Promotion of Climate Smart Rice in Africahttps://africanclimateactionpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/IMG_1577-scaled-e1732620151870.jpg25601284JamieJamiehttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/6dd40c3d28dbada9c4d7e54c0368e5a2?s=96&d=mm&r=g
Promoting Climate Smart Rice Cultivation in Africa
From July 29-31, 2024, the African Climate Action Partnership held a workshop titled “Promoting Climate Smart Rice Cultivation in Africa” gathering rice experts from the Anglophone regions of Africa.
The workshop focused on sharing knowledge about integrating climate-resilient and yield-enhancing rice technologies into policies aimed at reducing GHG emissions. Discussions included exploring the challenges and opportunities in the implementation of climate-smart rice practices, technologies and tools that reduce methane emissions, while increasing resilience to climate change, grain yield and farmers’ income and; identifying mechanisms through which climate-smart practices, technologies and tools can be incorporated into supportive policies and policy development.
Attaining Enhanced Soil Health Outcomes while Improving Productivity in Western Cameroon https://africanclimateactionpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Untitled-design-1-e1721375084186.png69122615JamieJamiehttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/6dd40c3d28dbada9c4d7e54c0368e5a2?s=96&d=mm&r=g
Attaining Enhanced Soil Health Outcomes while Improving Productivity in Western Cameroon
Executive Summary:
The extent to which farming systems affect soil organic carbon (SOC) stock, soil aggregate stability (SAS) and global warming potential (GWP) has not been properly addressed, which is relevant in identifying farming systems to bridge the gap between climate change and food security. The smallholder farmers in Western Cameroon, like many farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa, aspire to successfully implement soil health practices and systems while upholding or enhancing their socio-economic status but lacks knowledge and skills to do so. SEEADO has successfully planned and implemented many farming practices and systems changes designed to achieve improved soil health and related results. Comparing soil health and production variables between these soil health improvement practices and conventional farming practices in Western Cameroon revealed that soil improvement practices increase SOC stocks, SAS, and crop yields while reducing GWP from the farms. This we hope shall convince more farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa to implement soil health improving practices, hence enhance soil organic carbon sequestration.
To read more about this research paper on “Attaining enhanced Soil health outcomes while improving productivity in Western Cameroon” download the paper below:
Analysing the potential to unlock Energy-Agriculture Synergieshttps://africanclimateactionpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/GGE-EA-Webinar-1-Cover-Page-1.png69123456JamieJamiehttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/6dd40c3d28dbada9c4d7e54c0368e5a2?s=96&d=mm&r=g
Webinar 1: Analysing the potential to unlock Energy-Agriculture synergies
On the 1st of July 2024 the African Climate Action Partnership (AfCAP) and the African association for Rural Electrification (CLUB-ER) under the Growing Government Engagement in Energy Access (GGE-EA) project launched a new webinar series. The three-part webinar series entitled Techno-Economic and Business Model Foundation on Productive use of Energy and Mini-grids in Africa will unpack how productive use of energy (PUE) can be utilised beyond its basic household needs to empower agricultural use and support business, the agribusiness sector, on a larger scale.
The webinar series kicked-off with the first webinar on “Analysing the potential to unlock Energy-Agriculture Synergies“. It began with an introduction to the GGEEA project, outlining the work being done in the renewable energy space. In addition, an overview of analytic approaches to assess the potential for renewable energy potential and agricultural value chains was given. The webinar drew on the tools and methodology of the Clean and Advanced Technologies for Sustainable Landscapes (CTSL) project, as well as, analytic approach and tools delivered by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). During the webinar we explored the geo-spatial modelling to map PUE potentials for agricultural development.
To view the recording of the webinar and presentations please use the links down below.
Following the webinar, NREL shared some examples of University Partnerships of demonstration farms. These are mostly focused on production and farming, but many are also starting to pilot electricity technologies for learning for educational purposes and research for the sector. NREL frequently collaborates with University partners to set up these types of projects.
