SEKEM INITIATIVE

Business, Climate, Field

Category:

Location/Scale:

Egypt (International)

Founder:

Dr. Ibrahim Abouleish

Period:

1997 – now

In a nutshell

The SEKEM Initiative was founded as a comprehensive development initiative to address some of the most pressing issues affecting Egypt. SEKEM started on a 70-hectare plot of desert land and became the first entity to develop biodynamic farming methods in Egypt.

The SEKEM vision entails a holistic approach focusing on sustainable, organic agriculture to restore and maintain the vitality of the soil and food as well as fostering biodiversity. Furthermore, it supports social and cultural development in Egypt by enabling and promoting knowledge transfer, education and conscious consumption. Over the years, SEKEM has broadened its scope and became the umbrella of a multifaceted agro-industrial group of companies and NGOs. Their holding structure is formed by three closely interrelated entities.

Firstly, the SEKEM Holding Company is composed of eight companies and multiple project-based initiatives, each responsible for SEKEM’s economic and ecological value proposition.

Secondly, the Egyptian SEKEM Development Foundation (SDF) which includes a medical center, a school open to pupils from any religious or ethnic background, a school and vocational training center, a nursery, the Mahad Adult Education Training Institute, the SEKEM Academy for Applied Art and Sciences and the Heliopolis University for Sustainable Development, all responsible for cultural aspects.

Lastly, the Cooperative of SEKEM Employees (CSE), responsible for human resource development, women empowerment, gender equality and the association of partnerships.

Context

In Egypt, agriculture involves 40% of the workforce and remains the least developed sector of the Egyptian economy. Cost of agricultural production has increased while the resource base has shrunk. Today, Egypt has become one of the world’s largest importers of food. Farmers in Egypt face a vast number of problems, such as water-scarcity, over-reliance on chemical inputs and low productivity. Although the total cultivated area is 3 million hectares, representing only 3 percent of the total land area, the government aims at increasing this number to 4.8 million hectares by 2030 through additional land reclamation.

Objective

SEKEM was found to realize the vision of sustainable human development and to tackle poverty, unemployment, food security, water and energy challenges and gender inequality in Egypt. SEKEM’s main objective is the development of the individual, society and environment through a holistic concept, which integrates economic, societal and cultural life.

Key Interventions

Farm Level:

  • SEKEM created jobs and employs today 2,000 people which are paid a fair salary
  • There is a network of more than 3,000 farmers who produce for the SEKEM group
  • Trained 477 farmers on biodynamic agriculture methods and registered them under the Egyptian Biodynamic Association (EBDA)

Regional/National Level:

  • Reclaimed 684 hectares of desert land, all of those 100% operated by biodynamic and sustainable agriculture methods
  • Since 2000, 978 students have graduated from SEKEM’s Vocational Training Centre
  • Contributed to the huge reduction of chemical fertiliser and pesticide use of 90% in Egypt’s cotton industry, while boosting yields by up by 30%
  • Planted 600,000 trees and sequestered 500,000,000 tonnes of CO2 through these trees and the soil enhancement
  • Offer free courses for illiterate employees, grant employees access to treatment in health centres and reduce fees on children’s education at SEKEM schools

Lessons Learned/challenges

Due to successful partnerships with banks and donors, SEKEM can realize essential parts of its sustainable development vision. Since May 2007, the German GLS Gemeinschaftsbank AG, the Dutch Triodos Ventures BV and since 2011, Oikocredit Ecumenical Development Cooperative are shareholders of the SEKEM Holding and support the finance department for future investments.

Nonetheless, additional public funds are required to finance financial and technical support to further facilitate knowledge transfer, trainings and the introduction of new technologies in the field of irrigation and renewable energy production. During the coming years, SEKEM will work on increasing the number of small farmers willing to transform their lands from conventional to biodynamic agriculture.

Relevant Links & references

ADAPTA GROUP

Business, Climate, Field

Category:

Location/Scale:

Brazil (Local)

Implementing Organisation:

Adapta Sertão

Period:

2018 – now

In a nutshell

The initial idea to create a solid and replicable strategy to help small family farmers living in fragile biomes in Brazil and to support the adaption to climate change was developed by Adapta Sertão, one of the first multi-stakeholder coalitions in the Brazilian territory.

By joining forces with the Adapta group, which has been created in 2018, they transformed a program called Modulo Agroclimático Inteligente e Sustentável (MAIS) into an impact business that is available to corporate clients, public and financial institutions as well as non-governmental organizations. The MAIS program aims at training farmers on how to generate satisfactory incomes even during drought-intensive periods using alternative farming methods across value chains.

