MAINSTREAMING CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION IN AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION
SECTION 1.0
INTRODUCTION
This manual has been produced as part of the project entitled “Mainstreaming
climate change adaptation in Zimbabwe‟s agricultural extension system” funded
by the Nuffield Foundation Africa Programme. The project aims to integrate
climate change adaptation in the Department of Agriculture, Technical and
Extension Services (AGRITEX) by training professional staff. The manual has
been developed based on lessons learned during four earlier training workshops
held for AGRITEX staff.
The project is being implemented by Practical Action in partnership with the
University of Reading (UoR) with the support and collaboration of the Zimbabwe
Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development (MAMID).
AGRITEX training branch have actively participated in the workshops and the
planning and allocation and provision of training facilities. Staff travel costs and
benefits have been covered by AGRITEX.
The manual contains material designed to assist in the training of AGRITEX staff
to integrate climate change adaptation into their professional activities. These
trained staff will in turn roll out the training to further AGRITEX staff who will
eventually cascade the training down to Agricultural Extension Workers (AEWs),
who will in turn be able to improve the capabilities of smallholder farmers to
respond to both current climate variability and future climate change.
The manual is in two parts.
The first section describes activities for communicating with farmers about
climate and weather in order to help them in their planning and decision making.
The second section describes livelihoods, vulnerability and capacity analysis; a
systematic diagnostic method for identifying, estimating and ranking local risks
and possible solutions.
This manual contains material specifically designed to assist trained staff in the
training of professional colleagues. It is complementary to the “Step by step
guidelines” designed to be used by Agriculture Extension Workers working at the
community level.
A Training Manual on Use of Climate Information and Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment for
Agricultural Extension Staff in Zimbabwe
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