Abstract
Climate smart agriculture (CSA) is a holistic approach that aims to enhance agricultural productivity, adapt to climate change, and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. One crucial aspect of CSA is its compatibility with traditional farming practices, such as conservation agriculture, agroforestry and crop diversity. These practices have been long used in African communities, however to increase the adaptability of these practices, new interventions such as stress-adapted crop varieties, weather-based planting dates and weather forecasting have been integrated. However, a study conducted in Malawi, Kenya and Nigeria, highlights that despite the potential of CSA, the integration of traditional knowledge and CSA is not working as effectively as desired. The scale-up of CSA is hindered by inadequate public sector funding, as well as poorly structured support services. To overcome this challenge, a systematic CSA scaling-up plan across key sectors such as forestry, irrigation, and agriculture is needed. Moreover, efficient, timely, and reliable knowledge systems must be in place to support the implementation of CSA. This includes location-specific foods that are economically viable, nutritionally safe and locally acceptable, as well as policies that protect user rights for land resources, establish community farming institutions and enhance knowledge sharing among farmers.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Climate Smart Agriculture, Indigenous Knowledge, Climate Change Adaptation