The founders of the Adapta group have practical experience on working with farming families living in areas of high climatic vulnerability for more than a decade and engaged over 650 farmers. To enhance climate resilience, the MAIS program integrates the recovery of ecosystem services with agricultural production while additionally promoting gender equality.

Moreover, it builds on a shared vision of the problem and its solution and helps to transform markets to become more sustainable and fair. Besides that, the Adapta group cooperates with financial institutions to help structure specific credit mechanisms for the family farmers and to develop the farms into sustainable agricultural businesses.

Context

In recent years, Brazil has become the world’s largest exporter of soybeans, coffee, and sugar, as well as one of the largest overall food producer on the planet. The majority of the Brazilian staples is produced by family farmers, which also produce more than 70% of food consumed domestically. The agricultural sector as a whole constitutes nearly 6% of Brazil’s total GDP (without considering other players of the food value chain) and employs nearly 16% of their total labor force. Nevertheless, international monitoring organizations assert that a third of Brazil’s population is food insecure and have difficulty meeting their nutrition needs. It is alarming that Brazil’s agricultural sector and deforestation account for 75% of its greenhouse gas emissions.

Objective

The goal of the MAIS program is to implement sustainable and climate resilient agricultural practices in the most diverse biomes and agricultural value chains in Brazil. The Adapta group campaigns for an inclusion of family farmers in structured value chains with a focus on climate resilience, sustainability and economic viability for all the actors involved.

Key Interventions

Farm Level:

  • Analysing the local situation and presenting the most suitable agroecological, climate-friendly solutions to the farmers directly
  • Offering assistance to farmers by providing and coordinating a multidisciplinary technical team which supports the implementation of practices on the farm
  • Monitoring technical, social, economic and environmental performance of each farm and program through the web-based MAISoft System, which offers open access to farmers data and impact report in order to enhance transparency
  • Developing individual business plans and setting up credit mechanisms to help farmers access the required capital for implementing the proposed solutions
  • Supporting the farmers in an effective deployment of capital by providing direct consultation through a technician

Lessons Learned/challenges

Overall, the MAIS program increased farmers’ dairy production by 63% and their income by 204%. Furthermore, the program resulted in a 30% improvement in pastureland and a 50% decrease in the water footprint of the areas’ farms. In addition, over 3 tons of CO2 is estimated to be offset for each hectare of restored pastureland. So far, ADAPTA has been active on farm level and engaged in socio-economic aspects such as the support of regional value generation and the development of trading relationships with local growers.

Nevertheless, potential involvement could be seen in the support of healthy, diversified and culturally appropriate diets. In order to widen their positive influence and results, ADAPTA would have to start engaging on a policy level by fostering responsible, transparent and inclusive governance mechanisms such as the recognition of traditional rights over natural resources or payments for ecosystem services, biodiversity-friendly agricultural regulations and subsidies.

Relevant Links & references

 

 

 

Agroecology Plus6

Climate

Category:

Location/Scale:

Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso (National)

Implementing Organisation:

Groundswell International

Period:

2016 – 2017

In a nutshell

Groundswell International and its partner organizations in West Africa (ANSD in Burkina Faso; Sahel Eco in Mali; and Agrecol Afrique in Senegal) implemented the “Agroecology Plus Six” (AE+6) program. The two year initiative aimed at assessing the spreading of agroecological practices across the Sahelian region. The programme generated practical strategies and lessons that can be applied to build resilience of small-scale farmers in the drylands. Complementary to the use of agroecology practices, the programme analysed six complementary strategies to build resilience by promoting equity for vulnerable groups, addressing gender inequality, improving governance and ensuring links to improved nutrition. The programme is designed to proof the concept of AE+6 and gathered relevant field level evidence in the pilot countries. Outcomes are policy briefs and thematic case studies that aim to influence decision makers towards supporting the upscaling the application of agroecology approaches.

 

 

 

 

Context

An estimated 12 million small scale farmers and their families in the risk prone, dry land areas of the western Sahel have become chronically vulnerable to food and nutrition insecurity. Depending primarily on growing millet, sorghum, and cowpeas a growing percentage of dryland farm households has become very poor. Even in good rainfall years, they adopt negative coping mechanisms, such as taking exploitative loans, eating their seeds, reducing the number of daily meals and selling of assets. This has resulted in a growing “resilience deficit” and increasing dependence on humanitarian assistance.

