What has been done since the start of the project? Update from the Work Packages

The SustainSahel project underwent review in the past months during the first reporting period. Many actions have taken place since the start of the project in September 2020. This article highlights the major tasks undertaken according to the work packages since the start of the project.

WP1: Project management

This WP has successfully overseen the administration aspects for the project, including tasks like: organising meetings and regular communication for the Steering Committee, General Assembly, coordination and partners. Financial and data management, are ongoing tasks of WP1.

LEAP4FNSSA (Long-term Europe-Africa Research and Innovation Partnership for Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture) meetings were attended to secure partnership and involvement in the bi-continental platform (linked below). Collaborations with other projects, like FAIRSahel, have been established to capitalise on synergies and create new opportunities for both parties.

WP2: Co-innovation and capacity development

The main activities implemented by WP2 in the first reporting period include:

• Existing CSL integrated systems identified and value chains in the study sites data collection tools were developed using PRA (participatory rural appraisal) approach, allowing an overview of the main features and identifying the most relevant actors related to the key value chains per area.
• A concerted development of a comprehensive and multiscale approach for the identification and analysis of constraints to adoption of CSLP, and literature review and initial interviews with stakeholders on constraints to the adoption of CSLP systems was conducted.
• Innovation Platforms: Meetings to sensitize the actors for the establishment of innovation platforms were organized. The people who should represent the different categories of members of the innovation platforms were identified and selected in consultation with the communities and other stakeholders.

The preliminary results of these activities will be used to refine the grid for the analysis of constraints to the adoption and subsequently to build the empirical model on adoption constraints and their effects.

Finally, the development of a methodological approach for analyzing the capacity development needs of agricultural advisory organizations was initiated. That approach will guide the designing of the framework for the assessments of capacity development needs at individual level.

Want to go deeper into WP2 activities? Read the news item 'Innovation platforms: update from WP2' written by WP2 leaders at Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL.

WP3: Adoption and scaling pathways

Period baseline data have been collected in both sites through farm household questionnaires, where WP3 is active (Niakhar and Koulikoro), using power calculations to obtain representative samples of farm households.

The study of the drivers of adoption of existing agroforestry practices is in ongoing. Selection of villages for the interventions in Niakhar and Koulikoro, based on randomisation, has been nearly finalised.

WP4: Shrub based farming systems design

For this reporting period, WP4 carried out the following activities three main activities:

• Literature collection and meta-analysis: The assessment of existing knowledge regarding the use of shrub/tree species in agricultural systems in Mali, Senegal and Burkina Faso, as well as the identification of crop-shrub interactions appropriate to local contexts, identified a list of species that could be integrated into the design of locally relevant CSL systems.
• Participatory design of promising CSL systems: Outputs from initial activities of WP2 and WP3 supported the design of farming systems in WP4. Experiments and farmer activities for 2022 are designed based on the in-depth understanding of stakeholders’ needs, opinions and knowledge as revealed in WP2 and WP3 surveys and workshops.
• On-station and on-farm trials establishment and experimental activities: Working at 10 different sites across the projects three focus countries. In each site, several participatory on-station and on-farm trials have been established to study the impact of tree and shrub species on soil properties, crop yields, and more. Clusters of farmer demonstration activities have also begun, intended for enabling wider adoption are set up at each location.

Since the ultimate objective of WP4 is to benefit soil, crops and livestock to improve the livelihood of farmers, WPs 2, 5, 6 and 7 have been directly involved in the implementation.

Six trials were designed and will be implemented in the growing season of 2022.

WP5: Impact of tree/shrub intercropping on soil ecology

So far:

• Soil samples that will serve as baseline data have been collected in all project sites.
• In Senegal and Burkina Faso, the first set of field trials were set up during the 2021 cropping season, and samples were therefore also taken at the end of cropping season.
• In selected locations, BIOFUNCTOOL (innovative in-field assessment of ecological functioning) indicators were tested in the context of project sites, as well as protocols for water regime parameters assessments and samples.

Preliminary assessments of bacterial and fungal communities are underway.

WP6: Benefits of shrub foliage for livestock husbandry

In this reporting period,

• Literature study identified the shrub foliage types that are most suitable as animal feed complement to increase animal performance and health.
• Ethnobotanical surveys about regionally important shrub foliage was conducted in Ouarkhok, Senegal, Koulikoro, Mali, as well as Saria and Yilou, Burkina Faso to identify species of shrub foliage most preferred by livestock keepers, and learn about livestock keepers’ foliage feeding strategies in these locations.
• A pilot tool (Microsoft Excel®) was developed to calculate balanced feed rations for sheep, goats and cattle that contain valuable shrub foliage. The appreciation and suitability of this tool was tested from February until June 2022 with ministry representatives, extension workers, veterinarians and other actors from the public sector in Senegal, in close collaboration with WP2.

The palatability, digestibility, and potential nutritional and environmental benefits of the most relevant species of shrub foliage are being tested on the research stations in Dahra (CRZ), Koulikoro (IPR/IFRA) and Saria (INERA). The results will help to develop best foliage feeding strategies that may be adopted by livestock farmers in the second half or the project’s life-time, and that will be integrated into modelling and value chain initiatives.

Want to go deeper into WP6 activities? Read 'Optimizing a feeding tool with nutritional details on shrub-foliage containing diets' news item written by the WP6 team at University of Kassel, Germany.

WP7: Geo-statistical and scenario modelling of crop, shrubs, livestock systems

In this reporting period,

• The landscape characterisation and a tentative mapping of CSL systems were carried out at large scale (i.e. country) and across the seven project areas.
• A large geospatial database of biophysical variables (e.g., carbon quantity, DEM, soil types, land use, woody vegetation cover, etc.) was compiled to analyse the variation of landscape characteristics. Part of this dataset was used for the modelling.
• Preliminary runs of LUCIA (Land Use Change Impact Assessment) were done for Niakhar.
• Based on PRA (participatory rural appraisal) reports from WP2, model scenarios were developed for Niakhar and Saria to feed into the Innovation Platform meetings.

The parameterisation (Plant data and weather data), calibration (soil samples) and validation of LUCIA standalone are ongoing for all the project sites.

Want to go deeper into WP7 activities? Read 'Modelling potential crop–shrub–livestock interventions in west–African sahelian agricultural landscapes' news, written by the WP7 team at University of Hohenheim, Germany (UHOH).

WP8: Communications and dissemination driving impact

During the first internal review, the Consortium identified bottlenecks in the Dissemination strategy and the need to focus on local dissemination to drive project outcomes for greater impact. This resulted in the restructuring of the WP8, reshifting of tasks and budget for which an Amendment process was initiated and accepted by REA.

To help shift focus, a Local Dissemination Action Plan was developed together with the local partners to drive better local impact. This is a transdisciplinary and cross-WP strategy to disseminate CSL practices developed in all seven project focus areas. This process implies the involvement of farmers in the dissemination process from the beginning, thus building trust-based relationships between farmers, researchers, extension officers and students that enhance mutual learning for all stakeholders.

FiBL has secured a supplementary funding that specifically focusses on SustainSahel local dissemination. These additional resources will be used in one site in each country and will enhance SustainSahel’s impact.

In this reporting period, WP8 devised a set of Communication and Dissemination tools and channels to drive the project impact; including social media channels, the project website in EN and FR, a project introduction video, project photo gallery, one press release, amongst internal guidelines and templates for project identity.

Further information

Weblinks

Fair-sahel.org: homepage

leap4fnssa.eu: homepage

Written by: Lauren Dietemann, WP8 co-leader at Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL