Climate Knowledge Brokering in West Africa. A learning by doing approach

Increasing resilience to climate change in West Africa is integral to enhancing food security. This calls for more sustainably and efficiently managing water resources for agriculture. This is particularly critical in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, where the population is still largely based in rural areas and will continue to be in the next 10-20 years, despite increasing urbanization. There is a need to connect the results of innovative and applied research to climate action that reduces smallholder vulnerabilities.

This project aims to contribute to increased climate resilience and enhanced food security in the Sahel by supporting the dissemination and scaling up of two effective adaptation options: supplementary irrigation systems and access to climate information for smallholder farmers. The partner, PROCASUR (a non-governmental organization for regional capacity building in rural development), will test a hands-on approach to climate knowledge brokering for the dissemination and scaling up of adaptation and agricultural resilience projects in rural West Africa.

The approach involves working in support of another IDRC-funded project in sustainable management of water catchment basins for irrigation in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to strengthen its research-into-use strategy and activities. Innovative methodologies developed and tested widely by PROCASUR will be tailored to respond to identified challenges and barriers to successful scaling of adaptation technologies and to engage key stakeholders in a process of shared learning.