44,000 -53,000 plants/ha

Maize, sorghum,

groundnuts, cowpea,



Basin planting

How will the system be described?● Manual seeding systems● Animal traction seeding

systems● Climate smartness of CA● Different crops to be grown

under the system at different intensities

● Challenges in the implementation

Figure 2: CSA potential of CA systems in sub-Saharan Africa

CSA potential of CA systems in southern Africa

• Basin planting

• Jab-planter • AT Direct seeder

• Dibble stick

• Hoe-planter

• Magoye ripper

TLC, 2014

ICRAF

There is still work to be done….!

● Targeting tool – how can we best describe and understand the agro-ecosystem, the farmer circumstances and the risk mitigation potential?

● Extension tool – what extension methods and practises are likely to lead to best response and uptake of technologies?

How can this be achieved?● Who will be the users of the practical

guide?● What will be the measurements for

specific CSA technologies implemented in Malawi?

● How will we report these and what will be the overall effects and outcomes?

● What key indicators need to be collected?● What additional technical support would be

needed for an implementation plan?E.g. tools, methods, analyses…etc.

Thank you very much!

cimmyt presentation on csa

Environment