Integrated management of rainwater for crop-livestock agro-ecosystems (V2)
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/3354
Browse
Recent Submissions
Item Impact of Innovation Platforms on Marketing Relationships: The Case of Volta Basin Integrated Crop-Livestock Value Chains in Ghana(Conference Paper, 2013) Adane-Mariami, Z.; Cadilhon, Joseph J.; Werthmann, C.Item Impact of Volta2 innovation platforms on improvement and increase of crop and livestock production in four villages of Yatenga province, Northern Burkina Faso(Conference Paper, 2013) Teno, G.; Cadilhon, Joseph J.; Some, Hubert W.Item Agricultural water management and livelihoods in the crop-livestock systems of the Volta Basin(Journal Article, 2015-11) Douxchamps, Sabine; Ayantunde, Augustine A.; Panyan, E.K.; Ouattara, K.; Kabore, A.; Karbo, N.; Sawadogo, B.With mixed crop–livestock systems projected to be the principal source of food in developing countries in the coming decades, opportunities exist for smallholders to participate and benefit from emerging crop and livestock markets in the Volta Basin. Given the economic, social and environmental vulnerability due to high water scarcity and variability in the basin, improvements in agricultural water management (AWM) are needed to ensure sustainable benefits. A survey was conducted among 326 crop–livestock households in four water scarce sites of the basin in Burkina Faso and Ghana to characterize households in terms of access to water, services and information, AWM intensity and livelihoods, and to explore the linkages between these characteristics. The sources of water were more diverse for study sites in Ghana than in Burkina, allowing different types of AWM strategies. Most of the farmers perceived a strong positive impact of AWM strategies on their livelihoods. Almost 70% of the variation in livelihood assets was explained by variation in AWM intensity, affecting mainly food consumption, sources of income and housing index. With increasing access to water, services and information, AWM intensity significantly increased, as well as labour for water-related activities and food consumption. This increase in AWM was significantly related to an increase in livelihood assets (R2 = 52%). Policies should be developed to improve access to information and services as well as access to market in rural areas of the Volta Basin, to enhance positive impact of AWM strategies on livelihoods of the rural households.Item Impact of innovation platforms on marketing relationships:the case of Volta basin integrated crop-livestock value chains in northern Ghana(Thesis, 2013) Adane-Mariami, Z.A recent trend in scientific and agricultural development approaches show a shift from linear transfer of technology models towards system thinking to improve livelihoods resilience of smallholder agriculturalists in developing countries, and thus to achieve sustainable food security. One manifestation of such shifts is the recognition of agricultural innovations as multi-dimensional and co-evolutionary processes which integrates technological, organizational, socio-economic and institutional innovations that can create synergies when applied jointly. This thesis attempts to test a new conceptual framework for evaluating innovation platforms (IPs) for agri-food value chains. The framework is based on the structure-conduct-performance hypothesis of industrial organization in combination with concepts from new institutional economics and marketing. Data to test the framework was collected through interviews of stakeholders of two IPs in the Volta Basin Development Challenge Program on integrated management of rainwater in crop-livestock agro-ecosystems in two northern regions of Ghana. The study used a mixed methods research methodology. A semi-logarithmic multiple regression analysis was employed to test relationships between the variables representing the structure, conduct and performance of the platforms following a principal components factor analysis to obtain reduced number of underlying factors from Likert-type statements on communication and information sharing (representing the conduct element) and improved market access (for performance). The qualitative information obtained through focus group discussions, interviews of platform facilitators and key respondents, and participant observation of an IP meeting also validates a possible link between the structure of the platforms, the conducts of their members, and the resulting market performance through reducing transaction costs of search and information. The econometric results also support this claim. Improvement in interaction or communication within IP, gender, the location of the IP, and household wealth were found to have a significant effect on members’ access to market. Due to the short life of the project and the small number of people involved in the IPs, it is difficult to come to a strong conclusion on whether the framework is most appropriate for conducting an impact evaluation, or if at all, the results so far achieved are significantly associated to the intervention. This suggests the need for further work to refine and test the framework extensively through impact evaluation of completed projects or projects with relatively longer life; and also assess the overall impact of the IPs including environmental, social, and project sustainability. However, given the theoretical support from well-founded theories, the new framework could be used side by side with conventional methods of project evaluation to support existing approaches by producing complementary or supplementary results and help judge its suitability.Item Impact evaluation of an innovation platform on improvement of crop and livestock productions in four villages of Yatenga province, Northern Burkina Faso(Thesis, 2013-09-15) Teno, G.This study is linked to Volta2 project, launched in December 2010 for 3 years. Volta2 project has used innovation platforms as its principal development tool to achieve integrated management of rainwater for crop-livestock agroecosystems in 2 West African countries (Burkina Faso and Ghana). The aim of our study is to assess the impact of structure of innovation platform members, their conduct, and the consequence on the improvement of performance of crop and livestock production in four focal