Managing climate risks through resilient crop interventions and climate-smart villages approach

Maren RadenyCCAFS East Africa

Addis Ababa, February 23

Nyando, Western Kenya

• Climate variability and change presents new challenges to smallholder farmers in East Africa

• Climate related risks are becoming more frequent, with greater intensity

• High poverty levels and limited alternative livelihood options increase their vulnerability to climate change

• Changes in agricultural technologies and approaches are urgently required

• Farmers already making marginal changes in agricultural practices to adapt to climate change and other factors

Introduction

• Examine changes households are making in crop farming practices to address climate risks, adapt to climate change, and improve food security and incomes

Objective

• Sites where researchers, local partners, and farmers are working together to evaluate a portfolio of climate-smart agricultural interventions

• To increase productivity and incomes, build resilience and adaptive capacity, enhance food security

Climate-smart villages approach

• High poverty incidence (46%) and high population density (>400 per Km2)

• More than 40% of landscape degraded

• Annual rainfall 900-1200mm• Food insecurity, 81% of

families experience 1-2 hunger months a yr

• Another 17% experience 3-4 hunger months a yr

Study site - Nyando

Nyando rainfall patterns

• Greater variability in expected onset of seasonal rainfall

• Long dry spell observed at early onset, and extreme flooding during late onset

• Shift in rainfall patterns, onset drifted from mid-February to mid-March

• Frequent dry spells, reducing length of main growing season

Long rains start early March till end June

Short rains start early October till mid-December

Nyando rainfall patterns

Methods

• Household surveys from 2011-2015 (5yrs)• Baseline survey of 140 households in 2011 • Subsequent monitoring from 2012, including non-

baseline households• Data included agricultural enterprises, changes in

crop types and varieties, crop management, use of inputs and land management

• New crop varieties identified by farmers and crop trials facilitated through farmer experimentation networks

• New crops introduced from similar agro-ecologies

• Significant increase in proportion of households cultivating at least 3 or more new crops from 2011-14

• Pigeon peas, cowpeas, green grams, sorghum, finger millet, cassava

• By 2015, most households had already adopted at least 3 new crops – partly explains the drop

Results: Uptake of new crops

2011 2012 2013 2014 20150

0.10.20.30.40.50.60.70.80.9

1

Year

Prop

orti

on

• Improved crop varieties - early maturing, with faster growth rates, resistant to certain pests and diseases

• E.g. improved sorghum varieties - Serena, Seredo, KARI Mtama1, KARI Mtama4

• Significant increase between 2011-2014

Results: Improved crop varieties

2011 2012 2013 2014 20150

0.10.20.30.40.50.60.70.80.9

1

Year

Prop

orti

on

• Marginal increase in proportion of households intercropping (mixed or relay intercropping)

• Provision of agro-advisory services resulted in increased intercropping

Results: Intercropping

2011 2012 2013 2014 20150

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

Year

Prop

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on

• In 2011 very few households (3%) used fertilizer

• By 2015, the proportion of households using fertilizer significantly increased (38%)

• Households also use of compost and farm yard manure to compliment the inorganic fertilizers

• Through capacity building, farmers are recognizing the importance of soil testing

Results: Use of fertilizer

• Terraces increasingly used to control runoff and reduce soil erosion

Results: Soil and water management

2011 2012 2013 2014 20150

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

0.3

Year

Prop

orti

on

Conclusions• Households in Nyando are diversifying their crop

choices, cultivating more than 3 new crops and greatly expanding on-farm choices

• Some of the crops have multiple uses, for food and livestock feed e.g. sweet potatoes

• Urgent need to strengthen rural institutions that accelerate and expand uptake of CSA technologies and practices

• Investments in climate information for farmers and strengthening extension services (public and private) important for increased uptake of CSA

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