INTRODUCTION

Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing humanity today, and its impact on agriculture and food security is becoming increasingly severe. Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) is a set of sustainable agricultural practices that aim to increase agricultural productivity and incomes while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing resilience to climate change. CSA is not only essential for achieving food security, but also for mitigating climate change and promoting sustainable development.

Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is an approach that helps to guide actions needed to transform and reorient agricultural systems to effectively support development and ensure food security in a changing climate. CSA aims at increasing agricultural productivity and incomes, adapting and building resilience to climate change and reducing and/or removing greenhouse gas emissions where possible. This course will impart its participants with skills for developing agricultural strategies to secure sustainable food security under climate change and help stakeholders identify agricultural strategies suitable to their local conditions.

The training course will be delivered through a combination of lectures, group discussions, case studies, and practical exercises. At the end of the course, participants will have gained a better understanding of Climate Smart Agriculture, and the knowledge and skills necessary to implement climate-smart practices in their own agricultural systems.

Participants who successfully complete the course will receive Certificate of Participation.

OBJECTIVES

By the end of the course, the participant should be able to;

1.    To understand the impact of climate change on agriculture productivity and the need to adopt climate-smart practices.

2.    Comprehend the concepts and principles of climate smart agriculture.

3.    Know the climate smart agriculture practices in crop and livestock production

4.    Have an understanding of improved sustainability approaches in agriculture production,

5.    Evaluate that climate smart agriculture practices sustainably increase agricultural productivity, farm incomes, food security and development.

6.    To provide an overview of Climate Smart Agriculture and its importance in sustainable agriculture practices.

7.    To equip participants with knowledge and skills to implement Climate Smart Agriculture practices.

8.    To understand the role of policy and governance in promoting Climate Smart Agriculture practices.

DURATION

5 days

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

The Climate Smart Agriculture training course is designed for a wide range of participants who are interested in sustainable agriculture practices and climate change adaptation and mitigation. This includes:

1.    Farmers and agricultural producers who are interested in adopting climate-smart practices to improve productivity, resilience, and sustainability.

2.    Agriculture extension workers and field officers who work with farmers to promote sustainable agriculture practices.

3.    Policy makers and government officials who are responsible for developing and implementing climate-smart agriculture policies and programs.

4.    Private sector actors such as agribusinesses, investors, and financial institutions who are interested in promoting sustainable agriculture practices and climate-smart investments.

5.    Researchers and academics who are interested in the science behind climate-smart agriculture and the development of new technologies and practices.

6.    Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society organizations (CSOs) who work with farmers and other stakeholders to promote sustainable agriculture and climate change adaptation.

The course is suitable for participants from all regions of the world and can be adapted to the specific needs and contexts of different regions and countries.

COURSE OUTLINE

Day 1: Introduction to Climate Smart Agriculture

    i).         Overview of Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) and its potential to diversify and achieve stable returns from farming portfolios by responding to market demands with diversified production

   ii).         The principles of CSA and how they can be applied to increase access to water for productive purposes through improved water management practices

 iii).         The importance of CSA in making ecosystem services work for farmers by improving access to, and collective management of, water, soil, and forest products

Day 2: Climate-smart Agricultural Practices

    i).         Climate-smart crop production practices, including crop diversification and management techniques that increase access to water for productive purposes

   ii).         Climate-smart livestock production practices that improve ecosystem services, such as rotational grazing and manure management

 iii).         Climate-smart fisheries and aquaculture practices that integrate with other production systems to increase productivity and ecosystem services

  iv).         Climate-smart soil and water management practices that increase access to markets and finance by improving soil health and reducing water use

Day 3: Implementing Climate Smart Agriculture

    i).         Identifying climate-related risks in agriculture and how to mitigate them through climate-smart practices that increase access to markets and finance

   ii).         Developing a climate-smart agriculture plan that responds to market demands and considers ecosystem services

 iii).         Climate-smart financing and investment that supports farmers to make climate smart investments that increase productivity and access to markets

  iv).         Engaging stakeholders in climate-smart agriculture to increase access to markets and finance

   v).         Monitoring and evaluating climate-smart agriculture practices to improve access to markets and finance

Day 4: Policy and Governance for Climate Smart Agriculture

    i).         The role of policy and governance in promoting Climate Smart Agriculture, including policies that support diversification and access to water for productive purposes

   ii).         Climate-smart agriculture policies and regulations that support ecosystem services, including access to soil, water, and forest products

 iii).         Climate-smart agriculture programs and initiatives that improve access to markets and finance for farmers

  iv).         Public-private partnerships in Climate Smart Agriculture that support access to markets and finance

   v).         Climate-smart agriculture and international agreements that support access to markets and finance for farmers

Day 5: Scaling up Climate Smart Agriculture

    i).         The importance of scaling up Climate Smart Agriculture to increase access to markets and finance for farmers

   ii).         Approaches to scaling up Climate Smart Agriculture practices that improve access to markets and finance for farmers

 iii).         Building capacity for Climate Smart Agriculture to improve access to markets and finance for farmers

  iv).         Promoting adoption of Climate Smart Agriculture practices to improve access to markets and finance for farmers

   v).         Strategies for mainstreaming Climate Smart Agriculture into development plans to improve access to markets and finance for farmers.

General Notes

·      The instructor led trainings are delivered using a blended learning approach and comprises of presentations, guided sessions of practical exercise, web-based tutorials and group work. Our facilitators are seasoned industry experts with years of experience, working as professional and trainers in these fields.

·      The participants should be reasonably proficient in English as all facilitation and course materials will be offered in English.

·      Upon successful completion of this training, participants will be issued with a certificate.

·      The training will be held at Kincaid Training Centre. The course fee covers the course tuition, training materials, two break refreshments and lunch.

·      All participants will additionally cater for their, travel expenses, visa application, insurance, and other personal expenses.

·      Accommodation and airport pickup are arranged upon request. For reservations contact the Training coordinator at Email: training@kincaiddevelopmentcenter.org or Tel: +254 724592901

·      This training can also be customized to suit the needs of your institution upon request. You can have it delivered in our Kincaid Training Centre or at a convenient location.

For further inquiries, please contact us on Tel: +254 724592901 or send mail to training@kincaiddevelopmentcenter.org.

Payments are due upon registration. Payment should be sent to our Bank account before commencement of training and proof of payment sent to training@kincaiddevelopmentcenter.org.