Community-based technology solutions: The Pintadas solar project in Brazil Rodolfo Pasinetti Rome, 20 November 2008 Second IMI CLIMTRAIN workshop CLIMATE.

Community-based technology solutions:The Pintadas solar project in Brazil

Rodolfo PasinettiRome, 20 November 2008

Second IMI CLIMTRAIN workshop

CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT:

OPTIONS AND INSTRUMENTS FOR IFAD

The need for technological solutions

Rome, 20 November 2008

• Technology innovation can help communities to adapt to the impacts of climate change.

• The UNFCCC emphasises the importance of technology transfer to address climate change and recognises that developing countries are less able to take advantage of new technologies.

• Technology transfer requires a framework that entails:– Hardware: the machinery or tools– Software: the capacity and processes involved in the use

of technologies– “Orgware”: the ownership and institutional arrangements

of the organization or community where technology will be used.

Adaptation methodology (I)

Rome, 20 November 2008

• The objective of an adaptation strategy is to be a reference for a “best practice” in adaptation

• The methodology for developing the strategy should outline all key components that are necessary to implement specific adaptation projects in a successful way

Adaptation methodology (II)

Rome, 20 November 2008

Project identification and boundaries Definition of the baseline scenario General planning of the project Setting up the activities Monitoring plan and definition of the new scenario Evaluation Identification of scale-up possibilities

The process phases should follow a methodology that allows to identify the characteristics of the project as a “best practice”

Rome, 20 November 2008

The 4th Report of the National Working Group for Strategic Planning to the President of Brazil pointed out that the semi-arid region will experience longer periods of droughts and intense precipitations condensed over shorter periods of time. This is likely to affect the current water cycle and the way in which water is stored in local surface and groundwater reservoir. Poor communities are likely to suffer most because of their little capacity and resources to cope with such changes.

Project identification and boundaries (I)

Mapping the climate change vulnerable region/area and sector Mapping poverty at national, sub-national, socio-economic and

occupational group Overlaying climate change and poverty (locate poverty hot-spot in

relation with CC) Identify geographical and socio-economic boundaries (target group)

Project identification and boundaries (II)

Rome, 20 November 2008

Pintadas• About 12,000 people

– 66% living in rural area• Pasture and agriculture

– Mostly subsitence agriculture• Poverty

– HDI 0.625 (Namibia)– GDP per capita 800 $ per year

• Recurrent droughts• Manual irrigation• Since the 1960’s, construction of artificial water reservoirs (barreiros or

barragens) mostly for water supply, domestic use, pasture, subsistence agriculture

• Today there are over 50 barragens that can support efficient irrigation (about 130-200 hectares)

Definition of the baseline scenario

Rome, 20 November 2008

Analyze what will be the impacts of climate change in a region that keeps using “conventional” technologies/strategies

What will happen to farmers in Pintadas, with decreasing rainfall, if they will not have access to modern irrigation technologies?

In Pintadas the baseline is defined by:

the impacts of climate change in the region investigated, i.e.decrease of rainfall

the impact to the target group, i.e. the farmers keep using “conventional” technologies such as hand irrigation

General planning of the project

Rome, 20 November 2008

Objectives:to create a project typology in the context of adaptation to climate

change in semi-arid regionsto empower communities to own, use and generate income from

clean technologiesto develop a partnership model that can be replicated

How to achieve this?by analyzing other local experiences (if existing)by articulating with direct and indirect project partnersby selecting the beneficiaries (through proper selection criteria)by developing a technology platform based on efficient and clean

irrigation and water pumping technologies that increase the agricultural yields of local food crops

by supporting farmers to own the model and make them more entrepreneurial

Setting up project activities (I)

Rome, 20 November 2008

Definition of the technology platform:•to increase food production•to produce food surplus to supply local markets•to produce different kinds of crops (for different uses)

Technological options for irrigation and pumping:•contact with suppliers•acquisition and installation of systems•capacity building

Setting up project activities (II)

Rome, 20 November 2008

• 2 organoponic systems of 75 m2

– Green leaves vegetables only– Other variants with fruits and

other culturesCost of about 7000 R$ (3500 $)

• 5 drip irrigation– 4 systems sharing a diesel pump– 1 system with a solar photovoltaic

pumpCost between 3000 and 4500 R$ ($ 1500 and $ 2400)

Monitoring plan (I)

Rome, 20 November 2008

Products sold

Tomatoes

Salad

Cowflower

Sunflower

Corn

Mashishi

Green pepper

Chilli pepper

Aubergine

Pumpkins

System 1

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

May

200

7Ju

ne July

Augus

t

Septe

mbe

r

Octob

er

Novem

ber

Decem

ber

Janu

ary

2008

Febru

ary

Mar

chApr

ilM

ay

R$

anosR

R

Rxmeses

RTP 3.6

$720

$4560

$6012

$4560

Monitoring plan (II)

Rome, 20 November 2008

 Products sold

Tomato

Beans

Green pepper

Cachiche

Quiabo

Pepino

Salad

Persika

Spieces

System 2

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

June

200

7Ju

ly

Augus

t

Septe

mbe

r

Octobe

r

Novem

ber

Decem

ber

Janu

ary 2

008

Febru

ary

Mar

chApr

ilM

ayJu

ne July

Augus

t

Septe

mbe

r

Octobe

r

Novem

ber

Decem

ber

R$ Venda, R$

Custo diesel, R$

Lucro, R$

anosR

R

Rxmeses

RTP 2.1

$2400

$2825

$20012

$2825

Evaluation

Rome, 20 November 2008

The 7 project beneficiaries – Are self-sufficient in terms of

food production and consumption

– Have an extra income– Have gone through a learning

process that has enhanced their leadership skills

The project– Has been a catalyzer for

partnerships– Has given hope to local farmers

Tempo de pagamento do sistema

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Flor Tonho Si Lita Valtinho-Rosangela

Yea

rs

Renda maxima (R$/mes)

R$ 0

R$ 50

R$ 100

R$ 150

R$ 200

R$ 250

Flor Tonho Si Lita Valtinho-Rosangela

Payback of the system–1 to 6 years–Microfinance is applicable

Scaling up

Rome, 20 November 2008

1. Articulation of the partnership2. Creation of a revolving fund3. Identification of land and water resources for replication4. Identification of other technological platforms5. Capacity building mechanism for small farmers6. Monitoring7. Launching a municipal program8. Replication in other municipalities