Assignment Seven Discussion
Online Learning: OL 333 Climate Smart Agriculture.
Center for Sustainable Development
https://csd-i.org/ol-333-climate-smart-agricult/

Assignment Seven. Identifying CSA sub-activities for capacity building; Workshop Lesson Planning.
Last assignment we expanded upon our project outline with a new set of sub activities—the actual techniques for smallholder farmers to use in adapting to a changing climate.

The first thing to do this week is to show the expanded outline to a representative number of members of the Farmer’s Association for their feedback. As we learned in 344 these continued conversations with the community members will continue to maintain their ownership of the project—which means that when were done with our grant cycle they will continue to maintain these techniques and activities.

We are also hoping to find out from them which of the activities they would like to start with first. That will not only establish their ownership of the activity, but it will give us something specific for planning a workshop for next week.

This assignment will begin the process of developing a series of workshops on climate smart agricultural practices that community members will need for improving their capacity for adapting to climate change. These agricultural practices are the specific things that they will need to learn how to do, how to incorporate them into daily/monthly routines, and learn how to ensure their continuation.

For example, if your farmers’ soils half become depleted and your project may include a soil restoration program. Rainfall patterns may have become unpredictable and have reduced crop production. One activity in your program might be to begin increasing the organic material content in the soil to both improve soil quality for boosting crop production, but also to use the organic material to retain moisture in the soil—somewhat like a sponge. The skill set that we’re trying to support here is for farmers to understand the value of adding organic material to their soil—and the value of maintaining and continuing to add organic material over time. We’re trying to encourage them to adopt sound practices and maintain them for a long time.

You should all be old hands at designing and preparing for workshops by now! You probably also have a ready supply of lesson plans that you can edit quickly to use in your workshop. I’m also providing two field guides, how-to card’s and workshop lesson plans that might be useful for you to modify as well.

This is very exciting because with the workshop next week that you are planning this week you will be officially launching the implementation phase of your climate smart agriculture project!

I’m looking forward to seeing your photos.

I look forward to seeing your work this week — please move on to assignment 7.

Sincerely,

Tim Magee