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SYNERGISTIC USE AND PROTECTION OF NATURAL RESOURCES FOR RURAL LIVELIHOODS THROUGH SYSTEMATIC INTEGRATION OF CROPS, SHRUBS AND LIVESTOCK IN THE SAHEL

Project description

Improving crop–shrub–livestock integration in the Sahel

Tree and shrub integration has been promoted as a means of enhancing rural livelihoods by providing sustainable watershed services and products. However, research to support this effort has been limited. Focussing on the Sahel zone, the EU-funded SustainSAHEL project aims to enhance the resilience of smallholder agricultural farming systems to climate change as well as their intensification potential through scalable innovations on crop–shrub–livestock (CSL) integration. The development of CSL systems through innovation platforms will help increase both productivity and farmers’ income. The project is working closely with existing Africa–Europe networks and programmes, establishing partnerships that could emerge as a model laboratory on CSL for the Sahel.

Objective

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.

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

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RIA - Research and Innovation action

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) H2020-SFS-2018-2020

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Coordinator

FORSCHUNGSINSTITUT FUR BIOLOGISCHEN LANDBAU STIFTUNG
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 1 573 768,44
Address
ACKERSTRASSE 113
5070 Frick
Switzerland

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Region
Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera Nordwestschweiz Aargau
Activity type
Research Organisations
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 1 873 742,19

Participants (19)

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