{"metadata":{"id":"00609162b0cbd8c5db5abd6a6d8ffdd9","source":"gardian_index","url":"https://cgspace.cgiar.org/rest/bitstreams/4017ccf2-e088-40ae-9ead-1a053040a6da/retrieve"},"pageCount":30,"title":"","keywords":["Zambia","agriculture","climate change","climate variability","food security","capacity development","climatesmart agriculture"],"chapters":[{"head":"1","index":1,"paragraphs":[{"index":1,"size":41,"text":"Strengthening the capacity of next users, particularly agricultural extension and advisory service (EAS) providers who work to support farmers to adapt to a changing climate, is crucial for enhancing access to climate information services and validated climate-smart agriculture technologies in Zambia."}]},{"head":"2","index":2,"paragraphs":[{"index":1,"size":36,"text":"From March 1-3, 2023, a three-day multistakeholder consultative workshop brought together the main agricultural extension and advisory service (EAS) providers from across Zambia to co-design a curriculum to support climate risk management in agricultural extension (CRMAE)."}]},{"head":"3","index":3,"paragraphs":[{"index":1,"size":47,"text":"A total of 15 participants representing national bodies, development partners, educational institutions partook in the consultative workshop in Lusaka, Zambia. Detailed feedback and inputs were gathered to support the adaptation of CRMAE curriculum implemented by the AICCRA project in both Ethiopia and Senegal to the Zambian context."},{"index":2,"size":43,"text":"The curricular content will be adapted to the local Zambian context and integrate and harmonize with existing capacity building resources on this topic provided by the workshop participants. A training of trainers (ToT) on this new curriculum will be implemented in August 2023."}]},{"head":"Highlights 5","index":4,"paragraphs":[{"index":1,"size":50,"text":"The list of participants representing EAS providers will be expanded for the ToT to reflect these actors more inclusively within the country. Given strong demand, the ToT will also be followed by an additional consultative workshop with Zambia's agricultural training institutions (ATIs) to plan for curricular adaptation for these colleges."}]},{"head":"6","index":5,"paragraphs":[{"index":1,"size":29,"text":"The hands-on, practical curriculum will equip EAS providers with foundational skills and knowledgeincluding on best-available climate information and digital innovations-to help farmers manage climate risk in the agricultural sector."},{"index":2,"size":76,"text":"The Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) project aims to enhance access to climate information services and validated climate-smart agriculture technologies in Africa, to help these countries strengthen the resilience of their agricultural sectors to the threat posed by climate change. Strengthening the capacity of next users, particularly agricultural extension and advisory service (EAS) providers who work to support farmers in Zambia and five other target countries, is crucial for achieving this goal."},{"index":3,"size":69,"text":"Towards these ends, the AICCRA project has been working to co-design curricula targeting the agricultural extension systems in each of the six AICCRA target countries to build foundational knowledge and skills to manage climate risk. These curricula aim to help EAS providers to take advantage of best-available and location-specific climate information and tools in their countries to better plan for, manage, and respond to a changing and varying climate."},{"index":4,"size":27,"text":"They also aim to pragmatically support the tailoring and communication of such information to meaningfully inform on-farm agricultural decision-making and build wider resilience of the agricultural sector."},{"index":5,"size":51,"text":"To advance these goals in Zambia, the AICCRA project organized a three-day multistakeholder consultative workshop in Lusaka from March 1-3, 2023, to co-design a curriculum to strengthen the capacity of EAS providers to incorporate climate services in their work with Zambia's farmers, and to formulate a roadmap for implementing the curriculum."},{"index":6,"size":55,"text":"The workshop built upon the experiences and advanced a collaborative curriculum design and planning process previously initiated in other AICCRA target countries, including Ethiopia (Grossi et al., 2022) and Senegal (Hansen et al., 2022). By convening the major public and private sector extension providers in Zambia, the AICCRA project team conducted a multi-stakeholder consultation to:"},{"index":7,"size":18,"text":"1. Define the target audience and learner profile that AICCRA will prioritize in its 2023 capacity strengthening activities."},{"index":8,"size":21,"text":"2. Identify and prioritize competencies and foundational knowledge needed to equip the target audience to support Zambia's farmers with climate services."}]},{"head":"1: Introduction","index":6,"paragraphs":[]},{"head":"Participants of the Climate Risk Management in Agricultural Extension (CRMAE) Multistakeholder","index":7,"paragraphs":[{"index":1,"size":30,"text":"Curriculum Consultative Workshop in Zambia pause for a group photo outside the Radisson Blu Hotel in Lusaka, Zambia. These participants represent the country's main agricultural extension and advisory service providers."