villages of Yatenga province, northern Burkina Faso (Ziga, Koura Bagre, Pogoro Silmimosse and Bogoya). The study was conducted from April to September 2013 with 2 months of field surveys between mid-May and mid-July 2013 in the four villages. This study was conducted through one approach borrowed from socio-economic theory: the model of “Structure – Conduct – Performance (SCP)”. The improvement in crop and livestock production was measured by asking farmers for their perception of this improvement. For data collection, focus group discussions and individual surveys with different stakeholders were used. Data analysis was carried through SPSS software, firstly for factor analysis to identify the dominant constructs of what makes innovation platform successful. And then, for regression analysis to determine the relationships between structure of innovation platform, the conduct of its members and whether they are achieving the objectives they set themselves in terms of improvement of crop and livestock production. Qualitative data was also interpreted to complete and interpret the results obtained through the analysis of quantitative data. Our study shows a positive impact of innovation platform, set up by Volta2 project, on IP member’s practices in Yatenga province. Innovation platform have contributed to the change of mentalities and conduct of its members in their activities. Indeed, through IP, its members have benefited from different support in their activities that have contributed to their capacity development, mainly by the reinforcement of their human and social capacity. The human capacity was improved through different trainings and advice received by IP members from different facilitators of innovation platform, such as training in animal and crop production, training in access to market, training in management of rainwater for crop and livestock production, etc. The social capacity of IP members was improved through new contacts and new partners that IP members have got in their activities. Indeed, through innovation platform, IP members of one village have entered in contact with IP members of other villages. Innovation platform have contributed to closer working relationships among IP members within the same village and to villagers gaining easier access to some organisations such as micro-credit organisations, animal husbandry and phytosanitary services of agricultural ministry, etc., which can help them to improve their activities. This improvement of human and social capacity of IP members has resulted in the improvement of crop and livestock production through a better exchange of information and knowledge between different stakeholders and a better access to different support services. Thus, our study shows a positive impact of innovation platform set up by Volta2 project for improvement of crop and livestock production in Yatenga province. These findings justify the necessity to support this kind of project in the perspective of reinforcing food security and reducing poverty in rural areas around the world.Item Taking stock of forty years of agricultural water management interventions in smallholder systems of Burkina Faso(Journal Article, 2014-04) Douxchamps, Sabine; Ayantunde, Augustine A.; Barron, JennieAgricultural water management (AWM) strategies have been extensively studied and promoted in Burkina Faso during the past four decades. However, rainfall variability and water access continue to limit agricultural production of most of the smallholder farming systems of the country. Our goals in this paper are: (i) to review the evolution of AWM development with respect to the technologies promoted, while emphasizing the context, approaches, investments and outcomes; (ii) to explore the linkages between the evolution of AWM projects, their outcomes and their impacts on rural livelihoods; and (iii) to provide recommendations to enhance the impact of new development initiatives. Between 1970 and 2009, 195 bilateral and multilateral AWM projects were implemented in Burkina Faso, corresponding to an investment of US$ 641 million.The study of the evolution of these projects allows one to assess the reasons for their success or failure. While projects involved many technical solutions, their actual impact on livelihoods is debatable. Using an outcome–impacts framework, we provide recommendations for enhancing the effectiveness and sustainability of investments in agricultural water management.Item Performance of innovation platforms in crop-livestock agro-ecosystems of the Volta basin in Burkina Faso(Report, 2013-09-01) Ayantunde, Augustine A.; Swaans, Cornelis P.M.; Some, Hubert W.; Pali, Pamela N.; Douxchamps, Sabine; Ouattara, K.Linear approach to research has had limited success in sub-Saharan Africa and there is need for participatory approach. The CPWF Volta Basin Development Challenge project on integrated management of rainwater in crop-livestock systems (V2) took an overarching innovation platform approach that supports learning and exchange for action research and for scaling up and out of promising best fit rainwater management strategies. Innovation platforms (IP) comprising of multi- stakeholders were established by the project in the project sites in Burkina Faso and Ghana in mid-2011; regular quarterly meetings were organized to identify and prioritize constraints and opportunities to rainwater management in crop-livestock systems and the implementation of strategies to address them. To ensure adequate documentation of IP processes and activities, and for evaluation of the performance of the IPs, monitoring and evaluation tools were developed comprising of register of actors, IP meeting and activity report, and members’ assessment of the IP. The data collected during the IP meetings in the project sites in Ghana was of relatively low quality. Hence, the results reported in this paper were from data collected from IP meetings in Burkina Faso. This paper focused on the assessment of the IP functioning in terms of consistency of participation across meetings and stakeholder groups, relevance/interest of IP issues, participation in decision making, information exchange, facilitation and perceived benefits of IP activities. Results from the assessment of the IPs showed that attendance at the meetings ranged from 24 to 