News

• TheClimate Smart AgricultureAlliances(CSAs) in West and Central Africa (WCAs) can play their role more effectively, as they now have their own intervention frameworks;
• The intervention frameworks thus defined will enable the AIC Alliances to formulate requests for scientific knowledge and mitigation and adaptation technologies, to be handled by the WCA decision-maker-researcher dialogue platform;
• Stakeholders agreed on these frameworks on March 29, 2022, duringa three-day workshop held in Lomé (Togo).

Gathered in Lomé for a three (03) day workshop that began on March 29, 2022, researchers and decision-makers involved in the agricultural sector reflected on the organization and operating methods of the West and Central African Alliances for Climate-Smart Agriculture (AIC).

Building on the work of previous workshops, these discussions have enabled us to finalize the development of the AIC Alliances' intervention frameworks. 

"The AIC Alliances support the regions' AIC promotion strategy. With their clear and well-defined intervention framework, we can say that they are better oriented and equipped to help countries' food and agricultural systems combat climate change more effectively", explains Dr Maurice LORKA, Coordinator of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme ex-Pillar 4 (CAADP-XP4) at CORAF.

CAADP-XP4 supported the revitalization of the AIC Alliance in West Africa, and the establishment of a reciprocal alliance in Central Africa. 

Areas of convergence

For both the AIC Alliance for West Africa and the AIC Alliance for Central Africa, five (05) main areas of convergence form the pillars of their intervention framework.

The areas of convergence are shown in the following infographic.

Use the ＜ and ＞ keys at the bottom of the infographic to move from one slide to another.

Each of the areas of convergence thus identified is broken down into a series of concrete actions to be implemented in order to guarantee success. 

"The concrete actions, which were enumerated in an inclusive and participatory process, will enable the AIC Alliances to gain insight into their operations and more easily achieve their goal of helping to make food and farming systems more resilient to climate shocks," says Dr. LORKA.

Read also:

• Climate-smart agriculture: spearheading agricultural development in Africa
• Relaunch of the Alliance for Climate Smart Agriculture in West Africa
• Towards the creation of an Alliance for Climate Smart Agriculture in Central Africa

The WCA's AIC Alliances are expected to be one of the sources of technology requests to be considered by the WCA's decision-maker-researcher dialogue platform. Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are the second source of demand. 

Indeed, the platform will facilitate a confrontation between the current and future challenges facing agriculture in relation to climate change and the scientific knowledge, technologies and climate-smart innovations available or to be developed by researchers. 

The regional workshop on the demand for scientific knowledge and pro-AIC technologies to be handled by the WCA decision-maker-researcher dialogue platform served as a framework for defining the framework for AIC Alliances and finalizing the process of setting up the platform. 

Taking place in Lomé from March 29 to 31, 2022, it is organized by CORAF as part of CAADP-XP4, an initiative funded by the European Union. The International Fund for Agricultural Development is responsible for managing the funding.

CAADP-XP4 is being implemented by a consortium of five (05) major African players in agricultural R&D, including CORAF. The other four (04) are: the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS), the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA), and the Coordination Centre for Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA).

Read also:

• Regional consultations to set up a platform for dialogue between decision-makers and researchers officially launched in Lomé 
• A new instrument to strengthen the resilience of agricultural systems to climate change in West and Central Africa
• 40,000 growers to benefit from EU-funded research project