Background:

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) recently organized a "Regional Programming and Strategy Workshop for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) - Francophone Africa" in Dakar, Senegal, in collaboration with the Government of Senegal. The workshop aimed to strengthen the planning and programming capacities of Francophone African LDCs within the framework of the new GEF 8 program on climate change. About 17 Francophone African countries participated in the workshop, including government representatives, civil society organizations, and development partners, to discuss priority measures for addressing the challenges of climate change in the region.

During this regional workshop, a strong delegation from the GEF, accompanied by focal points, conducted a visit on April 26, 2023, to the village of Pandiénou in the Thiès region. The purpose of this visit was to capitalize on the experience of the Farmer Field Schools (FFS) and promote good practices in climate change adaptation.

Pandiénou village is located in the commune of Pambal, Tivaouane department, in the Thiès region. Like many villages in Senegal, Pandiénou is heavily impacted by climate change and desertification. There is a decrease in rainfall associated with significant variability and rising temperatures in the area. The agricultural sector is one of the most affected by this phenomenon and can no longer guarantee an income above the food survival threshold. Additionally, the village's proximity to the city of Thiès leads to significant land pressure (FAO, 2021). These climate-related challenges exacerbate an already difficult economic situation in the region.

Women and youth are the most affected by these challenges, along with increased competition for access to land. Due to persistent gender inequalities, women farmers face difficulties in accessing productive resources, training, and leadership positions in agri-food value chains.

In this context, the Québec-based organization Mer et Monde, in collaboration with the FAO, is supporting women's groups in the area to strengthen their capacity for climate change adaptation. This learning process is carried out through the FFS approach of the FAO.

The CEP: Building on the experience of the GEF-5 project

The initiative of the Pandiénou CEP builds on the results of the project "Integration of Climate Resilience in Agro-Pastoral Production for Food Security in Vulnerable Rural Areas through the Farmer Field School Approach (LDF)," funded by the GEF and implemented in Senegal from 2015 to 2020.

By using the learning-by-doing approach of FFSs, the LDF project trained a group of master trainers and implemented learning methods for adapting agricultural practices to climate change. This approach allowed for the adoption of improved agricultural practices, such as reducing risks related to rainfall variability through the dissemination of agro-climatic information and the adoption of climate change adaptation practices by farmers.

During the visit of the GEF team, the FAO, in collaboration with national partners of the climate resilience project, set up four stands representing the four components of the project:

• An exhibition stand on the development and improvement of adaptation strategies and tools based on knowledge. This component paves the way to ensure that innovations, technologies, and adaptation practices, as well as agro-meteorological information, are available for large-scale replication. This stand was managed by the National Agency for Civil Aviation and Meteorology (ANACIM) and the Ecological Monitoring Center (CSE).
• A stand on financing adaptation for small-scale producers through a "revolving fund" financial mechanism to support adaptation activities at the local level. This stand was animated by the National Fund for Agro-Sylvo-Pastoral Development (FNDAPS). This component facilitated the coordinated integration of adaptation strategies into policies, programs, and projects, as well as the development frameworks of agro-sylvo-pastoral production sectors in vulnerable areas of the project. This component led to the creation of the National Climate Resilience Fund.
• A stand on the integration and empowerment of women, youth, and vulnerable groups through the creation of "Dimitra Listening Clubs" to facilitate networking of CEPs in collaboration with non-governmental organizations.
• A final stand on Farmer Field Schools, animated by master trainers and facilitators from the village of Pandiénou and the Agricultural and Rural Counseling Agency (ANCAR). This stand allowed for discussions on the CEP approach, which strengthens the capacity and dissemination of strategies, technologies, and best practices for climate change adaptation among small-scale agro-sylvo-pastoral producers. This stand showcased the synergy developed by the FAO through the Climate Resilience and SAGA projects.