Examples of University partnerships for demonstration farms shared by NREL:
Cultivating Sustainability: One-day Workshop on African Paddy Rice Greenhouse Gas Mitigationhttps://africanclimateactionpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/blind-man-r4M3EY2w9gE-unsplash-scaled-e1718029632858.jpg2560921JamieJamiehttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/6dd40c3d28dbada9c4d7e54c0368e5a2?s=96&d=mm&r=g
Cultivating Sustainability: One-day Workshop on African Paddy Rice Greenhouse Gas Mitigation
On February 20, 2024, the African Climate Action Partnership (AfCAP) Secretariat at SouthSouthNorth in collaboration with African Paddy Rice Research Group (APRRG) of the Global Research Alliance (GRA) and SRI-2030, co-convened a one-day in-person workshop on African Paddy Rice Greenhouse Gas Mitigation in Nairobi, Kenya.
Photo:AfCAP Secretariat with delegates who were in attendance
The purpose of the meeting was to bring together partners, researchers, and policy makers to collectively identify gaps and needs in the mitigation of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from the paddy rice sector.
The event was organised in three sessions: 1) Capacity strengthening; 2) Water management and; 3) Organic fertilisers practices as well as; 4) Policy planning for mitigation. The event concluded with a panel discussion featuring country representatives from Mali, Liberia, and Senegal.
To read more about what was discussed download the outcome report below.
Africa Fertiliser and Soil Health action plan in African countrieshttps://africanclimateactionpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/2024-05-07-03.33.01-scaled-e1732013562118.jpg23591446JamieJamiehttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/6dd40c3d28dbada9c4d7e54c0368e5a2?s=96&d=mm&r=g
Domesticating the Africa Fertiliser and Soil Health action plan into African countries
The Africa Fertliser and Soil Health summit (AFSH) took place from 7-9 May 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya. The Africa Climate Action Partnership (AfCAP), in collaboration with the Prosoil and Cash for Coalition and Soil health (CA4SH) hosted a side event at the AFSH. The side event session entitled “Country plans for integrating the Africa Fertiliser and soil health action plan into national climate and food security policy frameworks” was focused on domesticating the AFSH action plan and Soil Initiative for Africa (SIA) framework into existing country policies, programmes and actions. The key themes of the session were: (1) implementing the AFSH action plan within countries existing policies and NDCs, and (2) creating a platform for farmers to be involved in the policy making process for improved and sustainable agricultural practices. The session emphasised the need for countries in Africa to work on existing country policy’s which deal with aspects of agricultural development or soil interventions.
The session started off with the keynote speaker Harifidy Ratsimba (University of Antananarivo, Madagascar). The presentation focused on how policy soil and land management is informed on a domestic level. There were three main points which were spoken about. This was (i)technical, (ii)social and (iii) structural/intersectoral processes. The presentation drew on experiences from Madagascar on how these three pillars are actioned in the country with the provision of examples of land management taking place in the communities of Madagascar.
Harifidy Ratsimba presenting the keynote message for the session
Proceeding the keynote presentation, a panel of experts from across the continent explored the challenges and opportunities for developing country plans. The panel started off with questions of challenges of implementation. Liesl Wiese (science policy consultant for the Forum for agricultural research in Africa (FARA)), gave points on how countries can domesticate the AFSH action plan and SIA framework into NDC’s and LDN’s.
Wiese emphasised when it comes to implementation, the government of each country need to consider their existing action and policy in place. This can be done through looking at what is already existing in terms of policies, programmes, efficiency and identifying gaps, financing investment, implementing priorities in NDCs and land degradation. Furthermore, countries need to look at the status quo of sectoral policies. Countries should look at gaps, overlaps of policies and where policies contradict each other. This will assist on how to effectively integrate AFSH action plan into NDCs.
Liesl Wiese highlights countries can demonstrate the AFSH action plan and SIA framework into NDC’s and LDN’s.
Wiese highlighted that in order to ensure cross sector collaboration for soil, food security and climate policy are aligned countries will need to take the following actions into consideration: Firstly, when working in the context of NDCs, land degradation neutrality and biodiversity, the key opportunities to align these to national processes is to structure them around soil information and data which is key to setting targets, monitoring, tracking and reporting. Wiese mentions further that policies affecting land and soil management i.e., cross sectoral and industries that affect soil degradation such as mining will need to be addressed by tackling gaps in policies. Lastly, national focal points for different conventions need to work on their communication and coordination since most of these focal points do not sit in the same ministries and each ministries targets and data sets are not necessary linked together. Convene these different focal points, to examine the existing policies, identify soil regulations and understanding where there are loop holes in the different sectors, can support in more coordinated and ambitious action for soil health.
