An investigation of the effects of PICSA on smallholder farmers’ decision-making and livelihoods when implemented at large scale – The case of Northern Ghana

Clarkson, Graham; Dorward, Peter; Osbahr, Henny; Torgbor, Francis; Kankam-Boadu, Isaac

doi:10.1016/j.cliser.2019.02.002

Cited by 37 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…PICSA has to date been used in approximately 20 countries and in several regions (Africa, Asia, Latin America, Caribbean) with encouraging results e.g. in Northern Ghana more than 90%of farmers that had used PICSA had made changes to their practices as a direct result (Clarkson, Dorward, Torgbor, Osbahr, & Kankam-Boadu, 2019) and in Rwanda approximately 110,000 farmers have used the approach so far. Our experience is that the challenges associated with the lack of use of historical climate information by organizations designing and implementing climate related agricultural development interventions has not been limited to the countries focused on in this paper, and these challenges exist in other regions within and outside Africa.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Supporting climate change adaptation using historical climate analysis

Dorward

Osbahr

Sutcliffe

et al. 2019

Climate and Development

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Climate change and variability presents a challenge for rural communities in developing countries. Bridging organizations help align stakeholder and local perspectives and mediate communication that shapes adaptation responses. We argue that a first step for adaptation projects is to determine the nature of the climate norms and how climate is changing. This paper explores the degree to which development organizations in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania used analysis of local historical climate information in project aims, planning and design. This included 67 participants, managing 102 community-level climate-related agricultural projects, and three NGO case studies. Most focused on low-regret options. The majority of projects enhanced awareness of climate change and variability, but only 7% had used historical climate information during planning. Instead, projects relied on general knowledge or farmers' perceptions, which sometimes differ from analyzed historical climate information, potentially leading reinforcement of perceptions. It is vital that bridging organizations and policy makers value analyzed historical climate information when determining climate norms (including variability) and identify what data shows regarding how climate is changing. This is essential for planning with stakeholders the suitability of alternative crops and cultivars and ensuring other relevant environmental factors influencing agricultural production are considered. ARTICLE HISTORY

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Supporting climate change adaptation using historical climate analysis

Dorward

Osbahr

Sutcliffe

et al. 2019

Climate and Development

Self Cite

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“…In turn, farmers' ability to make informed decisions and take action to reduce climate-related risks is also limited. The application of climate information in decision-making is not straightforward (Lemos et al 2012) and needs to be embedded within context-specific participatory dialogues that match farmers' needs to suitable tools and strategies (Clarkson et al 2019;Meinke et al 2009).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is important for the agricultural development community to recognize that efforts to reduce poverty and enhance food security go hand in hand with building farmers' capacity to manage climate-related risks (Ali and Erenstein 2017;Clarkson et al 2019). Advancing the resources available for farmers to anticipate the variability of climate conditions and plan accordingly can help them reduce potential negative outcomes.…”

Section: Conclusion and Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Considerable progress has been made in climate change research and adaptation strategies to assist farmers around the world. Adaptation strategies include the use of early warning forecasts (Changnon and Vonnahme 2003;Golnaraghi and Senior 1995;Patt et al 2005), resistant crop and livestock varieties (Ali and Erenstein 2017), diversification of farming practices and off-farm livelihood options (Clarkson et al 2019), and crop insurance (Mase et al 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Farmers' perceptions of climate risks, the options that are at their disposal and the flexibility they may have to use them, determine the type of adaptation strategies they are likely to adopt (Adger et al 2009;Burton et al 1978;Clarkson et al 2019;Grothmann and Patt 2005;Karki et al 2020). These strategies may have significant consequences on the livelihoods of farmers who have limited access to resources.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Coping with climatic shocks: local perspectives from Haiti’s rural mountain regions

et al. 2020

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Haiti’s agrarian society is highly sensitive to changes in weather and climate conditions. Little is known about Haitian farmers’ perceptions of climate-related risks and their ability to cope with hazards, which may reduce the relevance and likelihood of success of proposed adaptation solutions. We discuss the findings from the focus groups held with 104 small-holder farmers from mountain areas. Farmers in the study area regard the impacts of climate hazards on their livelihood as significant but largely prioritize short-term solutions over long-term protective measures, which potentially increase their vulnerability over time. The study provides insights on local decision processes and potential pathways for discussing climate information with farmers. It identifies the types of information perceived as necessary for informed decision-making. The findings, while in some cases distinctive to the study area, have implications for the design of climate change adaptation interventions in other contexts.

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