CCSL_project_Testing_smallholders_approaches

= CCSL project: Developing approaches to support smallholder decision-making and planning through the use of climate and weather information =
 * Peter Dorward **

Concept note:


 * Aims and outline **

Develop and test approaches that build on the above:
 * To improve awareness and understanding amongst smallholders of climate variability at their location and of whether there are any trends in climate that are currently evident from the information
 * To understand what climate related information farmers want and need for improved decision making (for different types of decisions)
 * To communicate information effectively and in ways that enable learning, interaction and exploration by farmers, and that facilitate short and longer term planning and decision making, and
 * Which can be scaled-up


 * Terms of Reference **

CONTRACT DURATION: 1 October 2012 to 31 December 2014.

The project will implement steps 2-11 for Dodoma in Tanzania and will work with and support national partners in at least two countries to develop and implement initiatives in order to meet the four aims set out on page 1. This will include helping partners to obtain funding from CCAFS regional funds and other donors. The following activities will be implemented in the countries subject to the assumption that funding is obtained by national partners. The project is related to another CCAFS funded project which is managed by Dr Stern and includes developing capacity of Meteorological Services to provide analysed data for agriculture. Deliverables are listed at the foot of the page.


 * 1) Review literature on smallholder farmer decision making and requirements for climate and weather information.
 * 2) Liaise with country Met services on required analysed information (and including through separate CCAFS funded project managed by Roger Stern).
 * 3) Develop links between key organisations in each country to facilitate longer term collaboration on provision of information to farmers using approaches developed and tested through this project.
 * 4) Conduct training workshop (including field training and evaluation) for extension and NGO staff in participatory and other approaches which they will use with smallholder farmers over the following season.
 * 5) Support trained staff in use of approaches as they work with smallholder farmers over the season.
 * 6) Monitor effects of use of approaches through and following seasons including feedback from farmer participants.
 * 7) Hold feedback workshop for trained staff.
 * 8) Refine and improve approaches (including analysed information required).
 * 9) Hold short updating training workshop for staff (incorporating improvements based on 6, 7 & 8).
 * 10) Repeat activities 5 – 9 (for sites with sufficient time available before end of project).
 * 11) Produce training materials (including in local languages).
 * 12) Disseminate project findings and engage with key organisations and policy makers on findings and implications.

Deliverables:
 * 1) Annual and financial report (including summary of activities and achievements) for 2012. Report on feedback and evaluation of training and support. Training materials and tools available on web. By 31 March 2013
 * 2) Annual and financial report (including summary of activities and achievements) for 2013. Literature review. Draft guidelines and lessons learnt on supporting extension staff and farmers in use of communication, decision making and planning approaches (available on web). Updated training materials and tools available on web. By 31 March 2014
 * 3) Annual and financial report (including summary of activities and achievements) for 2014. Final version of refined training materials and tools available on web. Journal paper. Guidelines and lessons learnt on supporting extension staff and farmers in use of communication, decision making and planning approaches (available on web). Report on dissemination achieved. By 31 January 2015