Objective 1: Increased awareness and understanding of climate change/effects as well as the concept of Climate Smart Agriculture in the target communities:
The immediate benefit is that the communities will be able to better understand what constitutes climate change (change of cropping seasons, high temperatures, unpredictable rain, prolonged droughts, flooding/water logging etc). It is more important for the communities to know how their own activities contribute to climate change (excessive cutting of trees for fire wood, charcoal burning, burning of bricks, over grazing, wetland/swamp cultivation). During these sensitization meetings indigenous knowledge (IKs) and coping mechanisms will be reviewed and Climate Smart Agricultural (CSA) practices will be introduced. The main assumptions will include; positive response and active participation by the communities and local leaders in sensitization meetings and competent resource persons are available to lead the process.
Objective 2: Capacities of communities to adopt a range of Climate Change and Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices Strengthened.
The immediate benefit is that capacities of communities for resilience adaptation to climate change will be built. This will be mainly through wide adoption climate smart agricultural practices. The CSAs will include; soil and water conservation, minimum /zero tillage, soil nutrient management through composting manure and crop residues, water harvesting at household level, small-scale irrigation, integrated pest and disease management (IPM), promotion of agro-forestry and integrating livestock into the farming systems. The assumptions are; that the communities are willing to adopt the CSA practices and there will be a team of competent trainers to impart the necessary knowledge and skills. Those communities will be actively participate in the training. More importantly that the CSA technologies are available at affordable costs.
Objective 3: Livelihood sources diversified and household food and income security sustainably improved.
The immediate benefits include; reduced dependence on Agriculture and Natural Resources as the main sources of livelihoods thus reducing pressure on land and other natural resources; there will be increased income through diversifying the income sources; increased capacities to meet basic needs (food, shelter, Medicare, education etc.) and overall attainment of food security at household and community level. The other benefits will be knowledge and skills acquired through the diversified training (identification of new opportunities, enterprise selection, planning, record keeping, financial management, sourcing marketing information, value addition and collective marketing). The main assumptions will be that; viable new livelihood sources acceptable to the target communities will be identified; communities will be willing to explore the new opportunities; there will be qualified resource persons to impart knowledge and skills required to manage the new opportunities and there will be ready market for new products generated.
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