This project was implemented by a small group of famers, comprising men and women, with women as the leaders. These farmers in the past mostly carried-out backyard gardening to supplement their household food requirements, but in the last eight years had moved to forming a group which would help them to develop their capacity and sell their produce including added-value goods such as brooms on the local market.

Working with their Social Transformation Officer from their community who had an interest in participatory processes and action learning, they approached GEF SGP to help them with a participatory project which would build their capacity. During SGP?s first meeting, members expressed their challenges with water shortages for crops and household use. It was at this point we asked them whether they would be interested in undertaking a CBA Project which would begin with a VRA baseline assessment. They agreed.

During the project duration we undertook a total of three (3) VRA assessments with the following results as presented in the attachment to this report (See attachments). Here are some pertinent details:

(i) The number of persons with a knowledge of CC increased from 60% with a not much response during the first VRA session to 60% FAIR AMOUNT by the third VRA.

(ii) The VRA scores went from 2.6 in VRA 1 to 2.61 in the Second VRA to 4.125 in the third VRA. When we examined the details of change in scores we concluded the following:

(a) The community's perception of the impact of water shortages on the community was more favourable than unfavourable by the end of the project (scores increased from 2.6 to 3.7);

(ii) There was a more optimistic perception that the community would be able to combat any increase in water shortages due to CC (scores increased from 1.7 to 3.1);

(iii) The community felt more empowered to address impacts derived from CC and felt that they now had the means to address water shortages (scores increased from 1.2 to 4.7); and

(iv) The community felt that the results and impacts of the project would continue way beyond the project's life-span. Community members thought that it would be a retrograde step to negate the positive results of the project (scores increased from 3.0 to 5.0).

During project implementation a total of 42 persons were employed (19 women and 23 men) earning a total of US$7348.00 in wages. Employment were in areas such as farming skills, construction and project management.

Thirty-five persons (20 women and 15 men) were trained in areas which included: conflict resolution; proposal writing; advocacy; budgeting; water conservation, storage and use; crop diversification and integrated pest management; sustainable land management; cost effective and efficient irrigation systems; and organic farming methods. Most of the learning took place through the Farmer Field School approach and by a visit to another SGP grantee Bell Vue Farmers Cooperative.

In conclusion, we can safely conclude that the community is more resilient with 25 farmers more knowledgeable about CC. smart agriculture in the context of CC, and in possession of rain water harvesting and irrigation systems.

Lessons learned included the following: (i) change requires strong leadership and in the formative period that kind of leadership may even have to be top-down before it becomes more participatory; (ii) Successful CBA projects should be about moving participants into a continuous learning mode through processes that empowers (builds confidence); (iii) without greater capacity building in marketing and small business enterprise with greater product diversification, the group's rate of development will decline, which could cause a loss in interest by members. Additional financing in small business development is required.