The problem statement
Every year large proposition of forest cover is lost through unsustainable agricultural practices in the bole-Bamboi area. Agricultural is the main economic activity engaging 75% of active work force. Despite this contribution, the sector receives very little attention from stakeholders. The current non- climate smart agro-ecology approach and other Bad farming practices such as slash/burn adopted by farmers in the Bole-Bamboi area resulted in land and forest degradation in the area. The situation is made worse by climate change variability leading to poor crop yields, food insecurity and low income among farmers in the area.

The primary objective
The project seeks to increase crop yields, through climate smart agriculture and sustainable land management technology promotion among rural poor farmers in 3 communities namely Gbenfu, Lanpoga, and Manful in the Bole district. In addition, the project addressed deforestations, protect plant and animal life, through natural forest conversation, natural regeneration, and enrichment planting


Specific objectives
1. To increase the understanding of communities on the need to take action against climate change through environmental education.
2. To build the capacity of the local farmers for sustainable agricultural development and support 3 communities? farmers to practice climate smart agriculture within the Black Volta River basin to limit the effects of climate change, land degradation and erosion.
3. To build the capacity of the local farmers for sustainable forest resource development and biodiversity conservation through natural regeneration, enrichment planting and agro-forestry activities.
4. To introduce and train farmers on alternative livelihood support [income generation] activities in the form of livestock production as means of reducing local people?s over-dependence on the natural vegetation and also generate enough animal droppings to support ecological crop farming

Project rationale
The District is generally undulating with streams of varying sizes. The main vegetation is of grassland, interspersed with the guinea savannah woodland, and turn to be much thicker in the southern part with numerous streams and wildlife. The primary occupation of the people is rain fed agriculture which is mostly done in most of the ecologically sensitive communities. The main Agricultural produce includes sorghum, millet, beans, maize and rice. Agriculture which is the main economic activity engaged 75% of active work force yet received very little attention from stakeholders. The farming activities and other natural resources exploitations are the main drivers of the deforestation, land and soil degradation in the area. Unfortunately the people in this area in the past have never been involved in the implementation of any major sustainable land management practices or organic agriculture practices. Fortunately GEF and UNDP provides a widow of opportunity to undertake activities that support farmers to increase crop yields whiles conserving bio diversity, limit the effects of erosion, and improve soil conditions through a well-defined approaches and strategies under the OP6 Country Programme. Adopting Innovative climate smart agro-ecology approach; the project contributes to GEF strategic approach of build the capacity of farmers and support the communities to develop climate-resilient agriculture and food systems, promote organic and Agro-ecology farming within the 3 communities in the Bole district.
? Specific results or outcomes
1. 200 community members [farmers, women, youth etc] educated and are systematically taking action against climate change.
2. 60 local farmers capacity built for sustainable agricultural development and supported to practice climate smart agriculture within the Black Volta River basin to limit the effects of climate change, land degradation and erosion.
3. 100 local farmers capacity built for sustainable forest resource development and biodiversity conservation through natural regeneration, enrichment planting and agro-forestry activities.
4. 100 local farmers trained and supported with alternative livelihood support[livestock production] as means of reducing local people?s over-dependence on the natural vegetation and also generate enough animal droppings to support ecological crop farming
5. 60 ha of degraded farm lands, and 100 ha of degraded forest recovered through natural regeneration, enrichment planting and agro-forestry activities
1.4 Description of Project Activities
1. Hold inception meetings with communities to plan further for better execution of the project: Initial consultative meetings would be organized with the beneficiary communities to discuss and plan how the project would be implemented. The project goals and objectives would be explained and discussed with larger community members. During the project design only handful of the community representatives were involved and it is important that the large community is informed of the project goals, objectives and expected benefits they stand to get during and after project implementation.

2. To undertake national climate change policy education - the project supports farmers to address climate change impact, food insecurity, forest and land degradation, it is important that the farmers are educated to understand what climate change is all about, the drivers of land and forest degradation, the national climate change policy documents, roles and responsibilities etc. Farmers livelihoods are affected by the impact of climate change impacts, and for that matter adequate knowledge in climate change issues would enhance their efforts to overcome challenges associated with climate change risk. The climate change educations would be conducted in 3 communities covering estimated population of 1200 community members. Community level sensitization workshops, training and capacity buildings with resource persons from recognized CSOs; state agencies and research organization would be used to carry out the activities.

3. Train farmers on Sustainable land management practices using SEA guidelines- the farmers would be sensitized on the need to adopt organic agriculture in the wake of climate change and dry land degradation. They would also be trained on general principles of agricultural production, some advantages and disadvantages. through farmer group training and practicing, the farmers will receive:
? Farmers would be trained in how to prepare rich compost, support them building in their various farms, and then teach them how to apply the decomposed compost material in their field for improved crop yields. The farmer would be trained in other SLM technologies such mix farming, crop rotations, gully and bonding to control erosions etc.
? Training farmers and support them in agro forestry activities would conducted as part of Innovative climate smart agro-ecology approach. Farmers would be taught how to integrate crop farming system with tree growing as part of the recovering lost vegetation in the zone.

4. Farmers livestock support- The farmers in these communities would also receive training in livestock management to improve upon their livestock management skills. They would be supported with start-up livestock mainly of goats to go into full production after training. This would enable them to produce livestock for sale whiles generating animal droppings to support the sustainable land management component of the project. Community level sensitization workshops, training and capacity buildings with resource persons from recognized MOFA, other state agencies and research organization would be used to carry out the activities

5. Farmers improved seeds varieties and other input support-, to prevent farmers from clearing more virgin lands, it important the project support farmers with climate resilient seeds with high yielding potentials together with other organic soil fertility improvement inputs during the first year of the project implementation. This activity would further strengthened the communities to develop climate-resilient agriculture and food systems, promote organic and Agro-ecology farming within the 3 communities in the Bole district

6. Train and support farmers to plant trees as enrichment planting.
The project takes steps to educate and train community members specifically on Tree Planting and Forest management is a key activity required under the forest recovering component of the project which seeks to increase tree stock in the area. Selected community members would first benefit from the training and support. The beneficiaries trained would in turn support and train other community members on the forest management, agro-forestry activities in their various communities under the project. Two resource persons specifically from the Forestry Service Division and MOFA would be hired to train the community trainees. The degraded areas would be surveyed using participatory approach - Resources persons would come from FSD and the community members. Tree species like neem, teak, cassia and leucaena seedlings would be supplied and distributed to the farmers to plant on such degraded lands. A total of 30 hectares of degraded lands are expected to recover through enrichment planting

7. Prepare community resource maps and Zone part of the community as natural regeneration cites
A community resourced map would be prepared using community members. Participatory approach would be used. The activity would delineate clearly agricultural crop lands from livestock grazing lands, plantations-woodlot, and settlement lands. The project has already organized community sensitization meetings in Gbenfu community where discussions were held between the chiefs and people about this activity. The chiefs and people indicated their willingness and commitment to the implementation of the activity to rejuvenate the already degraded lands. A total of 30 hectares of degraded lands would be Identified and demarcated. The degraded areas would be surveyed using participatory approach - Resources persons would come from FSD and the community members.