This project focuses on the GEF SGP Strategic Priority of Climate Smart Innovative Agro-ecology. This initiative falls under the SGP?s key goal of empowering and supporting grassroots initiatives and community level actions. Ya'axché aims to support the GEF SGP initiativethrough this project by building the capacity of local MGL farmers and increasing the adoption of climate smart agriculture practices within the MGL. The expected outcome is that this will not only increase community resilience to climate change and provide opportunities to increase economic and food security, but will also decrease land degradation throughout southern Belize. This will be achieved through the specific objectives of:
1. Increase the capacity of at least 60 farmers to implement climate smart agriculture within the MGL
2. Identify and provide support to at least 10 farmers, who have fully grasped concepts in training workshops in objective 1 and are fully committed to implement the knowledge learnt on their respective farms
This project will also contribute to GEF SGP's Country Programme Strategy (CPS) target of integrating climate resilient best practices into agriculture at the local level, including increasing capacity and awareness, sustainability of innovative climate smart agriculture, all towards improving livelihoods and sustaining communities in the face of climate change. The outputs of this project are expected to be:
1. At least 60 farmers have increased knowledge on climate smart agriculture and integrated farming systems
2. At least 60 draft farm plans have been designed by participating farmers that can help them with long term planning of their farms utilizing the integrated farming system concept
3. At least 60 farmers have been assessed to measure and evaluate knowledge learnt through short assessment reports.
4. 10 climate smart demonstration farms (Inga, cacao and coffee agroforestry) have been established within at least 6 MGL communities, including 1 model integrated farming system (inclusive of at least Inga alley cropping and agroforestry)
5. 10 farmers have received materials and technical support for the successful establishment of an integrated farming system demonstration plot
6. At least 10 acres of land have been converted to climate smart agriculture over the course of the project and can contribute socioeconomic benefits to farmers and contribute in landscape connectivity.
Not only will climate smart agriculture practices be beneficial on a local scale within the MGL, but it also fits into several national and regional initiatives. Belize and the Central American region are showing an increased interest in addressing land degradation, deforestation and climate change by exploring options such as climate smart agriculture to build resilience and address income security for local communities. Ya'axché's collaboration with government departments and other local and regional organizations have allowed all partners to exchange knowledge and expertise on best agriculture practices. In fact, the Ministry of Agriculture representatives in Belize are voicing an increased interest in Ya'axché's sustainable agriculture efforts and, more specifically, the cacao agroforestry to encourage nationwide participation in this industry. The TFCGA, along with Ya'axché,manage the agroforestry concession within the MMNFR and haveobtained funds from the Inter American Foundation (IAF) and the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) to implement climate smart agriculture practices such as cacao agroforestry to help improve their income and food security and build their resilience to climate change. Furthermore, the regional GIZ Selva Maya project is looking into supporting the implementation of sustainable agriculture practices to help conserve biodiversity and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (ICCA) are participating in the exchange of knowledge and expertise concerning climate smart agriculture to improve food security of small farmers in the region.