ICRISAT Hosts Insightful Side Event at Africa CSA Conference in Kigali
Discussions highlight the role of science in shaping policy agendas
ICRISAT hosted a successful side event titled "A Systems Approach for Building Community Resilience" during the 2024 Biennial Africa Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) Stakeholders’ Conference in Kigali, Rwanda on 29 July 2024.
The event highlighted the crucial role of science in shaping policy agendas and underscored the importance of promoting small-scale mechanization in engaging women and youth in agriculture to bolster community resilience to climate change impacts.
The panel discussion, moderated by Dr Martin Moyo, Principal Scientist at ICRISAT, focused on overcoming obstacles to transforming agri-food systems into climate-resilient entities. It featured eminent speakers drawn from government departments, international research institutes, universities, and NGOs.
In her remarks, Dr Rebbie Harawa, Director of the Africa program, emphasized the potential of small-scale mechanization in promoting youth and women's active participation in agriculture, thereby accelerating the adoption of agricultural innovations.
"Collaborations between countries in the Global South can significantly boost mechanization efforts, making agriculture more efficient and inclusive," said Dr Harawa.
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Patrick Okori highlighted the importance of strategic partnerships in science and robust community engagement to deliver effective technology.
"Let us engage the next generation and build their capacity in agriculture to address communities’ resilience and sustainability. Scaling agricultural innovations that fit into specific environments is very important but requires collaboration among relevant actors. Africa is huge; even within a 1 km radius, there is a lot of diversity. Therefore, it is important to design tools and innovations that fit into contexts," said Prof. Okori.
Key Panel Recommendations:
- Promote Integrated Watershed Management: From farm to landscape.
- Provide Customized Advisory to Farmers: Utilizing digital technology in a private-public partnership approach.
- Promote Small-Scale Mechanization: To make agriculture attractive to youth and women.
- Implement Customized Training Programs: For women's and youth's involvement in highly productive and profitable agriculture.
- Government Intervention for Market Development: As demonstrated in a case in Malawi.
- Support to Commercial Farmers: Enhancing the capacity of smallholder farmers within localities.
- Promote People-Centered Approaches: Equitable, inclusive, and focused on increasing production at low cost and labor.
- Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration: Essential for building community resilience for sustainable long-term benefits.
The event concluded with a call to action for stakeholders to work together to foster Climate-Smart Agriculture across Africa.
Panelists at the side event: Prof Patrick Okori, Executive Secretary of the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM); Dr Grace Kaudzu, Director of the Department of Agricultural Research Services, Government of Malawi; Dr Yohannes Subagadis, Africa Coordinator for Livelihoods & Landscapes at Catholic Relief Services (CRS); Dr Hakeem A Ajeigbe, Research and Grant Manager at the Centre for Dryland Agriculture, Bayero University, Nigeria; and Dr Shalander Kumar, Principal Scientist at ICRISAT.
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