Adaptation Pioneers
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Item What constitutes climate change adaptation in Kenyan livestock systems: a systematic review(Journal Article, 2025-06-02) Kihoro, Esther; Habermann, Birgit; Crane, Todd A.; Gichuki, Leah; Worku, TigistItem Supporting collaborative action for sustainable solutions: Locally-led adaptation as a policy instrument for climate change adaptation practices(Brief, 2024-12-30) Habermann, Birgit; Crane, Todd A.The urgency of developing climate change adaptation practices that work for smallholder farmers and herders has never been greater. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and other key climate change organizations highlight the importance of research and development for locally-led adaptation (LLA) and transdisciplinary collaboration. Such an approach to adaptation promises to find climate solutions that are effective in smallholder producers’ complex environmental and socioeconomic realities and support producers as agents of change. The urgency for innovative extension and scaling pathways is compounded by the widespread degradation in African public agricultural extension services. However, despite the urgency and the widespread interest, there are few established methodologies designed to support policymakers to engage with LLA through transdisciplinary collaboration in a robust, coherent and consistent way that considers climate justice and inclusiveness. This calls for innovative toolItem Experiences of pioneer farmers in Ethiopia regarding animal feed management and nutrition booklets and posters distribution workshop(Report, 2024-08-10) Getahun, Elizabeth; Bezabih, Melkamu; Worku, Tigist; Habermann, Birgit; Adie, AberraA one-day workshop was held to present the booklets and posters to the representatives of the communities and extension workers. This was useful to get feedback from them, and to plan the dissemination of the materials to the wider community. We intend to increase awareness of farmers and extension workers regarding farmer-led practices that help them to adapt to climate change challenges. Well planned dissemination, knowledge sharing, and the inclusion of feedback mechanisms supports this. This approach gives special emphasis to farmer-led adaptation and innovation, to better understand how farmers adapt to climate shocks and sustain and improve livelihoods through better use of available feed resources for their animals.Item Transformation from the ground: Adaptation pioneers as agents of change through climate-resilient agriculture(Manual, 2024-12-18) Habermann, Birgit; Gichuki, Leah; Worku, Tigist; Kiptoo, Emmaculate; Crane, Todd A.; DuttaGupta, TanayaAdaptation to climate change is neither optional nor hypothetical. It is no longer something that we plan for in the future. The time is here and now. Smallholder farmers and herders the world over know this through their own lived experiences. Acknowledging this fact through transdisciplinary collaboration with a focus on farmer-led innovation (F-LI) for adaptation is a rising priority in the domain of climate change adaptation. However, it is often unclear how exactly to implement this in practice. While much adaptation work starts with analyzing problems and building out from that anchor, there is much to be gained in starting with climate solutions that are already effectively embedded within livelihoods and communities. Adaptation for climate-resilient agriculture needs an approach that builds on and engages with people’s agency in both generating and scaling their own climate change adaptation solutions. This approach must be built into a robust, coherent, and consistent framework that speaks to the needs of farmers – and lets farmers speak for themselves. It engages farmers and herders in a way that acknowledges their practical knowledge to be of equal value with other, more institutionalized, forms of knowledge such as science.Item Assessing the effectiveness of the pioneer positive deviance approach in building farmers’ capacity to apply climate-smart livestock practices in Nandi and Bomet Counties, Kenya. MELIA study report.(Report, 2024-12-19) Chesoli, Rose; Habermann, Birgit; Gichuki, Leah; Kiptoo, Emmaculate; DuttaGupta, Tanaya; Maiyo, Nathan; Getahun, Elizabeth; Elkanah, Langat; Crane, ToddThe Pioneer-Positive Deviance (P-PD) methodology presents a farmer-led solution for Farmer to Farmer (F2F) scaling of localised solutions to address the mounting challenges of climate change, particularly in the agricultural and livestock sectors. In regions like Bomet and Nandi counties in Kenya where climate variability is increasingly disrupting traditional farming systems, this approach empowers local farmers to lead the way in developing and scaling effective climate adaptation strategies without external support from projects. By concentrating on the innovative practices of adaptation pioneer households that have successfully adapted to climate challenges, the P-DP approach is aimed at facilitating peer-to-peer learning and widespread knowledge dissemination, creating a strong network for scaling proven climate-smart practices. In many contexts, traditional agricultural extension services struggle to address localized climate issues, often failing to reach the grassroots level with practical, adaptable solutions. P-PD scaling approach fills this gap by fostering collaboration, shared learning, and innovation within farming communities. This intervention aims to enhance the resilience of