},{"index":2,"size":28,"text":"3. Adapt and refine a short-course curriculum that will target the priority competencies and foundational knowledge, building on past AICCRA experiences, by:   • The Ministry of Agriculture (MoA)"},{"index":3,"size":8,"text":"• Ministry of Green Economy and Environment (MGEE)"},{"index":4,"size":9,"text":"• National Agricultural Information Services (NAIS) within the MoA"},{"index":5,"size":2,"text":"Development Partners"},{"index":6,"size":5,"text":"• Catholic Relief Services (CRS)"},{"index":7,"size":4,"text":"• USAID (EDGE Project)"},{"index":8,"size":6,"text":"• International Water Management Institute (IWMI)"}]},{"head":"Education Institutions","index":8,"paragraphs":[{"index":1,"size":6,"text":"• National Resources Development College (NRDC)"},{"index":2,"size":5,"text":"• University of Zambia (UNZA)"}]},{"head":"2: Approaches and Methods","index":9,"paragraphs":[]},{"head":"Philipa Haamakasu of the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment (MGEE) partakes in a SWOT mapping exercise to analyze the enabling environment for the implementation of the CRMAE curriculum in Zambia.","index":10,"paragraphs":[{"index":1,"size":13,"text":"While private sector partners were invited, none were able to attend the consultation."},{"index":2,"size":25,"text":"The AICCRA team will therefore make special efforts to ensure representation of this important group at the follow-on workshops, namely the training of trainers (ToT)."},{"index":3,"size":30,"text":"The list of trainers and support staff for the workshop can be found in Box 2, and the full agenda for the workshop can be found in Section 6 (Agenda)."}]},{"head":"Workshop Structure","index":11,"paragraphs":[{"index":1,"size":65,"text":"The workshop consultation involved detailed presentation of the structure and content types of the curricular materials developed in Ethiopia and Senegal, as well as a comparative discussion to assess similarities and differences of Zambia's needs, enabling environment, and resources with these other African countries where curricular materials on the topic of climate risk management in agricultural extension (CRMAE) have been developed through the AICCRA project."},{"index":2,"size":67,"text":"An outline of the four-module CRMAE curriculum structure presented during the workshop is summarized herein and is also depicted in Figure 1:   All 15 participants representing Zambia's main EAS providers actively partook in discussions around the adaptation of the CRMAE curriculum for the Zambian context. A summary of these discussions and recommendations is outlined below, alongside the main findings from the SWOT analysis activity that was conducted."}]},{"head":"SWOT Analysis Results","index":12,"paragraphs":[{"index":1,"size":14,"text":"A detailed account of the SWOT analysis activity results is included in Appendix A."},{"index":2,"size":52,"text":"Generally, however, the SWOT analysis reinforced the need for the CRMAE curriculum and its component modules, especially Module 4 around communication of climate information, as many participants noted poor awareness, reach, or interpretation of climate information and especially forecast information as a major barrier inhibiting the use of climate information in decision-making."},{"index":3,"size":36,"text":"A positive enabling environment in terms of good strategies and policies at the national level alongside political will to address the climate challenge was highlighted through the exercise, as well as high-quality information generated through ZMD."}]},{"head":"General Feedback and Priorities","index":13,"paragraphs":[{"index":1,"size":7,"text":"Target Learners for the Curriculum (Learner Profile)"},{"index":2,"size":45,"text":"Generally, the participants of the workshop agreed that the target of the CRMAE curriculum should be Zambia's camp extension officers (CEOs), though there was also strong interest and argument for inclusion of extension staff trained through Zambia's seven agricultural training institutions (ATIs) and select universities."},{"index":3,"size":58,"text":"The University of Zambia (UNZA) in particular noted that it is making efforts to be more intentional about the inclusion of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) topics within its own curricula, and highlighted that it is presently in the process of conducting a needs assessment of its own courses to inform the integration of these topics within its university-level curricula."},{"index":4,"size":56,"text":"Similarly, the National Resources Development College (NRDC) noted that it also has courses to train extension, including short \"on-demand\" courses into which CRMAE content could be integrated or added, or incorporated on its own as a standalone course. This college has a student body of approximately 2,400 and trains about 560 graduates per year (2023 statistic)."},{"index":5,"size":47,"text":"There was some disagreement about the appropriateness of the materials in terms of complexity-While some participants felt that the material at its current level (as presented from the Ethiopian context) would be too complicated for CEOs to understand, others felt that the level of complexity was appropriate."},{"index":6,"size":15,"text":"Within Zambia's 116 districts, it was noted that there are approximately 220 extension camps total."}]},{"head":"Target Value Chains and Livelihoods","index":14,"paragraphs":[{"index":1,"size":74,"text":"As has been the case in many of the other countries where AICCRA has introduced this curriculum, the Zambia participants noted that the CRMAE curriculum is limited in that it majorly emphasizes crops while not having robust content to support extension staff working with other important livelihoods in Zambia, namely that of pastoralism and agropastoralism. This was noted as an area for further development perhaps for a second edition or version of the curriculum. "}]},{"head":"3: Key Results and Findings","index":15,"paragraphs":[]},{"head":"Public versus Private Modalities for Extension and the Role of Technology","index":16,"paragraphs":[{"index":1,"size":64,"text":"Because Zambia's extension-staff-to-farmerratio is quite high with not enough extension staff to support the country's millions of farmers (i.e. because the reach of the extension system is limited), participants noted that there is a push at the national level to increasingly adopt a \"distance model\" as a complement to face-to-face trainings. Still, challenges around technology access and internet connectivity limit some of these interventions."