The next speaker, Dr. Ermias Betemariam (CA4SH), provided a case study countries implementing soil health into NDCs and how the SIA framework could provide a framework for countries to increase soil health ambitions. The key areas which limit NDC implementation is the lack of enabling policy, technical capacity (such as infrastructure), the lack of coordination, less representatives and lack of finance. A case study done in seven African countries (Benin, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Senegal, Zambia) revealed that integrating soil health and soil organic carbon into NDCs is a critical opportunity to achieve their climate change mitigation and adaptation objectives.
Dr. Ermias Betemariam pointing out the opportunities of the ASFH plan and SIA framework.
In terms of the ambition of the AFSH Action Plan and SIA framework could set and provide opportunities for countries to implement approaches for soil health. The four investment areas of the AFSH policy document will help to ensure an enabling policy. Understanding which elements of the framework and investment areas work for countries, are vital in understanding how to domesticate the action plan at subnational levels.
Andriantomanga Mokhtar Salim (the Governor of Beony, Madagascar) shared insight on how local policies for healthier soils and food security can enable better practice for farmers. To domesticate a policy on a local scale there needs to be an understanding how to apply techniques to reach the farmer because policy making, is centralised by national government. Most Madagascar farmers are looking at how to survive and not looking at an economic income. A key strategy could be how to decentralise the action plan from a national level to reach farmers on a local scale.
Andriantomanga Mokhtar Salim provides insight on local government action
In addition, Salim spoke about what drives sub-regional governments to take action on soil health and how governments achieve their national priorities. Salim highlighted that ensuring that the plans are implemented requires policies to flow down to the local level when the implications of the policy are actually practices.
Dr Kefelegn Getahun Cherinet, Director (Ethiopian Institute of Resilience to Climate Change, Jimma University, Ethiopia) then underlined why how countries could implement aspects of the action plan through biofertiliser use. Cherinet explained the access to biofertiliser is influenced by many factors such as geopolitical differences and the supply of biofertiliser. There is a large potential to make biochar out of cattle dung and other ruminants in Africa, and there is no need to outsource machinery and materials to produce this. It is simple and inexpensive therefore making it easier for farmers to cut on costs of importing inorganic fertiliser and cutting down on emissions due to better fertilisation practices.
Dr Kefelegn Getahun Cherinet signifying the use of bioferliser for healthier soil and climate action
However, Cherinet stated the challenges experienced by African countries is upscaling the use of biofertiliser, farmers awareness, lack of knowledge and supply.
The final panelist, Justin Shirima (Tanganyika Farmers’ Association) discussed the role of farmers in policy and action plans for agricultural improvement and the relevance of the AFSH action plan to farmers. Shirima stated there is a need to understand how much a small-scale farmer is are aware of data. Access to data and research for the farmers is not easily available.
Justin Shirima explaining the importance on farmers in policy planning
Shirima explained further that there needs to be farmers involved in research and policy making processes to support uptake of best practice. The involvement of farmers is not inclusive when working on the policy making and research processes. Shirima connected his next to point to the first discussion on farmers role in policy and action on agricultural improvement by explaining there is less information on fertiliser for farmers. The lack of sharing data makes it difficult for farmers relevance and implementation of the AFSH plan. Lastly, Shirima closed off his discussion by stating the key question is to access the grass root needs information. On a country level there is a need to involve farmers from policy development through to implementation.
The session ended with identifying key action points as follows:
An assessment on the current policies, strategies and action plans within countries and the gaps and needs across these can support in defining national plans to integrate the SIA and AFSH action plan.
Involve farmers from at the start of policy making to make informed decisions on transformation
Increase farmers’ awareness on policies and best practice to ensure they are able to adopt new practices to support soil health, food security and climate action.
