1. By Kandole Annet Balewa Securing communities adjacent protected areas A case study of promoting chili to reduce in reducing crop

2. What Risk was been addressed  Loss of food through crop raiding by elephants, baboons and other wild animals from the national parks.  Estimated 1.83 million Ugandans are food insecure particularly those adjacent to PAs.  Land adjacent to protected areas abandoned due to crop raiding leading to low production.  Some measures to address crop raiding are costly for poor households.  Household instability resulting from domestic violence as a result of poverty.  School drop out as a result of guarding crops against elephants and baboons.  Lack of capacity for management institutions to offset the cost of conservation among communities adjacent Protected Areas.

3. 2nd Africa EbA for food security conference 2015 | Nairobi - Kenya | 30 – 31 July 2015

4. The objective  Poor natural resource-dependent households achieve improved livelihoods, and natural resources are conserved through equitable and sustainable management of natural resources,  Secure households whose livelihoods has been affected or affecting protection of protected areas and degrading resources.  Improving household incomes.

5. What EBA Techniques were used?  Community Mobilization to form structures for production associations.  Identifying suitable particularly buffer crops that are not palatable to baboons and other crop raiders and compatible with humans and the environment.  Promoted intercropping of buffer crops particularly chili as an agriculture practice.  The target group were communities adjacent to National parks.  At least 1056 women and men were involved in chili production and marketing the commodity, registering about 30 organized farming groups.  Since the effects of food insecurity affect women more than men, about 90% of farmers are women.  Chili is grown throughout the year. This initiative was implemented between 2010-2013.

6. The potential for replicability  Chili has been replicated in other areas around other 3 national parks, Murchison falls and Ruwenzori national parks:  Its cheap in terms of investment and just need to get information on conditions for growing and markets.  Chili is not labor intensive and can be intercropped.  Other partners such Africa Wildlife Foundation (USAID) IUCN have scaled up the initiative. 2nd Africa EbA for food security conference 2015 | Nairobi - Kenya | 30 – 31 July 2015

7. How did this approach addressed & enhanced food & nutrition security Increase production of non productive lands. Land had been abandoned due to crop raiding. Increased crop diversification as a result of security in growing crops and enhances household income, since households were able to sale chili and buy food. Planting of chili has facilitated 559 households. A rural community the average size of land holding per household is 2.5 acres a collection of 256 hectors to be put under production was successful in securing lives of over 17,375 people from food insecurity. Households that were not utilizing the pieces of land can now access food as a result of planting crops on the land or sell chili.

8. Stakeholders involved in the initi ative  Uganda Wildlife Authority: Involve them in community mobilization, Disseminate information on key outcomes and challenges.  District Local Government: Lobbying the National Agriculture Advisory Coordinator to incorporate chili among the enterprises to be promoted under NAADS programme.  Private sector : Ice Marker and London fruits,Buying green chili from farmers, ensuring prompt payment and transparency in cash transfers to groups to avoid conflicts. 2nd Africa EbA for food security conference 2015 | Nairobi - Kenya | 30 – 31 July 2015

9. How did this approach addressed & enhanced climate adaptation/resilience building  Households have been plant chili as an enterprise and able to sustain production throughout the year.  The chili associations have diversified their activities to planting other crops and promoting savings and loans activities in their associations.  Households sale fresh chili for income and dry and burn it and use for scaring elephants.

10. How did this approach addressed & enhanced ecosystem productivity  Planting of chili has facilitated 559 households to put an estimated 256 hectors of land or more under production of food and cash crops.  This land was redundant as a result of crop raiding. Households that were not utilizing the pieces of land can now access food as a result of planting crops on the land or sell chili.  A rural community the average size of land holding per household is 2.5 acres a collection of 256 hectors to be put under production was successful in securing lives of over 17,375 people from food insecurity.

11. How did this approach enhance incomes and created jobs  Income: On average the chili enterprise contributes about $ 60per week to a household=$240 month to the house hold.  The jobs were created for women through increased sales and the youth in weighing.  At least 559 households were engaged.

12. How did this approach addressed & enhanced Value chains and access to Markets  Chili is harvested and sold fresh.  The dried chili is sold on local markets, Dubai and Benin.  The buyers pack and export it to the Europe, the main destination is Netherlands.  It is estimated 1.5 tons per week is marked during the peak season that is rainy (April-May, September-November)  About 0.5tonnes marketed per week during the off peak dry season.  Chili prices are low during the peak season (rainy season) ranging from Uganda Shillings 500-800 about $0.2 but higher during off peak selling at about $0.48.  On average at low scale one farmer can produce 300-700 Kg annually, cases of individual selling 200- 300Kgs per week have been recorded.

13. The big Picture- Impacts  Income: On average the chili enterprise contributes about $ 60per week to a household=$240 month to the house hold income of the members in the group  Evidence that the chili works and is a cost effective method of repelling elephants.  Buy in of the intervention by UWA,  Social mobilization; Restoring hope for communities to use land: Land that had been abandoned by communities. 

14. How can the ecosystem based Adaptation approach help change the current agriculture paradigm in Africa  While there are good efforts and registered success in smaller units: The success of EBA will depend on other factors and practices; we need to implement the 10% of the national budget to be allocated to agriculture development (Maputo declaration).  Developing markets, consider Eco branding!!

15. How Can EBA create opportunities in the entire agricultural value chain?  At national level. There EBA must demonstrate benefits beyond increasing production, the promoters should closely focus on value addition and cost effectiveness during investment.  Promote a business model for any EBA, and monetize the outcomes from the EBA.  Link EBA productivity and nutrition security and jobs “ green jobs”. 2nd Africa EbA for food security conference 2015 | Nairobi - Kenya | 30 – 31 July 2015

16. How can current trends in ‘Green Revolution’ technologies to Africa (e.g. G7 New Alliance, Grow Africa, etc.) be made EBA- friendly?  Green technologies is about preserving natural resources:  We need to consider investing in research that improve upon current technologies; Plant-based materials Renewable energy Energy-efficiency Multi-functionality Low-impact manufacturing 2nd Africa EbA for food security conference 2015 | Nairobi - Kenya | 30 – 31 July 2015

17. Barriers  What were the major barriers faced and also the major policy barriers to upscaling:  Provision of subsidies for farmers should be looked into by African governments.  Open market loans for agriculture cannot work for poor farmers who largely depend on rain fed agriculture and nature.  Can farmers be secured on crop damage??  Processing of dried chili. Much is wasted.  Limited technology to prolong shelf life or cold storage for green chili.  Developing a stable market for chili enterprise.

18. What are the suggested actions to influence policy to adopt EBA approaches for Food security and climate resilience  Design an economic incentives for biodiversity financing:  Model where banks can develop tailor made product for such farmers… payment schemes, seed funds from government to commercial banks.  Policies should consider affirmative action for some categories of farmers: farmers adjacent protected areas in Africa face unique problems,… we have often promoted aco-tourism but that does not fully address food security for those communities.

19. What are the suggested actions to enhance replication and create jobs for the youths and create Jobs for the youths and others  Investing in value addition particularly in the middle of the chain would create jobs for the youth.  We need to invest in documentation and disseminating information to enhance replication.  Interest the private sector to invest in EBA by demonstrating what long term, benefits. 2nd Africa EbA for food security conference 2015 | Nairobi - Kenya | 30 – 31 July 2015

20. Suggestions for future research  Impact of forest land conversion on food security for households adjacent to protected areas:

21. Annet.Kandole@care.org