livestock management systems, especially dairy farming, by promoting sustainable practices that improve both livestock productivity and environmental health. Since its inception in 2022 under the Livestock and Climate (L&C) Initiative, the P-PD scaling approach has been promoted to build climate resilience at the community level through participatory climate adaptation efforts, where farmers play a central role in shaping their futures, sharing their experiences, and collectively working to mitigate the impacts of climate change. By scaling successful practices through localized networks, P-PD ensures through F2F scaling that the knowledge and solutions developed by adaptation pioneer households are widely disseminated, ultimately contributing to more sustainable and climate-resilient livestock management practices. To assess the effectiveness of the P-PD scaling approach among livestock farmer in Nandi and Bomet county, a comprehensive Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Impact Assessment (MELIA) study was conducted in August 2024. This study focused on assessing the reach of the F2F networks, the effectiveness of knowledge sharing, and changes in farming practices. Specifically, the study sought to. Assess the effectiveness of the P-PD approach in knowledge sharing and fostering learning among dairy farming households. Determine the number of households that have been reached through the P-PD scaling approach. Identify opportunities and bottlenecks in the P-PD scaling process, providing insights into potential areas for improvement and optimization.Item P-PD Intervention Example: Pioneer Manual on Farmer-Led Livestock Feed and Feeding Practices for Sheep in Ethiopia(Presentation, 2024-11-19) Worku, Tigist; Habermann, Birgit; Getahun, ElizabethItem The Role of P-PD in Enhancing the Ethiopian Livestock Extension System(Presentation, 2024-12-19) Habermann, Birgit; Worku, Tigist; Getahun, ElizabethItem A pioneer positive deviance approach to socially inclusive scaling of climate change adaptation in dairy systems(Poster, 2024-11-29) Habermann, Birgit; Gichuki, Leah; Bullock, Renee; Crane, Todd A.; Kiptoo, Emmaculate; DuttaGupta, TanayaItem P-PD in Kenyan smallholder dairy farming: adaptation pioneer households going to scale(Presentation, 2024-12-21) Habermann, Birgit; Worku, TigistItem Ethiopian Extension System and Pioneer-Positive Deviance(Presentation, 2024-11-21) Teshome, A.; Habermann, Birgit; Worku, TigistItem Transformation from the ground: Adaptation pioneers as agents of change through climate-resilient agriculture(Presentation, 2024-12-29) Habermann, Birgit; Gichuki, Leah; Worku, Tigist; Kiptoo, Emmaculate; Maiyo, Nathan; Getahun, ElizabethItem Feedback Report: Adaptation Pioneers in Nandi/Bomet Counties(Presentation, 2024-12-28) Kiptoo, Emmaculate; Maiyo, Nathan; Gichuki, Leah; Habermann, BirgitItem Pioneer Farmer Manual: Step-by-step guide on How to use citizen science data collection form(Manual, 2024-10-15) Njamba, Harrison; Kiptoo, Emmaculate; Gichuki, Leah; Maiyo, NathanThe citizen science data collection guide is designed to help pioneer farmers collect and submit farm records on dairy production to the scientist at ILRI. The manual focuses on information for data collectors[farmers] to keep monthly farm records and make observations on changes happening on the farm. The guide will assist pioneer farmers in filling out the Livestock and Climate Initiative data collection questionnaire. Pioneer households are expected to fill out the ODK form at the end of every month and send it to the research team by the 2nd day of the following month. The answers the farmer enters on this form are largely informed by the recording-keeping sheets that they fill regularly.Item Pioneer-Positive Deviance Adaptation: Pioneers as Agents of Change(Presentation, 2024-07-12) Habermann, Birgit; Worku, TigistItem In the field: Listening to Adaptation Pioneers(Blog Post, 2024-06-27) Habermann, Birgit; Kiptoo, Emmaculate; Gichuki, LeahField days are events that bring people together. In this case, adaptation pioneers, other farmers, different partners, researchers – and everybody wants to share or learn something. The atmosphere is fascinating: there is all this anticipation and excitement in the air, especially with the dark clouds looming over the farms in this rainy May. When we arrive in the morning on the farm, the tents are being erected. The team set up the registration table, puts up the banners, and prepares the disinfectant for people to step in to prevent the transmission of livestock diseases.Item Working with adaptation pioneers: An innovative approach to support locally led adaptation(Presentation, 2024-06-06) Habermann, BirgitItem Positive Deviance in Livestock Farming in East Africa: Citizen scientists as agents of change(Presentation, 2024-04-05) Gichuki, Lea; Habermann, Birgit; Worku, Tigist; Crane, Todd A.; Kiptoo, Emmaculate; Getahun, ElizabethItem A positive deviance approach to scaling locally developed climate adaptation strategies in dairy systems(Poster, 2024-02-13) Habermann, Birgit; Crane, Todd A.; Gichuki, Leah; Kiptoo, Emmaculate; Bullock, Renee; DuttaGupta, TanayaItem Pioneers of adaptation: How feed and forage science can support positive deviant farmers(Poster, 2023-10-01) Habermann, Birgit; Crane, Todd A.; Gichuki, Leah; Worku, Tigist; Jones, Christopher S.; Bezabih, Melkamu; Lukuyu, Ben A.Item Pioneer farmers' role in scaling endogenous innovations from farm to farm(Presentation, 2023-11-27) Habermann, Birgit