Enhancing Farmers' Resilience in Senegal
AICCRA project positively impacts farmers' lives through Climate-Smart Agriculture and Climate Information Services
In Senegal, the AICCRA project continues to make significant strides in bolstering agricultural productivity. Through the integration of Climate Information Services (CIS) and climate adaptation practices, farmers are empowered to make informed, sustainable decisions, mitigating the impact of climate change on their crops.
Over the past three years, the project, driven by collaboration among CGIAR centers, government agencies, the private sector, and national research institutions, has expanded its reach and impact, delivering reliable, climate-based agricultural extension support and promoting the adoption of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices.
The successful dissemination of CSA/CIS packages in Senegal was accomplished through a Participatory Extension Approach, which focused on engaging farmers, sharing knowledge, and building capacity continuously.
Training sessions, workshops, and field demonstrations were used to educate farmers on the benefits and implementation of CSA practices, ensuring successful adoption and integration into existing agricultural systems.
"Harnessing Climate Information Services and adopting Climate-Smart Agriculture practices were essential components of our strategy. By expanding access to reliable climate-based agricultural extension services and promoting Climate-Smart Agriculture, such as improved varieties of pearl millet, groundnut, and cowpea, we empowered farmers to make informed decisions that mitigate the impacts of climate change on their yields," explained Dr Aliou Faye, Project lead and Director of CERAAS.
The CSA packages integrate farm-level productivity and decision support tools such as Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM), drought-tolerant/dual-purpose pearl millet and groundnut varieties, and related management technologies.
To date, trainings organized in community technology parks and farmers' fields have drawn significant participation, with over 300 attendees at each technology park and 150 farmers trained in best practices for growing millet, groundnut, and cowpea. Additionally, 241 demonstration sites have been set up in 26 villages across Senegal.
Farmers Voice Their Insights
From 11-15 June 2024, 100 participants gathered for pre-season training across all clusters in Senegal. During the event, participants shared their insights about the benefits of climate-resilient agricultural innovations driven by the AICCRA project.
"I am grateful to the AICCRA project for providing high-quality, climate-adapted groundnut and millet seeds to our community. Despite initial skepticism, the demonstration plots outperformed traditional plots, leading many farmers to adopt these new varieties. The project's timely intervention and success in improving crop yields have generated significant interest and support," said Mr Mourtalla Ndiaye, a pilot farmer benefiting from the project's activities.
"The intensified seeding rates introduced by the AICCRA project significantly boosted our millet production in a limited area compared to traditional methods. This cultivation system has proven invaluable for sustaining millet production despite land constraints," shared Mr Isma Mbaye, another pilot farmer.
A key component of the project's success lies in its ability to integrate climate information into agricultural decision-making processes. Mr Abdoulaye Niang, a farmer who benefited from the project's agro-advisory services, notes that access to accurate seasonal forecasts through CIS was crucial.
“Receiving regular agro-advisory messages from Jokalante helps us protect our crops from unexpected weather changes and plan our activities more effectively. The timely messages also help me protect my harvested groundnut stalks from rain damage," asserted Mr Niang.
According to Dr Folorunso Akinseye, the Participatory Extension Approach has shown notable results:
- improved dual-purpose millet varieties increased pearl millet yields from 33% to 54% compared to local varieties;
- improved groundnut varieties saw shell emergence rates rise from 46% to 98%; and
- increasing millet seeding density from 12,500 plants per hectare to 25,000 plants per hectare boosted food productivity from 56% to 61%.
The combination of organic and inorganic fertilization strategies also proved effective, enhancing both groundnut and millet yields in soils with marginal fertility. "These findings underscore the importance of adapting technologies to local farmers' needs and preferences for successful adoption and sustainability," noted Dr Akinseye.
Despite marked success, some farmers have pointed out that increasing the sowing density of millet and groundnut is cumbersome due to the lack of equipment to expedite sowing over large areas.
Farmers are calling for more research to develop an improved seeding tray that can accommodate increased sowing density, reduce workload, and promote widespread adoption of this innovation. Additionally, farmers emphasized the need for improved equipment to handle higher seeding rates efficiently.
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This work aligns with SDGs 2, 13 & 17.
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