A project aimed at conserving agroforestry parklands in the Sahel and diversifying local livelihoods in the face of climate change has wrapped up with several successes.

An article on the International Fund for Agricultural Development’s (IFAD) Social Reporting blog summarizes a recent workshop to mark the completion of the ‘Parkland Trees and Livelihoods: Adaptation to Climate Change in the West African Sahel’ project. Funded by IFAD, the project was implemented by the World Agroforestry Centre and national partners in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

Participants at the workshop heard about the success of Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) in generating income to support communities in the long-tem. Through protecting and managing trees, farmers are improving degraded land and establishing profitable agroforestry systems.

Other presentations at the workshop discussed topics including: the value of non-timber forest products to women; the development of a methodology to assess vulnerability to climate change at the village level and coping strategies of different gender groups; and the need to revisit forest laws to facilitate the large-scale application of FMNR.

Throughout the project, smallholder farmers have been closely involved in research programs, including testing seed varieties and farming techniques.

Read the full story: Parkland Trees and Livelihoods: Adaptation to Climate Change in the West African Sahel project

For more information, download:

Boureima M, Abasse AT, Sotelo Montes C, Weber JC, Katkoré B, Mounkoro B, Dakouo J-M, Samaké O, Sigué H, Bationo BA, Diallo BO. 2013. Participatory analysis of vulnerability and adaptation to climate change: a methodological guide for working with rural communities. Occasional Paper 19 – English version. Nairobi: World Agroforestry Centre.