Informations et ressources scientifiques
sur le développement des zones arides et semi-arides

Long-term Europe-Africa Research and Innovation Partnership for Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture

Titre : SustainSAHEL : Synergistic use and protection of natural resources for rural livelihoods through systematic integration of crops, shrubs and livestock in the Sahel

Pays/Région : Mali ; Senegal ; Burkina Faso ; Nigeria

Date : Start date 2020-09-01 End date 2025-08-31

Identifiant : 216-SUSTAINSAHEL
Type de projet : Development and innovation oriented (research) project

Objectif
The overall objective of SustainSAHEL is to enhance the resilience and intensification potential of smallholder agricultural farming systems to climate change through scalable innovations on crop-shrub-livestock (CSL) integration. SustainSAHEL aims to develop CSL systems through innovation platforms (IPs) in order to improve productivity and farmers’ income. We will assess adoption and scaling potential of improved CSL integration, while simultaneously optimizing proven technologies, improving herder-farmer cooperation, tackling socio-economic constraints for adoption and contributing to local economic revival. Our approach is embedded within the production systems of agro-ecology and organic agriculture, while comprising elements of conservation agriculture. Investigations on CSL, as well as soil quality and hydrology will be conducted through on-station and on-farm experiments and demonstration plots. We will identify drought resistant shrub teams that are in synchrony with livestock requirements, and reduced tillage options that enhances the soil water capture and holding capacity. At the regional level, landscape modelling scenarios will analyse the promoted systems’ resilience to climate change in West Africa. Dissemination activities will respond to the identified needs of youth and women and shall assure effective scaling of successfully tested innovations beyond the targeted regions. Systems approaches are a core concept of SustainSAHEL and reflect the linkage of biophysical, socio-economic, cultural and political realities. The project examines long-term economic support to local communities and improvement of agricultural practices through close cooperation with farmer organisations. Working closely with existing Africa-Europe networks and programs, the established partnerships will quickly evolve into a model laboratory on CSL for the Sahel and institutionalize science-based practices of sustainable intensification under challenging conditions.

Coordinateur : Research Institute of Organic Agriculture Switzerland (FiBL Schweiz)
Partenaires : African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS) University of Hohenheim Institut Sénégalais de Recherches Agricoles (ISRA) University of Kassel Polytechnic University of Bobo-Dioulasso Minerva Communications Confédération Paysanne du Faso Association of Professional Farmer Organizations (AOPP) Centre de Suivi Ecologique (CSE) Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles du Burkina Faso (INERA) Research Institute for Development (IRD) Access Agriculture Institut Polytechnique Rural de Formation et de Recherche Appliquée (IPR/IFRA) Institute of Rural Economy (IER) International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD) Conseil national de concertation et de coopération des ruraux (CNCR)

Financement principal : Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD) (H2020)
Budget : 7 499 930 EUR

FNSSA project database