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The SHARP+ tool was used in a comparative study conducted with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich (ETHZ) to explore resilience and better understand its prerequisites in two different contexts, Uganda and Switzerland.

Data were collected in two different independent projects:
Resilience Assessment of Swiss Farming Systems in the Vaud canton (ETHZ), Integrating Climate Resilience into Agricultural and Pastoral Production in Uganda, through a Farmer/Agro-pastoralist Field School Approach (FAO, GEF).

Researchers found that resilience is highly context-dependent, and farmers construct very different strategies in response to shocks in their production systems.

Ugandan farmers are constantly faced with small disturbances that force them to constantly adapt and thus increase their resilience. To do so, they particularly rely on traditional knowledge, customary mechanisms and community cooperation. However, the study found that there is a lack of redundancy in their system (e.g. access to inputs, water, energy, etc.) to better buffer shocks, as well as a low access to training, education and information on sustainable practices and weather forecast.

Swiss farmers on the over hand maintain their production system resilient through strong institutional support and a good access to information and new technologies. However, farmers are very dependent on markets and subsidies to maintain their revenue, which can lead to instability during institutional change. In addition, the study showed there is a lack of diversity within their production system and little cooperation within their community, further reducing farmer’s resilience.

Thus, the study suggests that farmers adapt and build various coping strategies depending on the context.

Click here to find the full article, learn more about farmers' resilience in these two contexts and see the full extent of the use of the SHARP+ tool.