Development of Conservation Agriculture to Address the Impacts of Increasing and Prolonged Drought.
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- čas přidán 29. 08. 2024
- Location - Five Limbu Kembe, Kadaghu Tana, Pogo Tena, Mawo Dana and Wee Limbu villages Southwest Sumba, Indonesia.
Partners - YPK Donders, Yayasan Bianglala Rakyat Nusantara, Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia (WALHI) NTT.
Context and challenges - Southwest Sumba faces extreme poverty, indicated by lack of access to food, inadequate healthcare, and exacerbated susceptibility to drought. The area relies heavily on farming as the primary source of income for most of the population, making the region predominantly agrarian. Much of the population in the area are small-scale farmers, who are facing difficulties in adjusting to changes brought about from the recent weather patterns.
The scarcity of food and water has led to a rise in the burden of labor for women, and even children.
Climate change: drivers and vulnerabilities - Historically, the rainy season typically occurs from November to April, while the dry season extends from May to October, marked by reduced precipitation. However, due to climate change, these patterns have become less distinguishable, leading to even drier conditions in the region. Drought has led to a depletion and decrease in the availability of clean water for both agricultures and for domestic use, and demise of biological organisms.
Farmers traditionally rely on timely rainfall to initiate planting activities. The region's dependence on rain-fed agriculture makes it highly susceptible to climate-related income shocks, such as droughts or irregular rainfall patterns. The limited crop diversity further exacerbates their vulnerability, as the failure of a single crop can severely impact food security and livelihoods.
Warmer temperatures and altered precipitation patterns create favorable conditions for both the African Swine Fever (ASF) and Surra disease vectors, increasing the frequency of outbreaks, leading to losses in livestock, which are a critical source of income and food for many families.
The scarcity of food and water has led to a rise in the burden of labor for women, and even children. declining health conditions.
Climate solution - The project proposes the implementation of Conservation Agriculture (CA) practices within the five target communities as a climate-adaptive intervention specifically addressing the challenges posed by drought. The strategy centers on training and empowering community leaders (cadres) to become agents and main actors driving development in the agricultural sector. The following outcomes were achieved:
1. Awareness raised on enhancing the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of local village cadres, who are farmers actively engaged in managing and assisting programs. This is evidenced by the initial target of 25 cadres, which was exceeded by the end of the program, with 58 cadres having improved and developed sustainable skills.
Cadres have become champions and now required by the village government to train other farmers outside the program.
2. Five agricultural demonstration plots were established, becoming models for agricultural development by helping diversify food sources and introducing drought- resistant varieties. 250 heads of families increased agricultural production, gradually developing rice, corn and corn clumps and tubers, and were successful in making their own fertilizer.
Women's groups in these villages boosted household income by growing horticultural crops and processing locally produced food, enhancing its nutritional and economic value and contributing to family health through sustainable agricultural practices.
3. Advocacy to governments from village to district levels to issue regulations on organic villages, resulted in support secured from the Village government for organic village policies through participatory regulations and full involvement from district-level agencies. 5 village governments in the program area have allocated funds to support CA efforts. Funds will be allocated for compost chopping machines, clean water refilling, procurement and construction of solar powered drilled wells and empowering farmer groups.
BASE (Building Approaches to fund local Solutions with climate Evidence) is an initiative born from the conviction that a just climate transition depends on sufficient financing reaching the local level using approaches that ensure a solid climate evidence. BASE is currently coordinated by Fundación Avina and made up of a series of partners that includes Brainforest, Forest Trends, GFLAC, Hivos, Pawanka Fund, Reos Partners, and United Nations University - ViE, with generous support from Skoll Foundation. Moreover, it has two Associated Initiatives: Voices for Climate Action and Impulsouth.