Project 5: Adaptation to Human and Environmental Effects on Rice-based Livelihoods

Rice has a key role to play in offsetting major impacts of climate change and natural or human-induced disasters, and in rebuilding the livelihoods and well-being of the displaced and vulnerable, especially women and children. Rural areas often bear the brunt of climate change, which induces flooding, soil degradation, disease and pest outbreaks, and the loss of the genepool. Civil conflict invariably impacts on farmers, forcing them from their home areas into the cities where there is no opportunity to farm, with consequent loss of agricultural knowledge. This project will first understand the differing needs of climate change, unexpected natural disasters and those induced by man (SP2a, 2b, 2c). It will use the Africa Rice Center (WARDA) knowledge base and that of NARES and NGOs to design strategies to mitigate displacement and quickly restore viable agriculture production, to allow sustainable intensification of rice-based cropping systems, and to adapt to longer-term climatic impacts. The project focuses on policymakers (SP5a, 5c), with: (i) options for mitigating the impact of climate change; (ii) strategies to offset the potentially-devastating effects of conflict or unexpected environmental disaster on rice-based livelihoods; (iii) strategies to ensure intensification can be carried out in a sustainable manner.

Outputs

1. Strategies and integrated management options to offset medium- and long-term impacts of climate
   anomalies and environmental or human-induced disaster on rice-based livelihoods

2. Enabling socio-economic, institutional and policy options for sustainable management of land and water
   in rice-based systems

3. Major drought profiles in rainfed rice characterized for Africa