Description du projet
Pour une meilleure intégration cultures–arbustes–élevage au Sahel
L’intégration des arbres et des arbustes a été promue comme une façon d’améliorer les moyens de subsistance ruraux en fournissant des services et des produits durables sur les bassins versants. Pourtant, les recherches visant à soutenir ces efforts sont peu nombreuses. Se concentrant sur la zone du Sahel, le projet SustainSAHEL, financé par l’UE, a pour but de renforcer la résilience des petites exploitations agricoles au changement climatique ainsi que leur potentiel d’intensification grâce à des innovations évolutives en matière d’intégration cultures–arbustes–élevage (CSL). Le développement de systèmes CSL via des plateformes d’innovation contribuera à accroître à la fois la productivité et les revenus des agriculteurs. Le projet est mis en œuvre en étroite collaboration avec les réseaux et programmes Afrique–Europe existants et donne lieu à la mise en place de partenariats qui pourraient servir de laboratoire modèle sur les systèmes CSL au Sahel.
Objectif
The overall objective of SustainSAHEL is to enhance the resilience and intensification potential of smallholder agricultural farming systems to climate change through scalable innovations on crop-shrub-livestock (CSL) integration. SustainSAHEL aims to develop CSL systems through innovation platforms (IPs) in order to improve productivity and farmers’ income. We will assess adoption and scaling potential of improved CSL integration, while simultaneously optimizing proven technologies, improving herder-farmer cooperation, tackling socio-economic constraints for adoption and contributing to local economic revival. Our approach is embedded within the production systems of agro-ecology and organic agriculture, while comprising elements of conservation agriculture. Investigations on CSL, as well as soil quality and hydrology will be conducted through on-station and on-farm experiments and demonstration plots. We will identify drought resistant shrub teams that are in synchrony with livestock requirements, and reduced tillage options that enhances the soil water capture and holding capacity. At the regional level, landscape modelling scenarios will analyse the promoted systems’ resilience to climate change in West Africa. Dissemination activities will respond to the identified needs of youth and women and shall assure effective scaling of successfully tested innovations beyond the targeted regions. Systems approaches are a core concept of SustainSAHEL and reflect the linkage of biophysical, socio-economic, cultural and political realities. The project examines long-term economic support to local communities and improvement of agricultural practices through close cooperation with farmer organisations. Working closely with existing Africa-Europe networks and programs, the established partnerships will quickly evolve into a model laboratory on CSL for the Sahel and institutionalize science-based practices of sustainable intensification under challenging conditions.
Champ scientifique
- agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculturesustainable agriculture
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental scienceshydrology
- social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicsproduction economicsproductivity
- agricultural sciencesanimal and dairy sciencedomestic animalsanimal husbandry
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesclimatologyclimatic changes
Mots‑clés
Programme(s)
Régime de financement
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinateur
5070 Frick
Suisse