Volta and Niger basins

Decreasing rainfall and water availability. Decreasing vegetation cover and soil organic matter/fertility. Increasing risks from floods & droughts, and severe land degradation. Declining access to major markets, infrastructure investments and livelihood support. Significantly increasing poverty. Increasing tension between crop and livestock based farming systems, different ethnic groups and religions. Multiple Challenges

Many challenges, many options for ‘solutions’, but also much already tried and still ongoing. Poverty gradient Rural land degradation (WASCAL) Climate variability and climate change (WASCAL) Recurrent flooding and drought Reservoirs as mitigation option Food safety Rainwater harvesting, AWM, SLM, … Large scale irrigation development (under discussion since long) Shift of focus towards small-scale and informal irrigation

Rural poor do not wait for us North -> South migration. Rural -> Urban migration. Especially of the younger male generation.  Significant urbanization, related intensifying peri/urban farming systems, and negative impacts on environment and ESS (pollution, soil depletion, deforestation, etc.) in the South.

Two challenges for the region defined Can we guide investments into farming in the North that farming remains attractive and can fulfill its role in sustaining livelihoods and feeding the region? Can we guide decision makers to value and better manage ESS under growing urbanization and farming system intensification in the South? Note: North and South simplified

1. Guiding farmers, communities, and authorities/donors towards better returns on investments into farming Many projects introduced improved AWM and SLM practices in defined areas. Labour demanding, and failed due to limited returns on investment (e.g. no market access) or limited visibility of ‘long term’ soil benefits, etc. On the other hand, there are many areas where extra efforts pay off, e.g. due to biophysical, social and/or economic advantages which can be ‘mapped’ to guide locally relevant investment opportunities across scales.  Low hanging fruit DSS to be commissioned for Volta and Niger based on GIS-based country investment briefs (FAO AWS), GIS-based TAGMI for the Volta basin (CPWF), CIAT digital soil mapping, IITA crop recommendations,… Key components to be added: ‘Real time’ value chain information, market access, in- and output market data, etc. (  IFDC, etc.)

From output to outcome to impact Uptake challenge: Strategic partnerships needed for different communication pathways to young (next generation) farmers, communities, Government/investors. Weak extension service  social networks, IT/phones, private sector, church, etc. with strong gender component.

SRPs/WGs: Gender, Rainfed, Basin, Information, Irrigation WLE partners: CIAT/TSBF, FAO, IWMI, IFPRI, IITA, and options to link to research on climate change and deforestation under CCAFS and FTA. Other partners: SEI, WASCAL, larger NGOs supporting innovative communication platforms, ….

2. Can we guide decision makers to value and better manage ESS under growing urbanization and farming system intensification in the South? Why important: In 12 years from now, the majority of the poor in Africa will be living in urban as opposed to rural areas. Activity: To visualize the negative urban footprint on ESS through spatio- temporal modelling of different urbanization scenarios and their implications e.g. for water availability (surface and groundwater), placing the city in the basin context. Many more possible research questions, like valuing concerned ESS. Impact pathway through MS platforms across sectors & admin. boundaries. CGIAR partners: Bioversity, IWMI, IITA, IFPRI, …. SRPs/WGs: ESS, basins, RRR