Theory of change West African Sahel and the Dry Savannas

Drylands SystemsIntegrated and Sustainable Agricultural Production Systems for

Improved Food Security and Livelihoods in Dry Areas

WAS&DSConstraints and Opportunities

A Kalinganire & IRT members

Drylands WAS& DS Intervention areas1 Wa-Bobo-Sikasso (WBS) transect ≈ Intensification Target area2 Kano-Katsina-Maradi (KKM) transect ≈ Vulnerability Target area

Integrated production systems

Historical integration of complex production components (no strict separation):Livestock systems:• Both at local and regional scales• Mutual benefits for farmers and herdsmen• Sometimes, can be, a source of conflict for land as

resources become scarce

Annual crops systems:• Rain-fed (upland/lowland): cereals, legumes, vegetables,

tubers & cotton• Irrigated crops systems

Tree crop systems:• Parklands, orchards, home gardens etc.

ACTIVITIES IDO LEVEL 1

2.1 Review past work on drylands systems in the region and draw lessons on successes, failures and gaps in knowledge for sustainable intensification and vulnerability reduction; and evaluate vulnerability and risk management strategies in the action sites

IDO 7: Policy briefs providing evidence targeting key fora for policy change

Analysis of policy and institutional barriers to adoption of sustainable intensification options

2.2 Coordinate and harmonize database management and research methods

2.4 Promote local and regional knowledge generation and exchange for scaling up and out of promising intensification options and strategies

2.6 Establish reference situation / baselines for the action sites to support systems approaches

IDO 6: Improved and innovative extension methods better targeted to message and context and tools to assist in selection of appropriate methods

Improved models for interaction amongst service providers to enable integration of service provision amongst sectors

IDO LEVEL 2ACTIVITIES

IDO 2: Improved intensification options (components, interactions and their management; information on investment costs, returns and risk; risk mitigation)

2.7 Quantify resource use and associated tradeoffs to optimize community-level decision making to promote SI and vulnerability reduction

IDO LEVEL 3ACTIVITIES

IDO 1: Improved resilience options …..

Decreased vulnerabilitySustained

intensification

2.9 Assess and monitor biomass and resource flow in the action sites

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IDO 3: Diagnosis of constraints and opportunities of local food systems leading to identification of constraints and opportunities to improve year round access to food

2.10 Review, analyze, develop and test community-based strategies for resource management including land tenure, seed systems, conflict management, access to market and financial services

2.5 Induce intensification and improve resource use efficiency through on-farm testing and evaluation of technologies

IDO 5: More innovative partnership models involving entrepreneurs, marketing commissions, traders and warrantage (inventory credit systems)

IDO 4: Technologies, tools, methods, processes and approaches developed and tested for evidence based ecosystem management

ACTIVITIESIDO LEVEL 1

2.1 Review past work on drylands systems in the region and draw lessons on successes, failures and gaps in knowledge for sustainable intensification and vulnerability reduction; and evaluate vulnerability and risk management strategies in the action sites

IDO 7: Policy briefs providing evidence targeting key fora for policy change

Analysis of policy and institutional barriers to adoption of sustainable intensification options

2.2 Coordinate and harmonize database management and research methods

2.8 Facilitate effective linkages and knowledge exchange among different actors for improved system productivity and better market access

2.6 Establish reference situation / baselines for the action sites to support systems approaches

IDO 6: Improved and innovative extension methods better targeted to message and context and tools to assist in selection of appropriate methods

Improved models for interaction amongst service providers to enable integration of service provision amongst sectors

IDO LEVEL 2ACTIVITIES

2.7 Quantify resource use and associated tradeoffs to optimize community-level decision making to promote SI and vulnerability reduction

IDO LEVEL 3ACTIVITIES

IDO 1: Improved resilience options …..

2.3 Develop and test value adding strategies for post-harvest management, processing and use of agricultural produce and by-products including forest product

Decreased vulnerabilitySustained

intensification

IDO 4: Technologies, tools, methods, processes and approaches developed and tested for evidence based ecosystem management

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THREAT, PROBLEM,

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IDO 3: Diagnosis of constraints and opportunities of local food systems leading to identification of constraints and opportunities to improve year round access to food

IDO 2: Improved intensification options (components, interactions and their management; information on investment costs, returns and risk; risk mitigation)

2.10 Review, analyze, develop and test community-based strategies for resource management including land tenure, seed systems, conflict management, access to market and financial services

IDO 5: More innovative partnership models involving entrepreneurs, marketing commissions, traders and warrantage (inventory credit systems)

• Need an exemplary system-oriented design with integrated outputs for scaled up and out.

• Agree on the goals as being IDOs 1 and 2, these would not be IDOs, but overarching goals and the other 6 IDOs should feed into them.

• Cluster activities: Need to abolish CA1; and merge activities 2, 6 and 9 into one; 7 and 10 need to be merged.

Cluster activities, IDOs and goals

Key constraints(Bio-physical limitations) Inadequate and erratic rainfall – efficient water management.• Depleted soil fertility.• Poor nutritional quality & high livestock stocking density.• Inadequate improved germplasm for systems in the context of climate

change & market demand. (Political and socio-economic limitations)• Inefficient rural advisory services –more capacity building of partners

involved with scaling up and out. Limited access to credit. High population growth rates (Sahel amongst highest) – more food deficits

leading to rural poverty. Poor land and tree tenure policies – e.g. frequent conflicts between

farmers and pastoralists.

Governance and partnership Not yet effective system research and integrated team working spirit built

among partners.• Poor involvement of partners in the leadership and management -regional

advisory committees.• Increase minimum budget allocated to partners (at least 50% of CRP

budget?). • Managing partner expectations amidst numerous comparisons to other

NGOs -maybe along with lack of clear understanding of the scales of intervention.

• Non-CGIAR action site coordinators (caution: trans-boundary action sites) -only 2 transects (including the satellite sites).

• More budgeting power in regional coordinators not only center focal points for (activity implementation, partners’ budget etc.).

Limited financial resources available to Centers to implement planned activities leading to key IDOs (to be based on CAs contribution).

• The Regional Stakeholder Advisory Committee (RSAC) – Not yet. • Data management (storage, analysis and publications)• Communication within region and between regions

Local institutions:• NARES -Agricultural Research Services & Agricultural extension

services at local level and policy makers – universities & governments.

• Customary (CBOs) & NGOs• Pivate sector (needs more involvment)

CGs - Better harmonized planning, monitoring and learning efforts across centers at sites.

Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Program (CAADP): • FARA: Sub-Saharan Africa Challenge Program (SSA CP)• CORAF/WECAD: WAAPP

Other CRPs: less interactions with other CRPs ( but good opportunities for cross CRP collaborations)

Governance and paternership (cont’d)

Concluding remarks: • Drought as a result of low rainfall -land degradation and

low soil fertility are key challenges leading over exploitation of the majority of landscapes.

• Population growth reduced farm size –no expansion of the cropped or grazed land- decreasing soil fertility and deforestation

• Due to various sources of water, there are opportunities for diversification and intensification.

• Increased private-sector participation needed in agricultural production and marketing lead to crop and livestock intensification.

• Policy for land tenure and other forms of natural resource tenure (water, trees, animals, etc.).

• Innovation platforms are important for integrating…

Thank you!