Background

Since 2018, the project "Food Security: Climate-Resilient Agriculture" (SAGA) has been supporting two Francophone countries, Senegal and Haiti, in implementing the adaptation component of their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and integrating agriculture into the national adaptation planning processes. Made possible through a technical and financial partnership with the government of Quebec, this FAO project aims to strengthen climate resilience in the agricultural sectors and communities of both countries, ensuring food security and nutrition.

The Grand Finale in Rome

The SAGA project's intervention in Haiti and Senegal has now reached its final implementation phase. The project's closing workshop, organized by the FAO, took place in Rome, Italy, from March 22 to 24, 2023. It brought together representatives from project partner organizations to showcase the flagship achievements, share experiences, and exchange lessons learned. Moreover, the event provided a platform to discuss the directions for Phase 2 of the project, scheduled to commence in mid-2023, spanning three years in Haiti, Senegal, and Côte d'Ivoire. The primary objectives of the workshop were as follows:

• Discuss the main results and lessons learned from the SAGA project interventions.
• Present and validate the preliminary findings of the final project evaluation.
• Generate recommendations for the formulation of Phase 2 of the project (SAGA 2).

Recap of Day 1

The first day of the SAGA project's final workshop facilitated exchanges among various stakeholders and participants to identify the key outcomes of Phase 1. The project was recognized for its innovative partnership framework between the government of Quebec, international partners, and local stakeholders. This inclusive participation allowed for the strengthening of adaptive capacities for small-scale farmers, better integration of local knowledge, inclusive governance, securing vegetable growing areas, and significant progress in women's integration and empowerment. The multi-stakeholder approach of the SAGA project also highlighted the importance of community engagement in national adaptation planning processes. This involvement not only addressed the real needs of the communities but also ensured the sustainability and scalability of activities. However, there was a call to improve the dissemination of applied research findings to policymakers.

The first day also featured presentations from project evaluators, outlining the evaluation methodology, tools, limitations, preliminary findings, and lessons learned from Phase 1. Based on these early findings, participants engaged in brainstorming sessions to formulate possible recommendations for Phase 2, which were further discussed during the third day of the workshop.

Recap of Day 2

The second day began with national actors presenting how the SAGA project contributed to the implementation of national adaptation priorities. The discussions emphasized the importance of having data collection and analysis capabilities for short-term (seasonal) forecasting, ideally with detailed territorial coverage to account for specific contexts.

A series of presentations expanded participants' perspectives on agroecology performance evaluation, the role of behavioral sciences in driving change, the agriculture-climate-water-energy-biodiversity nexus, and the global platform of farmers' field schools.

Participants were then divided into working groups to develop results, activities, and indicators for Phase 2 in each of the project's components .

Recap of Day 3

The third day allowed for an in-depth review of the evaluation of Phase 1 of the project and suggestions for improvements in Phase 2.

A major topic of discussion was identifying opportunities for synergies among different types of actors. Emphasis was placed on identifying and sharing approaches and practices that were successful during Phase 1 to strengthen or expand them in Phase 2. For instance, the relevance of integrating gender considerations in farmers' field schools was highlighted, and the involvement of regional offices of ministries (or other decentralized services) and local elected officials proved beneficial for certain partners. Documenting best practices and approaches that can benefit all stakeholders was repeatedly stressed. Additionally, the need for internal communication among actors of different types was proposed as an essential aspect.

Conclusions

The SAGA project's success lies in its multi-actor approach, which was well-represented during the three-day workshop. The exchanges were fundamental in assessing the achievements of Phase 1 and laying the strongest foundations for the SAGA 2 partnership framework. One key lesson learned was the ability of all actors to adapt to the project's framework while proposing activities that were most relevant to their capacities and needs. Innovative solutions were found to cope with local and global contexts, including challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The SAGA project also contributed to a shift in mindset by promoting women's empowerment, participatory approaches at the grassroots level, and recognizing the significance of agricultural sectors in climate adaptation. The discussions shed light on the project's results and limitations, and several actions to continue or reinforce were identified: access to reliable and applicable data on the ground, translating research into concrete policy measures, capacity building, financial access, strengthening dialogues and consultations, and enhancing knowledge sharing and anchoring.

Phase 2 will build upon the achievements of Phase 1 to bring about even more positive changes for everyone, including the youth. Empowerment will play a crucial role for women, communities, and SAGA partners on the ground to act independently and sustainably beyond the project's implementation period. The formulation of Phase 2 will draw from the insights gained during these three days of exchange, leveraging the added value and strengths of SAGA, and maintaining reasonable expectations regarding the results that can be achieved. SAGA 2 is a project with defined resources: $5 million USD, three countries—Côte d'Ivoire, Haiti, Senegal—and a diverse array of actors and perspectives.