42 participants, of which at least 60% were men. In terms of the groups of the participants, the producers accounted for between 30 and 65% of the total participants at the IP meetings in both locations. Other actors in the IPs included trader, processor, credit agency, technical services, researcher and development agency. All the key stakeholders were consistent in participation at the IP meetings except for credit agency in Koubri. Major activities carried out by the IP in Koubri and Ouahigouya as reported by the members included training, soil and water conservation initiatives, linkage to financial and technical services, supply of agricultural inputs, group marketing particularly of onion, animal management and post-harvest management. From the members’ assessment of IP 1 activities, processes and outputs, gender only had significant effect in the score for participation in decision making where women gave lower score than men. For all the indicators for the IP meetings, the lowest score (2.53±0.16; score was from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest)) was observed for the quality of facilitation in Ouahigouya for the meeting of March 2012 while the highest score (4.90±0.06) was for conflict resolution in the IP in Ouahigouya for the meeting in June 2013. Also, for all the indicators the mean scores tended to increase with the lifespan of the IP, that is the longer the lifespan the higher the scores given by the members for its performance. These results suggest that IP approach is not a ”quick- win” approach. This raises the challenge of maintaining the interest and participation of relevant actors.Item Integrated Management of rainwater for crop-livestock agroecosystems(Brochure, 2011-12-31) CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and FoodWith mixed crop-livestock systems projected to remain the main providers of food (animal and plant) in the coming decades, opportunities exist for smallholders to participate and benefit from emerging crop and livestock markets in the Volta Basin. Given the economic, social and environmental vulnerability due to high water scar- city and variability in the basin, improvements in rainwa- ter management are needed for ensuring sustainable and equitable benefits.Item CPWF Volta V2 Main Message Poster(Poster, 2013-09-01) CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and FoodInnovation platforms provide spaces for a wide range of stakeholders to exchange knowledge, learn, and develop joint initiatives to solve agricultural development challenges. Successful innovation can only happen when stakeholders have a sustained interest in working together to acquire new knowledge and find solutions; the research community cannot bring about innovation on its own.Item Farmer-led Innovation towards rainwater management in crop-livestock production systems in the Volta Basin: Lessons from Orbile community, northern Ghana(Poster, 2013-09-13) Tengan, K.; Karbo, N; Panyan, E.K.; Ayantunde, Augustine A.; Kitzio, FItem Developing rainfed crop-livestock value chains through Innovation Platforms: experiences with rural communities in the Volta Basin(Brochure, 2013-01-01) Some, Hubert W.Multi-actor system as an Innovation Platform (IP) The Challenge Program on Water and Food in the Volta basin aims “to strengthen integrated management of rainwater and small reservoirs so that they can be used equitably for multiple uses.” One way by which to accomplish this is to increase crop and livestock productivity through Rainwater Management Strategies (RMS) and improve water productivity at the farm level.Item Développer des chaînes de valeur agro-pastorales pluviales à travers les plateformes d’innovation: Expériences avec des communautés rurales dans le Bassin de la Volta(Brochure, 2013-09-16) Some, Hubert W.Le Système Multi-acteur comme Plateforme d’Innovation (IP) Le Programme de défi pour l’eau et l’alimentation dans le Bassin de la Volta (CPWF-Volta) vise « à renforcer la gestion intégrée des eaux pluviales et des petits barrages afin qu’elles puissent être exploitées mieux équitablement pour des usages multiples ». L’un des moyens par lequel on peut atteindre cet objectif est d’augmenter la productivité agricole et pastorale par des Stratégies de gestion des eaux pluviales et d’améliorer la productivité de l’eau au niveau champêtre.Item Les plateformes d’innovation de la Volta—pour une production agricole efficace et concertée(Video, 2011-12-01) Some, Hubert W.Les plateformes d'innovation sont une nouvelle approche pour une concertation entre acteurs en vue d'appréhender l'ensemble des facteurs affectant une chaîne de valeur agricole. Hubert Some de la SNV nous offre son point de vue sur les expériences en cours dans le bassin de la Volta. Cette entrevue fait partie du projet V2 ‘Gestion intégrée des eaux pluviales pour les écosystèmes agro-pastoraux’ du Programme de Défi pour l’Eau et l’Alimentation (CPWF) dans le Bassin de la Volta.Item Water scarcity limits crop-livestock production in the Volta Basin(Brief, 2011-11-01) Douxchamps, SabineItem Learning from the past: Rainwater management in smallholder crop-livestock systems of the Volta basin(Presentation, 2011-08-16) Douxchamps, SabineItem CPWF Volta Basin Project ‘integrated management of rainwater for crop-livestock agro-ecosystems’ (V2).(Presentation, 2011-03-15) Ayantunde, Augustine A.Item Research approach in the Volta Basin Development Challenge not 'business as usual'(Video, 2011-03-23) Ayantunde, Augustine A.In this interview, Augustine Ayantunde from ILRI introduced an ILRI-led project on 'integrated management of rainwater in mixed crop-livestock integrated systems' (in the Volta river basin). The project aims to evaluate and test best fit rainwater management strategies in Ghana and Burkina Faso. According to Ayantunde, the approach of the project is not 'business as usual.' Instead of traditional linear research for farmers, the emphasis project is on the participation of local stakeholders and communities through innovation platforms. The platforms will be mechanisms or spaces where many people involved in a value chain can meet together and collectively design, with the farmers, the right interventions. The Volta Basin Development Challenge is funded by the CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food (CPWF).