By Christina Kwangwari EBA-Driven Agric & Women’s Rights to Sustainable Livelihoods by ActionAid

What risk was addressed  Climate change effects on food and nutrition insecurity  Poor and unsustainable water management  Poor access to natural resources including access to land, water, firewood for women smallholder farmers  Lack of access to land by women smallholder farmers  Women’s time poverty unpaid care work

The objectives of the project  To contribute to economic empowerment of women and girls in Rwanda and Ghana  To support women smallholder farmers to have secure and sustainable access to food and produce surplus  Mobilizing women smallholder farmers so that they are recognized as farmers and carers  To promote recognition, reduction and redistribution of unpaid care among women smallholder farmers  To influence policy decisions within the AU, NEPAD on women smallholder farmers

What EBA Techniques were used?  Use of leguminous plants to improve soil fertility, soil conservation and access to animal fodder  Planting of multi-purpose trees/ woodlots  Setting up of seed and grain banks to improve food and seed security  Livelihood diversification through introduction of goat, cows, pigs and poultry

What Eba Techniques were used? 2nd Africa EbA for food security conference 2015 | Nairobi - Kenya | 30 – 31 July 2015

How did this approach addresses & enhanced food & nutrition security  It addressed soil fertility through access and control of animal droppings thus improved production. In Ghana at baseline, 90% of the women smallholder farmers interviewed asserted that soils are of weak quality and largely infertile, leading to very low yields. After, the project more than 1000 women are now familiar with agro forestry techniques. Women have grown Mucuna trees and part of income from Mucuna seeds are used to purchase firewood as public source of firewood. Women reported increased food security and reduced the hunger period to from five months to one months in Ghana. In Ghana, 90% of interviewed female headed households were food insecure, compared to 65% of male-headed households at baseline. In Rwanda, 92% of members (2,208) noted that due to their participation in the project they have more food at home and 61%(1464) responded that they have more food left for sale.

Post harvest losses and food waste  Through training in agro- processing, the women smallholder farmer have managed to reduce post harvest losses. The processing includes, rice, shear butter, maize and beans and more contributions to the value chains  Women have also set up grain banks where grain is stored safely and sold during a time when farmers can make the most profit. 2nd Africa EbA for food security conference 2015 | Nairobi - Kenya | 30 – 31 July 2015

How did this approach addressed & enhanced ecosystem productivity  Improved soil fertility through simple techniques on soil covering, agroforestry, planting of leguminous plants, use of green manure  Improved soil conservation soil covering crops  Improved farming practices and climate sustainable resilient livelihoods

How did this approach enhance incomes and created jobs  Improved incomes as a result of sale of eggs. Okro, pepper, “Aleefo”, green pepper and “ayoyo”. For examples, A woman can earn Ghana cedis a week from the sale of Okro and pepper. Women did not have access to such income before the project started helping them to pay for their children daily school expenditures

Job creation  The project created jobs for women as trained child carers. The UCW interventions helped increase the time women spend on paid GDP work by women farmers. Time for GDP work increased from 6.3% (91 minutes) to 9.7% (140 minutes) as a result of piloted childcare centres and men’s involvement on UCW. 2nd Africa EbA for food security conference 2015 | Nairobi - Kenya | 30 – 31 July 2015

How did this approach addressed & enhanced Value chains and access to Markets  The project trained women on food processing, including rice, beans, sheer butter processing and market access.  The women were able to supply rice processing to shea butter processing some of which has the potential to be exported outside Ghana.

The big Picture- Impacts  5,600 women smallholder farmers were direct beneficiaries and 12,000 community members were indirect beneficiaries who benefited

2nd Africa EbA for food security conference 2015 | Nairobi - Kenya | 30 – 31 July 2015

How can the EBA approach feed Africa  The EBA approach low costs of production, of indigenous knowledge systems combined with modern scientific knowledge  Improved health for people living terminal with illnesses as they are able to access food at a very low cost and in their communities,  Market access for all improves livelihoods

How Can EBA create opportunities in the entire agricultural value chain?  Need to look at it market access and linking with information education and communication, food process and value addition of agricultural products including those produced by women smallholder farmers 2nd Africa EbA for food security conference 2015 | Nairobi - Kenya | 30 – 31 July 2015

What are the suggested actions to influence policy to adopt EBA approaches for Food security and climate resilience  Work to increase agricultural sector recognition of unpaid care work and interventions that help reduce it. This includes a holistic approach on access to resources, sustainable agriculture and women’s time  Work to increase government budgetary allocation to support climate resilient sustainable agriculture and EBA  Work to increase women’s rights to land in areas under traditional land tenure systems 2nd Africa EbA for food security conference 2015 | Nairobi - Kenya | 30 – 31 July 2015

Policy reforms necessary for Eba  There is need for a clear government policy and commitment dedicated to sustainable agriculture and ecosystem based approach alongside an agreed percentage on the budgetary allocation for EBA for all countries which have signed on to CAADP 2nd Africa EbA for food security conference 2015 | Nairobi - Kenya | 30 – 31 July 2015

What are the suggested actions to enhance replication and create jobs for the youths and create Jobs for the youths and others  There is need to pay particular attention to young women farmers who have a burden of unpaid care work since they need time for them to be able to participate in the job market. An integrated approach would be useful 2nd Africa EbA for food security conference 2015 | Nairobi - Kenya | 30 – 31 July 2015

Suggestions for future research  Long term research on negative impact of chemical based agriculture vis a vis chemical based agriculture on women smallholder farmers in selected countries for further lobbying and advocacy  Impact of non consideration of gender and sustainability in global initiatives such as new alliance, large scale agriculture on women smallholder farmers

Designing a reward system for adopters  This should include community based incentives in the form of resources and training on ecosystem based approach. The incentives can be given at both government, community and best adopting farmer,  Setting up a prestigious award for best adopters as a platform for sharing best practices 2nd Africa EbA for food security conference 2015 | Nairobi - Kenya | 30 – 31 July 2015