Objective

The main goal of this project is a growing movement of small-scale farmers and allies in the Sahel improving their own practices and creating an enhanced enabling environment, contributing to a transition by millions of farm households to a productive, sustainable, resilient agro-ecosystems.

Key Interventions

Conceptual level:

Test and prove the enhancement of Agroecology potential to build resilience through six strategies: 1) women’s empowerment 2) social equity 3) nutrition 4) diversified (non-farm) women’s livelihoods through savings and credit 5) improved local governance to support disaster risk reduction measures 6) effective strategies for scaling e.g. local multiplier effects, networking and alliances with national farmer organizations, documentation, and advocacy to influence policy.

Field Level

  • Transform existing farming practices through training of agroecology practices: testing and adapting new practices
  • Empowerment for social and gender equity
  • Strengthening the institutional capacity of partners and local actors for multi-sectoral action for resilience
  • Developing a “farmer to farmer” multiplier effect for scaling out AE
  • Undertaking “action research” to integrate gender, nutrition, and risk reduction measures
  • Documenting lessons learned, results and processes and “leveraging” this learning through communications and advocacy
  • Networking and linkage with national and regional networks

Lessons Learned/challenges

Amongst others, a progressive, sequential project process of intensification is essential: 1) collectively define problems and solutions; 2) community needs to experiment with a limited number of easy, low-cost agroecological innovations, using farmer-to-farmer learning in the field; 3) integrate strategies to promote nutrition, equity and women’s empowerment; 4) sustain these strategies through strengthening governance and supportive policies at community, municipal and national levels. Challenges are other programmes in the region that undermine the goals of Agroecology, challenging socio-ecological contexts such as land tenure, climate change, negative image of farming or rural flight.

Relevant Links & references

 

 

 

Climate Resilient Sustainable Agriculture for Adaption to Climate Change in the Gambia

Climate

Category:

Location/Scale:

The Gambia (local)

Implementing Organisation:

ActionAid

Period:

2015 – 2017

In a nutshell

ActionAid, in collaboration with the Gambian Ministry of Agriculture and local farmer groups, address the issue of resilience in eighteen villages in three districts of Gambia. The project aims at streamlining of agroecological approaches for smallholder farmers to adapt to climate-induced shocks and to reduce vulnerabilities.

The project comprises training of extension workers and farmers, promoting peer-to-peer learning about concrete measures that foster approaches such as diversification, integrated pest management, seed banks or soil conservation.

Overall, more than 1300 smallholder farmers have been sensitized about climate change and how to adapt through Climate Resilient Sustainable Agriculture, Disaster Risk Reduction and Documentation and Shared Learning. Under the leadership of women, the farmer groups were able to identify their hazards, priorities and to developed action plans that address the hazards.

 

 

 

 

Context

The Gambia has a tropical climate. A hot and rainy season lasts from June until November. In recent years, droughts and storms have become more frequent, also in the northern region where the project is located. During 2010-2012, farmers faced flash floods, periods of drought, disease infestation, saline intrusion, deforestation and massive erosion of their farmlands resulting in crop failure and reduced food security.

Objective

The main goal of this project is to support smallholder farmers to adapt to climate change related shocks in the short-term and to reduce their vulnerabilities in longer terms.

Key Interventions

Farm level:

  • Intercropping, mixed cropping, cover crops
  • Use and application of composting, mulching
  • Introduction of open pollinated, traditional, early maturing seed varieties
  • Use of botanical pesticides
  • Provision of environmentally friendly farm implements and draught animals
  • Participatory vulnerability analysis and mitigation action plans
  • Alternative livelihood activities such as bee keeping, small ruminant rearing, tie & dye and batiks, soap making, petty trading, fishing equipment

Regional/national Level:

  • Farmer extension service support and peer to peer leaning
  • Training, dissemination, and ongoing farmer and promoter development
  • Strengthening capabilities through capacity building on value chains and access to market

Lessons Learned/challenges

The project has created enhanced awareness among smallholder farmers about climate change and its impact on lives and livelihood sources. Project participants have reported an increase in food security and effective adaptation to climate change, adoption rates are considerably high.

Most commonly adopted practices were intercropping, mixed farming, application of organic manure, composting and adoption of non-farm burning.

Despite extension trainings and peer-to-peer, learning, limited capacity to reach out to large numbers of farmers remains a challenge.

