VRA experiences

1. VRA experiences Niger Namibia By Katiella and Nickey

2. Adjusting Community Based NRM Practices to reduce climate change risk in the Omusati Region. The objective of the Project is to increase community-level capacity to be able to adapt to climate change through implementation of sustainable natural resources management practices at four (4) farming communities in Onkani arid lands and the surroundings.

3. Outcomes USD 53,235.28

4. Outcomes USD 45,954.13

5. VRA Process • About 50 people invited/participated initially • Later, only representatives from four targeted villages • People collected with two vehicles • Lunch provided (traditional dish) • Other stakeholders invited.. CPP… grn.. • Brainstorming done on CC • CC/Greenhouse explain by CPP experts • VRA process rationaled • Other PRA methods blended with VRA - only one big piece of paper (ZOPP) • Three quarters of a day on VRA • In the end …experience appreciated

6. Some lessons CC not technically known by villagers A brainstorming session on Climate Change indicated that the community is not really conversant with CC. They might have experience CC in their villages but never discussed is as such within a bigger group or even at home. The CC technical terms are new to them. Therefore……. • ..the VRA session to be preceded by a thorough session on CCA. • TRANSLATION • discussion on CC in every community meetings starting with the CBA planning sessions and will be continued with the implementation of the project.

7. The H-Form

8. Objective: The objective of the project is to build the capacity of the community to engage in livelihood practices that will maintain and strengthen ecosystem resilience in the face of climate change including variability Outcomes Co-Financed Traditional wells rehabilitated (co-financing) Creation of grain and seed banks to promote better-adapted and climate-resilient seeds and to provide a buffer against food insecurity stemming from increasing climate variability (co-financing) Outcomes Core SPA Water points protected against climate-driven siltation, erosion and desertification (Tree-planting around water points) Alternative NRM practices piloted in the Tarka valley to promote ecosystem resilience in the face of climate change (Piloting of cultivated forage, Piloting of dune fixation measures using hedgerows, Piloting of degraded land restoration measures) Community members trained to implement and monitor climate-resilient natural resource management practices. Lessons learned from project implementation integrated into local-level planning Supporting Adaptation of Productive Practices among Pastoral and Agro pastoral Communities in the Rombou Rural Commune (Dakoro Department) USD 145,000.00

9. Objective: The objective of the project is to build the capacity of the community to engage in livelihood practices that will contribute to the reduction of climate change-driven soil erosion pressures. Outcomes Co-Financed Measures piloted to restore degraded land (25 hectares of degraded land restored, including 5 hectares of dunes Community members trained to implement and monitor land reclamation practices. Outcomes Core SPA Decreasingly sustainable exploitation of natural ecosystems and extensive agricultural practices replaced with intensive practices which will reduce deforestation and be more sustainable in the face of long-term climate change pressures. A community-managed bank of agricultural inputs instituted Demonstration of quick-maturing seeds 15 community-level “brigadiers” trained to disseminate identified best practices in climate resilient agriculture locally Agricultural implements provided to the most vulnerable households (less than 10 households, who would otherwise be forced to subsist on clime-stressed ecosystems) Lessons learned from project implementation integrated into local-level planning Development of sustainable agricultural techniques for adapting to climate change in three villages in the municipality of Roumbou, Department of Dakoro USD 61,000.00

10. SPECIFIC FACILITATION TECHNIQUES • Background on climate change and explanation on the VRA methodology given. • Questions repeated several times • More than one facilitator effective and culturally appropriate. • Follow up questions asked which successfully elicited detailed information on how climate change impacts have manifested themselves in the communities. • Opinions of different gender and age groups actively solicited. • Appropriate use of humour and other cultural tools can help to test the accuracy of the community answers

11. VRA and Gender • For most of OIKE project…it is women • Roles and Responsibilities shared if not equal….almost within all set-ups • Young man and women actively engage but not as desired • SGP principle of gender consideration in projects brushed

12. What can done? • Introduce the VRA at NCC and field facilitators levels before the community meeting • Translate into local languages for all questions need to be agreed before going to the meeting. • Comprehensive scoring system • Need to limit participant group size • To prepare and adapt the first question of VRA for the target group. • Baseline-additionality reasoning must be clearly understood • Reduce the number of questions

13. CHALLENGES • Levels to measure indicators • Accuracy of the Baseline • VRA and other existing local M&E tools • VRA quantitative data? Thanks for listening