Livestock production and greenhouse gas emissions in the Southern African Development Community: Historical trends and prospects for mitigationhttps://africanclimateactionpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/sergio-arteaga-iEuBxYl3YIA-unsplash-scaled-e1713767585623.jpg25601113aflpaflphttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/464c5d1932d38a8c7908028ed233271b?s=96&d=mm&r=g
Livestock production and GHG in SADC: Historical trends and prospects for mitigation
Executive Summary:
There is increasing recognition of the need to sustainably increase livestock production to meet the growing human demand for livestock products in southern Africa while reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in response to climate change. However, stakeholders are faced with limited data and understanding to adequately incorporate information about livestock production and GHG emissions into livestock policy interventions. This paper provides an overview of the status of socio-economic factors driving production and consumption of livestock-derived foods at country- and regional- level, and explores the current status and trends in livestock population, production and GHG emissions over the past two decades, to improve the stakeholders’ awareness about the linkages between these changes. In 2020, cattle, goat, sheep, pig and poultry populations were 75, 60, 37, 19.4 and 450 million, respectively. Pig (mean; 11.7 mill.) and poultry populations (0.38 mill.) have generally increased across the region by 141 and 45 percent respectively. Cattle (67.2 mill.) and goats (49.9 mill.) populations have also grown by 20 and 53 percent respectively mostly in low-income (LICs) and low-middle income countries (LMICs) while these species declined significantly in upper-middle- and high-income countries (UMHICs). Sheep numbers (37.5 mill.) portrayed a negative (-5 %) trend owing to huge population decline in UMHICs. Livestock population growth led to improved meat (4.3 MT), milk (7.6 MT) and egg (7.0 MT) production across the region by 100, 64 and 65 percent, respectively mostly in LICs and LMICs. In 2020, the region produced 5.9, 9.6 and 0.9 million tonnes of meat, milk and eggs, respectively. Country-level increases were highest for egg production (2800 %), followed by meat (618 %) and milk production (324 %). Subsequent enteric methane (76589 Gg CO2-eq) and manure management emissions (4644 Gg CO2-eq) showed a temporal and spatial pattern similar to livestock population trends by increasing by 21 and 58 percent, respectively.
Total livestock related GHG emissions ranged between 71000 and 91000 Gg CO2-eq over the past two decades, accounting for up to 40 percent of regional agricultural emissions. Current evidence reveals that full adoption of most effective mitigation strategies in African countries by 2050 may still see countries fail to meet their contribution to the global mitigation goal. The mitigation efforts will likely be offset by the projected GHG increases due to sustained demand for livestock-derived foods, mostly in LICs and LMICs. The first step and entry point for reducing GHG emission intensity in extensive livestock systems dominating the region is to improve production efficiency by adopting the good practices already existing within the current production systems. These practices help support food and nutrition security and benefit in reducing degradation while avoiding emissions in grazing lands. There is optimism that a combination of high demand for livestock-derived foods, intensification of smallholder livestock systems and shift from extensive ruminant to intensive monogastric systems could lead to improved production efficiency and reduced GHG emission intensity in sub-Saharan Africa. The information presented in this paper is necessary for guiding policy makers to integrate GHG baselines and mitigation issues when planning livestock policy interventions.
First Regional Workshop on Climate-Smart Soil in Nigeriahttps://africanclimateactionpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/pexels-kaboompics-com-6427-scaled-e1709118431892.jpg2560866JamieJamiehttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/6dd40c3d28dbada9c4d7e54c0368e5a2?s=96&d=mm&r=g
First Regional Workshop on Climate-Smart Soil in Nigeria
Soil plays a vital role in the Earth’s ecosystem and earth system functions that support the delivery of primary ecosystem services. Healthy soils are fundamental for food security, mitigation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and adaptation towards climate change. Excessive and improper land use leads to erosion, nutrient depletion, and other forms of degradation, which severely affects the productivity of the soils and the potential for mitigating climate change. The majority of the world’s soil resources are in only fair, poor or very poor conditions, with African soils being the most severely degraded.
Delegates discussing information needs for soil action during the First Regional Workshop on Climate Smart Soil in Abuja, Nigeria, 2023.
Opening remarks during the First Regional Workshop on Climate Smart Soil in Abuja, Nigeria 2023.
Improving soil health especially in agricultural lands will help address the problem of degradation. In the last 2 decades, droughts & floods have become regular and more frequent, creating significant challenges for the players in the agricultural value chain, especially the farmers, policy makers, extension workers and donors. Sustainable soil management (SSM) practices have been promoted as the approach for boosting healthy soils to address food security, mitigation, and adaptation challenges. These practices aim to, for example: i) improve the long-term soil fertility and ii) increase soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration. Most of the major players across the agricultural value chain have recognized SOC’s potential and are setting up SOC sequestration-based targets to reduce GHG emissions. However, only a few African countries have proposed specific mitigation programs, most of which are only at the concept stage.