Relevant Links & references

 

 

 

CLIMATE-RESILIENT “ECOVILLAGE” in Chololo, tanzania

Climate, Field

Category:

Location/Scale:

Tanzania (Local)

Implementing Organisation:

Institute of Rural Development Planning (IRDP)

Period:

2011 – Now

In a nutshell

The Chololo Ecovillage project adopted a holistic approach to meeting the multiple challenges communities face the in the context of climate change

Building on local knowledge, traditional practices and natural resources, it revolved around a package of agroecological practices or ‘technologies’, aimed at making the most of the limited rainfall, improving soil fertility, reducing farmers’ workload, and improving the quality of local seeds.

The project took a participatory approach from the assessment of climate vulnerability and capacity to knowledge generation and dissemination.

The second phase of the project is focused on scaling out the approach to three more villages and involving local and national authorities to climate adaptation planning.

 

 

 

 

Context

Chololo village, located in the semi-arid drylands of Central Tanzania, faces challenges typical to this agro-pastoralist region: recurrent drought, food insecurity, and vulnerability to climate change. Some of the key issues identified by residents and the village committee range from increased drought frequency, deforestation, flooding and strong winds, to human diseases, livestock diseases, crop pests, and inadequate ground water recharge.

These problems were compounded by the traditional dependency on rain-fed agriculture, the use of simple farm implements (such as hand hoes), the unsustainable use of natural resources, a lack of enforcement of natural resource by-laws, and a lack of awareness of climate change. The Ecovillage project came at a time when the slash and burn model was nearing exhaustion.

Objective

The main goal of this project is to address climate vulnerabilities and create a model of good practice in climate adaptation, based on testing, evaluating and rolling out over 20 ecological ‘technologies’ in agriculture, livestock, water, energy, and forestry. It is also focuses on planning climate change strategies with local and national authorities.

Key Interventions

Farm level:

  • Package of agroecological practices, including manure-based increase of soil fertility and optimal planting schedules.
  • Livestock-specific interventions: introduction of improved breeds of cattle, goats and chickens & use of crop residues to feed livestock.
  • Community level interventions: improvements to water conservation features, such as contour ridges, grass strips and gully healing to capture rainwater and prevent soil erosion, sustainable forestry and agroforestry and water management
  • Creation of ‘technology groups’ for knowledge transfer and farmer-to-farmer outreach

Regional/national Level:

  • Building the capacity of the two local authorities to plan and implement climate change strategies
  • Knowledge management system to share the learnings on national level, through visits from national policymakers & involvement of local policymakers

Lessons Learned/challenges

In the eyes of participants and outside observers, the project was successful because of its multi-dimensionality. It has both a multi-sectoral focus (agriculture, livestock, water, energy, resources) and a multi-disciplinary project team (university, government, agricultural research institute, local authority & NGOs) for wide buy-in. Efforts were undertaken to ensure virtuous circles between the project and national policies, particularly around climate adaptation through a conscious alignment with national climate adaptation policy.

Relevant Links & references

 

 

Climate-Smart Villages

Climate, Research

Category:

Location/Scale:

Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America,

Asia (International)

Implementing Organisation:

CCAFS and CGIAR

Period:

2011 – now

In a nutshell

CSV aims to generate evidence at local scales of what climate-smart agricultural options work best, where, why, and how. They use this evidence to distil lessons learned for policy makers, agricultural development practitioners and investors from local to global levels.

The main goal is to contribute to food and nutritional security and poverty reduction under climate change. Where possible, the programme also aims at reducing GHG emissions.

On a local scale CSV helps smallholder farmers to adapt their agricultural practices to secure reliable food supplies and livelihoods. For this purpose CSV advises to rear local breeds of goat and sheep and diversify crop varieties.

Context

The project was launched in 2011 with 15 climate-smart villages in West Africa, East Africa and South Asia. Additional villages joined in 2014 in Latin America and Southeast Asia.

All the villages are situated in high-risk areas, which will likely suffer most from a changing climate. Villages are also locations where local partners have already established vital links with communities.

Objective

CSV wants to understand the effectiveness of CSA options (practices, technologies, services, programs, and policies) to enhance productivity, raise incomes and to build climate resilience. Furthermore, the programme tests and identifies successful adoption incentives, finance opportunities, institutional arrangements and scaling out/up mechanisms.