The Pandiénou CEP: An initiative implemented by the Québec-based organization Mer et Monde in collaboration with the FAO under the SAGA Project

The women of the Economic Interest Group (GIE) "And Liggeey de Pandiénou" have benefited from the support of the project "Food Security: an Adapted Agriculture (SAGA)," funded by the Government of Quebec and implemented by the FAO. The objective of the SAGA project is to strengthen the resilience of populations to climate change for food security and nutrition in Haiti and Senegal.

In order to strengthen the resilience of women in the area, the Quebec-based organization Mer et Monde, a partner of the SAGA project, supported the establishment of 5 Farmer Field Schools (CEP) with local women's groups through the initiative "Si At Fiki": Together, Let's Move Forward. The Pandiénou CEP is one of these schools in the commune of Pambal. The initiative trained 20 facilitators and 62 producers in resilient horticultural practices, product transformation and preservation, as well as entrepreneurship.

The visit of the GEF and the LDC Focal Points from Francophone countries provided the beneficiaries with an opportunity to share their experiences and lessons learned. The Pandiénou CEP allowed them to put into practice good adaptation practices related to the Zaï method, compost and biopesticide use, agroforestry practices (integrating fruit tree cultivation with vegetable crops), as well as erosion control and biological pest control methods.

Partners like Mer et Monde, in line with most participants in SAGA, support the empowerment of women and youth in the agricultural sector.

• According to Moussa Faye, Mer et Monde's country coordinator for the project: their mission is to promote sustainable development and support marginalized communities worldwide. The SAGA project perfectly aligns with this mission.
• Florence Tine, a facilitator trained as part of the SAGA project, is convinced of the relevance of the CEP approach for producers in her community. Her role in the CEP initiative is to help coordinate community engagement and educational activities, including training sessions and workshops on agroforestry and sustainable agricultural practices. According to her, local communities can participate in the training sessions by joining local working groups and taking part in community-led conservation efforts.
• Cécile Penda Mbaye is the president of the group "And Liggeey de Pandiénou." She stated, "The new agricultural techniques acquired and experimented with in this Farmer Field School have allowed us to have very good harvests and improve our living conditions. In this area, we use the Zaï method, which allows us to save water and cultivate throughout the year. We use compost as organic fertilizer, and we only harvest organic products. There are more than a hundred women, and we want more land to develop our activities."

These statements highlight the importance of the SAGA project in promoting sustainable agricultural practices in Senegal, particularly concerning responsible land use and community participation. With the commitment of authorities, facilitators, and participants, the SAGA project offers a path toward a more sustainable and prosperous future for the country.

A beautiful exchange of experiences and capitalization of the FAO's CEP approach

The visit of the Pandiénou CEP by the GEF team highlighted the achievements of the "Si At Fiki" initiative of the SAGA project and the synergies developed with the climate resilience project funded by the GEF-5. This initiative aims to strengthen community resilience and promote the empowerment of women in rural areas.

This visit also illustrates the commitment of the GEF and its partners to support producers in adapting to the adverse effects of climate change:

• Chizuru AOKI, Chief Environmental Specialist/Manager of LDCF/SCCF, was pleased with the warm welcome and the opportunity to see a replication of a project funded by her institution.
• Jason Spensley, Climate Change Adaptation Specialist at the Global Environment Facility (GEF), praised the resilience efforts of the people of Pandiénou: "It's impressive to see how these communities adapt to the climate reality. We will do everything in our power to help them adapt to this new climate reality," he said.
• Mrs. Madeleine Rose Diouf, Head of the Climate Change Division and Chair of the Least Developed Countries (LDC) Negotiating Group, added, "Senegal must scale up these experiences. All family farms, which account for more than 70% of agricultural production, should adopt the Farmer Field School approach (water economy, natural soil fertilization, agroforestry, and continuous production). The FAO is disseminating this good practice, and the GEF aims for its scaling up."

The visit also allowed the different focal points to better grasp these various achievements.