Sue Walker Professor of Agrometeorology Dept. Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences

1. Community Based Adaptations Sue Walker Professor of Agrometeorology Dept. Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences University of the Free State Bloemfontein, South Africa

2. Introduction • Large parts of Africa have semi-arid environment • High variability of rainfall • Scarcity of water for crop production on regular basis every year • Low area & efficiency of irrigation • Climate outlooks & weather forecasts are available but difficult for farmers to use • Need to identify climate sensitive on-farm decisions together with the farmers • Best to use participatory and action research methods

3. Community-based Resource Plan & Management Use participatory methods with villagers to make • a map of natural resources

4. Community-based Resource Plan & Management Use participatory methods with villagers to make • a map of natural resources • time lines of activities

5. Community-based Resource Plan & Management Use participatory methods with villagers to make • a map of natural resources • time lines of activities • matrix of choices or problems

6. Advantage of Participatory Technique • Allows community to express own needs & promotes ownership of information & learning is retained in community • Also promotes dissemination of info by • Developing good relationships with farmers built on trust • Promoting open channels of communication • Using appropriate media and language

7. Community Modeling Exercise Use existing farmer focus or study groups • Draw natural resources map using participatory methods • Farmers to id yields obtained in a wet & a dry year in last 5 years • Run crop model with a specific farmer’s inputs • Cultivar & planting date & plant population & fertilizer etc • Compare model & farmers yields • Repeat till farmers are happy the model can give good yield prediction • Brainstorm & discuss options for interventions • Researchers work overnight to develop model runs for these scenarios • Next day meet farmers again and share long-term model results for various interventions • Allow much discussion & questioning • Develop plan for on-farm mother trials with selected promising interventions

8. Modeling Example from Zimbabwe • John Dimes ICRISAT • Use APSIM model • Duration of season decrease • Crop choice important Highest priority is to raise current productivity of small-holder farmer systems as systems aresoil fertility constrained NOT water limited

9. Mother – Baby Trials • Mother trial = randomized, complete block design (Snapp, 2002). • with factorial levels determined where responses are expected • with 2-4 replications per site to give statistically valid results in farmers’ fields • researcher-designed and managed trials. • Baby trials = located around mother trials • consist of a few treatments un-replicated chosen from mother trial by farmers. • may be managed by researchers or farmers. • allow farmers to see for themselves the performance of treatments at different trial sites • allow for faster, larger-scale testing at different locations under different management conditions. “In summary, best farmer participatory research practices – as identified by farmers – engage farmers in genuine dialogue, address their concerns, and present technologies through learning-by-doing and learning-by-using. This develops farmers’ capacity to conduct experiments on their own and to teach each other. Research and extension need to learn from farmers...” from Rusike, Twomlow, Freeman & Heinrich, 2006.

10. Methods of learning used • Problem-based learning • to identify & solve farmers’ problems together with them • to identify local examples of micro-met manipulation • So that it becomes a “knowing–in–action” experience • Use action research learning cycle with community • “plan – act – observe – reflect” • Then repeat cycle

11. Community-based Interventions It is possible to change practices according to seasonal climate forecast • Tillage systems • Planting dates • Mulching • Water harvesting • Crop choice • Intercropping • Fertilizer application

12. Tillage Example from Zimbabwe Walter Mupangwa ICRISAT Dead-level contours with or without collection pits Ripper vs basins vs conventional Mulch or no mulch

13. Hendrick Smith Landcare & master farmers Introduce legumes Mitsuru Tsubo with Harun Ogindo & Elijah Mukhala Field experiments & model to predict effect of different seasons Intercropping Example from South Africa

14. ARC-ISCW Glen Team Farmers field experiments in marginal areas Upscale to many, many households & crops Mitsuru Tsubo Model to predict effects Water harvesting Example from South Africa

15. Participatory Agrometeorological Extension Strategy Durton NanjaZambian Met Dept Local radio & tape recorder Role plays Study groups On-farm ‘mother-baby’ trials Example from Zambia(Southern Province)

16. Need to provide Agromet Services “To have a positive influence on farm management operations, through the application of weather based decision systems would be one of the most practical contributions to sustainable development” – Kees Stigter Identify indigenous & local micro-met manipulations then explore and describe their scientific basis. Identify possible adaptive interventions & research details for specific location. Develop specific local advisories based on weather & climate forecasts

17. Development of Agromet Services • Use info • From farmers needs • technical & scientific background • e.g. climate variability; irrigation systems • Problem solving skills • Integrate range of experiences using • Climate databases and info • Computer skills (e.g. spreadsheets, simple models) • Interpolation of results • Adaptation for local situation • Preparation of advisories for farmers • Establish operational agromet service • Disseminate on regular basis • Use local language • Transfer to other communities

18. To achieve this…. We need to • be able to assess farmers needs by participation methods • have communication & community skills • build good linkages between departments - Met & Agriculture • have a model of climate effect on agricultural systems • design mother – baby trials together with community • have practical tools to compare different situations • be able to use these results and climate forecasts to develop operational agromet services for local farmers

19. sufficient balanced food for all the people all the time in spite of the weather