Climate change is one of the most significant challenges facing humans. Warming trends and changes in precipitation patterns, with increase in the frequency of occurrences of extreme weather events such as droughts, floods and storms have increasingly severe impacts. Additionally, soil health can influence the impact of these climate changes on crops and agricultural yields. Smallholder farmers that depend on rain-fed agriculture are particularly vulnerable to these changes. Their future livelihoods in terms of food security, health, education, and standard of living in this changing temperature is a growing concern.
The biological, chemical and physical function of ‘soil health’ deteriorates with changing climate due to increasing turnover of soil organic matter, decreasing soil moisture content & soil water capacity, nutrient depletion, increased vulnerability to erosion and other degradation processes, harming soil structure. Climate change is linked to agriculture and especially to soil health as it controls soil vital processes and functions along with having an intrinsic effect on crop productivity which contributes towards food security and sustainability.
According to Nigeria’s updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) 2021, the AFOLU sector continues to be critical in the move to a low carbon and climate resilient economy. AFOLU is the second largest contributor to total Greenhouse Gas emissions, contributing 25% of national GHG in 2018, Agriculture contributing 62.6% of the 87MtCO2eq. NDC Climate Smart Agriculture plans aim to sustainably increase agricultural production, enhance food security and development using an integrated approach. Thus, there is an opportunity to integrate solutions for improved soil health to support both food security and climate targets in the country.
The African Climate Action Partnership (AfCAP) and the and the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) thus held the first regional workshop on climate smart soil in Abuja, Nigeria. The workshop brought together policymakers, scientists, and practitioners to explore the critical nexus between soil health, climate change, and food security. It aimed to promote soil health and address compounding challenges in Nigeria.
To find out more about the workshop, the outcomes and recommendations made during the event see the reports below.
Strengthening Malawi’s National Response to Climate Smart Livestock Workshophttps://africanclimateactionpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Picture-1-e1708602008873.jpg2416757JamieJamiehttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/6dd40c3d28dbada9c4d7e54c0368e5a2?s=96&d=mm&r=g
Strengthening Malawi’s National Response to Climate Smart Livestock Workshop
From the 20th – 21st of November 2023, AfCAP hosted its first Technical Support Livestock Peer Exchange Visit in Salima, Malawi. This workshop aimed to support Malawi in developing and improving its livestock Tier 2 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventories, raising awareness on GHG emissions within the livestock sector and, enhancing the incorporation of livestock GHG MRVs and mitigation options into the National Climate Policies and implementation plans. Five experts, from Kenya and Zimbabwe, attended this peer exchange visit offering their technical expertise and support. These experts shared their experiences on their country’s development of the Livestock Tier 2 GHG inventories and the faps identified during the process.
Photo: AfCAP Secretariat with experts and Malawi delegates
This workshop was crucial in supporting Malawi in increasing awareness within Malawi’s livestock sector on the importance of using advanced GHG emission inventory methods and thus empowering the sector to meaningfully engage and contribute to national climate actions. The workshop provided an opportunity to help Malawi’s livestock sector to identify a pathway for support to assist Malawi to expand use of advanced GHG inventory methods of Tier 2 beyond the cattle species.
The first day of the peer exchange visit began with an overview of the global context of climate change and livestock which was followed by presentations on Malawi’s climate goals, livestock sector, Malawi and Kenya’s approach to the development of Tier 2 inventories. The second day kicked off with welcoming remarks from Malawi’s Director for Animal Health and Livestock Development (AHLD), Dr. Julius Chulu. Following the welcoming remarks, experts from Zimbabwe and Kenya presented their country experiences. The workshop concluded with afternoon breakout sessions on Malawi’s lessons learnt, challenges and opportunities in the development of its’ Tier 2 inventories.
Photo:Expert Bernard Kimoro, State Department for Livestock Development (MOALD), Kenya, with Malawi delegates during a breakout session
Photo: Expert Grace Tambo, Department of Livestock Research, Zimbabwe, with Malawi delegates during a breakout session
The various stakeholders had expressed the usefulness of this workshop as it aided in building capacity of these stakeholders. The workshop raised awareness among the various stakeholders. Both Malawian stakeholders and experts from Zimbabwe and Kenya felt that learning had happened both ways during this workshop. Overall, the workshop was an extremely useful opportunity to raise awareness and increase Malawi’s understanding around the issues related to GHG emissions in the livestock sector.
Attached below is the outcome report developed from the Malawi workshop for further insights into what was discussed during the workshop.
