Agroecology Adaptation Based Framework to Empower Rural Based Farmers For Climate Change: AUTHOR: Tushar Narula
Improving Kenya
ABSTRACT: Climate change has created rifts in the formal ways of farming in Kenya. The different methods used have less focus on the development of land sustainability and biodiversity. The recent push towards infrastructural development has threatened the farmed lands. We intend to cultivate biodiversity for degradation mitigation, climate change adaptation and enhanced resiliency to climate change stressors. The aim of the project is to empower rural-based smallholder farmers for degradation mitigation, climate change adaptation and resiliency through the utilization of different agroecology principles. Processes such as Agro-Ecosystem Design including habitat management and plant diversification are steps that push towards the right growth of the land in the changing climate. The framework created intends to tackle the issues of sustainability and longevity with an economic perspective. It intends to secure the future of the farmers, their land and their produce. The framework consists of six crucial actions that can be adhered to and carried out in the form of a project. It would consist of the creation of model agroecology farms, formal training of trainers (TOTs) programs, development of farmer outreach programs, design of biodiversity action plans, choice of community crop insurance scheme and project monitoring/evaluation. By adhering to the framework, the farmer would increase their readiness against climate change and improve upon the biodiversity outcomes in the ecosystem. These actions are also supplemented by a formulated cost structure, focus sites and impact assessment. Such actions would provide further structure to the framework and allow it to have a measured and strong impact on the less developed areas. This research focuses on Kenya as the test bed for the framework and implementations for initiation. This paper will systematically guide the reader through the importance of agroecology, its use in the framework and further elaborate on the different components that go into the framework. The paper guides through the development pathways specific to Kenya with regards to the current practices and highlights the benefits of adapting to the framework as it envisions a secure and sustainable future for farmers and agriculture. INTRODUCTION Causation of Degradation of Ecosystem and Impacts of Climate Change Degradation of natural ecosystems has been identified as the main barrier to attainment of sustainable development. The ever-continuing degradation of agricultural and landscape ecosystems exacerbates the consequences of climate change. It is also responsible for reduced ecosystem services (“Global Drylands Initiative�).
47
Climate change is expected to adversely affect agricultural production in Africa. A range of climate models suggest median temperature increases between 3 and 4 °C in Africa by the end of the 21st Century, roughly 1.5 times the global mean response. This will likely result in significant yield losses of key staple crops, such as maize, sorghum, millet, groundnut, and cassava, of between 8 and 22 percent by 2050 unless key investments are made to improve agricultural productivity under climate risk (Besseau et al). Adaptation to climate change at the farm level includes many possible responses, such as changes in crop management practices (for example: choice of fields, planting dates, planting densities, crop varieties), livestock management Spring 2020 / Perennial
practices, transhumance timing and destinations), land use and land management. In particular, degradation of ecosystems reduces ecosystem function on agricultural farms (above and below ground), leading to poor soil health and fertility loss. This in turn increases vulnerability to climate change impacts and reduces adaptive capacity of farmers who depend on farming as a source of livelihood. The resulting consequences are lack of enough food, water scarcity, poor human health and conflicts. Adaptation can greatly reduce vulnerability to climate change by making rural communities better able to adjust to climate change and variability, moderate potential damages, and cope with adverse consequences (McCarthy et al.). Soil erosion erupts as one of the alarming problems which is enhanced through climate change. In some cases, advanced stages of soil erosion, such as rill and gully erosions, can devastate entire areas, turning them unusable for agricultural purposes (Maeda et al.). The main observations of the International Livestock Research Institute and International Food Policy Research Institute indicate the increased impacts of climate change would include various changes in Kenya. It would experience wide losses of many key staples, reduction in
