Agrobiodiversity interventions for climate change adaptation in Bolivia and Niger

Lead Organization:

Raffaella Foundation

Partner Organizations:

PROINPA Foundation, Bolivia; University of Abdou Moumouni (UAM), Niger; Platform for Agrobiodiversity Research (PAR)

Community of Practice:

Andes, West Africa

Countries:

Bolivia and Niger

Duration:

12/2024—12/2026

Overview:

Food systems, agricultural development, and climate resilience planning typically focus on identifying species of crops, livestock, or aquatic animals best suited for improving local socio-environmental conditions. However, they often overlook the intra-specific diversity of crop varieties and livestock breeds that play a significant role in maintaining and enhancing agricultural productivity and climate resilience. The Diversity Assessment Tool for Agrobiodiversity and Resilience (DATAR), developed over a quarter-century of field experience and successfully tested in over 20 countries, aims to address this gap by integrating intra-specific diversity into agroecological practices for climate change adaptation. Developed under the umbrella of the Platform for Agrobiodiversity Research (PAR) www,  as part of the IFAD GEF funded Resilient Food Systems Program, the DATAR tools provide a participatory, data-driven approach to assess the role of intra-specific diversity and inform decisions on climate resilience strategies for smallholder farmers.

In Bolivia and Niger, rural areas still maintain high levels of diversity in crop varieties and livestock breeds. These countries face increasing climate unpredictability, and DATAR can help these regions develop risk management strategies by utilizing this diversity to build climate resilience. This project seeks to upscale the use of DATAR to national and international climate adaptation planners, with the goal of integrating intra-specific agrobiodiversity into climate resilience strategies globally.

Grant Aims:

  • Use DATAR tools to assess and enhance the role of intra-specific agrobiodiversity in agroecology for climate change resilience.
  • Support smallholder farmers in Bolivia and Niger by improving access to data on local crop varieties and livestock breeds.
  • Train national and local partners to use DATAR tools for assessing and integrating agrobiodiversity into agroecological systems.
  • Disseminate knowledge about the role of agrobiodiversity in climate change adaptation through national, cross-country, and international co-learning events.

Outputs and Outcomes:

Outcome 1: Enhancement of Data Availability and Assessment of Agrobiodiversity in Agroecology for Climate Change Resilience for Smallholder Farmers
This outcome focuses on improving the accessibility and quality of data regarding the impact of intra-specific diversity on climate resilience. This will facilitate the advancement of agroecological practices that promote food system resilience and climate adaptation.

Outputs for Outcome 1:

  • Output 1.1: Adaptation of DATAR tools to local and national contexts in Bolivia and Niger, including key materials in local languages.
  • Output 1.2: Age and gender-equitable training programs on agrobiodiversity assessment in agroecological practices.
  • Output 1.3: Creation of databases in Bolivia and Niger on recommended crop varieties and livestock breeds for climate change adaptation.
  • Output 1.4: Identification of community goals and constraints related to using agrobiodiversity for climate resilience in Bolivia and Niger.

Outcome 2: Advancement and Sustainability of Agroecological Systems through Enhanced Harnessing of Agrobiodiversity
This outcome aims to foster behavioral changes by training stakeholders to select and implement interventions that harness the use of intra-specific diversity for climate adaptation and integrate these into monitoring and evaluation systems.

Outputs for Outcome 2:

  • Output 2.1: National partner training on conducting DATAR Key Informant Surveys (KIS), including agroecological management practices, seed/breed supply systems, market analysis, and policy analysis.
  • Output 2.2: Design of participatory agrobiodiversity intervention plans for climate adaptation in Bolivia and Niger.
  • Output 2.3: Development of a gender- and age-disaggregated participatory monitoring system to track the impact of agrobiodiversity interventions.

Outcome 3: Effective Communication and Dissemination of Agrobiodiversity in Agroecological Practices for Climate Change Adaptation
This outcome aims to communicate the benefits of agrobiodiversity integration in agroecology to a wider audience, fostering sustainable adoption through clear communication strategies and training materials.

Outputs for Outcome 3:

  • Output 3.1: National partners trained to define and describe policy challenges related to using intra-specific diversity for climate change adaptation.
  • Output 3.2: National, cross-country, and international co-learning and knowledge-sharing events.
  • Output 3.3: Creation of widely available communication materials (written, radio/TV, social media) to support the use of agrobiodiversity in national and global climate adaptation programs.