Download Strengthening Evidence-Based Climate Change Adaptation Policies

Strengthening Evidence-Based
Climate Change Adaptation Policies (SECCAP)
Background
Climate change poses a real risk to the future of farming and food security in Africa.
Crop yields in southern Africa, especially for staples, remain low: about 35% less than
the average elsewhere. A key strategy for managing risk and vulnerability associated
with climate change is developing and implementing evidence-based policies and programmes that respond to local realities and priorities. This project is implemented by
FANRPAN with funding from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).
Objectives of the project
The objective of the project “Strengthening Evidence-Based Climate Change Adaptation Policies (SECCAP)” is to enhance the capacity of policy analysts and scientists in
the fields of agriculture, climate and socio-economics to collectively build a strong
base of evidence on cropping systems to inform adaptation policies and investment
decisions.
The project, which covers three southern Africa Development Community (SADC)
countries (Lesotho, Malawi and Swaziland), will contribute to evidence-based decision
making for policy makers and development practitioners through a systematic research process integrating climate, crop production and livelihoods data, and carrying
out cost benefit analysis for the three countries.
SECCAP integrating:
Downscaled climate models;
Crop production model;
Cost benefit analysis;
Household vulnerability analysis
to generate options to inform climate
change adaptation policy and practice in
agriculture .
Project timeframe: April 2011 to April 2014.
Project outcomes
 Strengthened scientific, expertise and local knowledge;
 Strengthened partnership and networking on adaptation research among
different institutions, including local and international universities and research centres;
 Strengthened methodology for assessing adaptation investment options using integrated models;
 Cropping adaptation options ranked on the basis of feasibility (climate, cost
benefit and policy);
 Evidence-based African positions on adaptation are visible and amplified;
 Knowledge generated on household vulnerability for cropping adaptation;
 Strengthened multi-stakeholder/trans-disciplinary national and regional policy dialogue platforms; and
 National Adaptation Programmes for Action (NAPAs) developed/revised/
implemented on the basis of evidence produced.
The SECCAP project is aligned to CAADP Pillars 1, 3 and 4 as it seeks to:
 enable farmers and communities to become more resilient to climate change by increasing food production, conserving soil and water,
enhancing food security and restoring productive natural resources;
 increase food supply and reduce hunger across the region by raising smallholder productivity, and improving responses to food emergencies by identifying the most vulnerable households; and
 improve agricultural research in order to disseminate appropriate information on adaptation options to farmers, and providing evidence
to inform formulation and implementation of national adaptation programmes of action (NAPA) priorities.
For more information please visit: http://www.fanrpan.org/projects/
Produced June 2011
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SECCAP Partners and Roles
Country
Institution
Lesotho
National University of
Lesotho
Malawi
Swaziland
University of Malawi
University of Swaziland
University of Cape Town
Logo
Partners Role
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Selection and registration of MSc and BSc students to participate in the project
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Domestication and hosting of the FANRPAN livelihood database

Collate crop production, livelihood and cost benefit data
from FAO statistics, national central statistics and the
FANRPAN livelihood databases

Supervision of undergraduates to collect and analyse data
required for modelling.

Generate downscaled climate data for one selected district
in each of the three focal countries

Use DSSAT crop model to simulate growth of selected staples (maize, rice, cassava, sorghum, millet, groundnuts and
wheat) by 2030 and 2050 in the selected districts

Avail research outputs from the post-graduate students
employed by World Vision and supported by FANRPAN

Use the IMPACT model to examine alternative futures for
food supply, demand, trade, prices and food security

Facilitate the domestication of livelihood databases at university and community levels

Train three (policy analysts/socio economists) post graduate
students on how to analyse existing household livelihood
databases
Avail to the project, existing livelihood databases from Lesotho and Swaziland
South Africa
University of Venda
USA
Zimbabwe
International Food
Policy Research
Institute
Development Data
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Malawi
Swaziland
Lesotho
World Vision
International
FANRPAN
Nodes
ISAS, Lesotho
CISANET, Malawi
NAMC, South Africa
CANGO, Swaziland
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Dissemination of evidence generated by the project and
localising CAADP processes at community level using local
structures, the ADPs in Lesotho, Malawi and Swaziland.
Convene multi-stakeholder policy dialogues
ADP - Area Development Programmes
CAADP - Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme
DSSAT- Decision Support System for Agro-technology Transfer
FAO - Food Agriculture Organisation
IMPACT - International Model for Policy Analysis of Agricultural Commodities and Trade
FANRPAN Regional Secretariat
141 Cresswell Road, Weavind Park 0184,
Private Bag X2087, Silverton 014, Pretoria, South Africa
Telephone: +27 12 804 2966. Facsimile: +27 12 804 0600. Email: [email protected]. Website: www.fanrpan.org
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