Key Interventions/Research

Farm level:

  • Introducing new breeds of small ruminants (sheep and goat) which are more resilient to drought and disease (Galla Goat, Red Maasai Sheep)
  • Drought tolerant varieties of maize and sorghum
  • Diversifying crops to be more resilient (drought, diseases): Cassava that resists the deadly mosaic virus, sweet potatoes that are better adapted to low moisture in the minor season, tissue culture bananas that resist the bacterial wilt disease
  • Introducing Mangoes as well as pawpaw trees to diversify diet and livelihood
  • Strategic grazing management

Regional/national Level:

  • Mainstreaming climate change into national agriculture plans
  • Participatory action research to improve a variety of crops
  • Consultative meetings with a range of stakeholders to raise awareness of climate change
  • Establishing of learning sites in various regions of the participating countries
  • Supporting women and youth primarily by utilizing transformative approaches to empower women and communicating via social channels
  • Implementation of an index-based insurance scheme

Lessons Learned/challenges

The practices of CSV, like water management or mitigation options, have not been adapted in some regions. One factor that contributes to low uptake of new technologies is that development practitioners lack evidence of how the innovations can be practically incorporated into agricultural systems. They need to know how farmers can achieve synergies and minimize trade-offs in implementing multiple interventions on real farms. Climate change complicates this because its impacts will vary across locations. Effective implementation therefore requires an integrated approach in which science, technology, and decision making interact with local socioeconomic conditions and culture.

Relevant Links & references

 

 

 

PROMOTION OF CASSAVA IN MALAWI AND ZAMBIA

Uncategorized

Category:

Location/Scale:

Malawi and Zambia (National)

Implementing Organisation:

Governments of Malawi und Zambia

Period:

1986 – now

In a nutshell

Following the 1980s droughts, both Zambia and Malawi’s governments and specialized international agencies have successfully promoted cassava production in Malawi and Zambia in order to reduce drought vulnerability and dependency on maize monocropping. Since the 1980s, diversifying from maize and promoting cassava production increased smallholder productivity, reduced hunger during lean seasons and drought years, and provided rural households with low-cost, in-kind drought insurance. In both countries, improved cassava varieties produced more output with the same labor and land and without purchased inputs. Cassava is a crop with many advantages for small-scale farmers. It requires little labor and is very resistant to drought and water stress. It has a flexible harvesting calendar and can be kept as a security supply of food for lean periods.

 

 

 

 

Context

For decades, Zambia and Malawi’s governments have promoted maize cultivation through massive subsidies and price support to farmers. As a result, maize cultivation spread over the two countries, replacing traditional crops like millet and sorghum. Maize also supplanted cassava, a drought-resistant tuber that protects against famine. Maize is very vulnerable to the region’s recurrent droughts and requires improved seeds and a significant amount of chemical fertilizers. In the early 1980s, a series of droughts seriously affected maize crops. In subsequent years, financial constraints forced governments to reduce maize subsidies and support systems, making the crop even more vulnerable to droughts. Meanwhile, cassava production also suffered from two exotic South American pests: the cassava mealybug (CM) and the cassava green mite (CGM).

Objective

Following the 1980s droughts, both Zambia and Malawi’s governments decided to promote cassava, a drought-tolerant crop that can be harvested throughout the year, demands little labor, and doesn’t require chemical inputs (fertilizers, pesticides). They turned to the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), which began developing effective biological control of cassava mealybug and cassava green mite through trial releases of predator wasp.

Key Interventions

Malawi:

  • In 1986, with support from IFAD, Malawi launched a country-wide program to release predator wasps.
  • IITA’s research and breeding programs established 1978, were taken up by Malawi’s Root and Tuber Crops Research Program. The programs focused on identification of best local varieties and distribution of clean planting material. In the 1980s, the program released a first wave of improved local varieties.
  • In response to the 1991-1992 drought, the Malawian government and NGOs launched a program that began multiplying cassava and sweet potato planting materials on a small-scale. As a result, there was rapid cassava and sweet potato adoption.

Zambia:

  • In 1982, the Zambian Government reduced the policy focus on maize, listing procurement prices for sorghum, millet, and cassava. During the same period, Zambia’s Root and Tuber Improvement Program (RTIP) started collection, inventory, and maintenance of local cassava varieties.
  • By 1991, crop diversification away from maize became the government’s official policy. The Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) also funded cassava research, including a series of mass selection trials on 700 accessions.
  • The 2002 drought increased farmers’ interest in cassava. However, the promotion of improved cassava varieties appeared constrained by the lack of resources in the following years.

 

Lessons Learned/challenges

Farmers can grow cassava indefinitely, without having to depend on seed suppliers, fertilizer distributors, or rural credit programs. The crop is easily reproduced and tolerates poor soil conditions (low fertility, aluminum toxicity). Improved varieties are resistant to pests and high yielding, with no need for chemical inputs. Lastly, low-input cassava production generates none of the acidification or pesticide residue that occurs with other crops.

Relevant Links & references