},{"index":2,"size":12,"text":"Broadly, however, participants described two main channels for Zambia's agricultural extension system:"},{"index":3,"size":11,"text":"1. A public advisory system provided by the Government of Zambia"},{"index":4,"size":7,"text":"• This system embraces participatory extension approaches."},{"index":5,"size":10,"text":"2. A private advisory system with its own extension packages."},{"index":6,"size":42,"text":"• This system promotes certain inputs like seeds. While the private sector is operating by generally adding value to the information provided by the public sector, most of the population still sees climate and advisory information as the role of the government."},{"index":7,"size":28,"text":"Participants noted that Zambia's extension system is neither primarily top-down (like in Ethiopia) nor bottom-up, pluralistic, and participatory (like in Senegal), but rather a blend of the two."}]},{"head":"Learning Environment","index":17,"paragraphs":[{"index":1,"size":124,"text":"In terms of access to technology, which influences what kinds of tools and information extension staff can be trained upon in the hands-on CRMAE curriculum, participants noted that at the district level, extension staff do have access to computers and internet connectivity. Moreover, participants noted that for the CEOs, the situation is improving, as there is a push by the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) to promote the use of tablets. Even so, according to the MoA and MLF participants, the primary challenge with use of technology is not necessarily access to digital technology and materials, but rather connectivity in the rural areas that limits their efficacy. In terms of access to phones, participants noted that it is expected that every CEO has a smartphone."},{"index":2,"size":41,"text":"While not the target of this workshop, the IRI team also shared curricular materials on Climate Risk Management in Agriculture (CRMA) targeting universities, which participants indicated would be most relevant and useful to district level officers (higherlevel officers than the CEOs)."}]},{"head":"Packaging of Information and Harmonization with other Resources and Efforts","index":18,"paragraphs":[{"index":1,"size":33,"text":"Participants and especially the national institutions emphasized that curricular materials should be packaged in a way such that the extension system can easily use it and assimilate it within existing materials and efforts."},{"index":2,"size":128,"text":"In this vein, there was a suggestion that the curriculum could be tailored or \"stratified\" in terms of complexity and content to different levels of experts within the extension system. It was suggested that subject matter specialists (SMS) at the district level could have an amplified or more detailed view of the content to be used by the CEOs such that they can assist in repackaging the content and ensuring it is tailored to local conditions. In this way, it was suggested that the curriculum could inform the standard operating procedures (SOPs) of the extensionists.  Inclusion of such topics may help to demystify insurance as a risk management option for farmers and extensionists and ultimately stimulate demand for when the products and policies do become more widely available."}]},{"head":"(Integrating Climate Services into Agricultural Extension-Communication)","index":19,"paragraphs":[{"index":1,"size":93,"text":"As highlighted in the SWOT analysis activity, despite robust and high-quality climate information generated at the national level through ZMD, access and use of this information can be quite limited by farmers, and effective communication a major limiting factor towards these ends. As such, participants generally appreciated this module, but requested more robust and context-specific materials related to supporting gender-sensitive and inclusive communication of climate information for decision-making. In particular, the MLF noted that there are several household-level strategies for supporting gender-inclusive decision-making and use of information that it could share for incorporation."},{"index":2,"size":60,"text":"Moreover, ZMD is supporting the piloting of the PICSA and e-PICSA approaches in two districts in Zambia, for which it could share its experiences within this module. Overall, participants of the multistakeholder consultative workshop agreed that the structure and content of the CRMAE curriculum is valuable, though the detailed feedback outlined in the Results and Findings section should be addressed."},{"index":3,"size":34,"text":"In terms of next steps, which include planning for the training of trainers (ToT) and ultimately the pilot of the curriculum, workshop participants agreed upon the following. • National Association for Small-scale Farmers (NAPSSF)"},{"index":4,"size":6,"text":"• Zambia Seed Traders Association (ZSTA)"},{"index":5,"size":4,"text":"• World Vision Zambia "}]},{"head":"Ownership and Co-branding of the Curriculum","index":20,"paragraphs":[{"index":1,"size":71,"text":"Participants felt that the curriculum should be co-branded and co-owned by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries (MoALF) and the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment (MGEE) to have successful uptake and scaling. It was also noted that MoALF has very strong political will and would be an especially strong advocate amongst the two for advancing and sustaining the capacity building of EAS staff on climate risk management within Zambia."}]},{"head":"The Pilot of the CRMAE Curriculum","index":21,"paragraphs":[{"index":1,"size":53,"text":"The pilot of the curriculum following the ToT is anticipated for September 2023. Additional planning for the pilot, including decisions on the number and type of participants to include, site selection, and other important details will be revisited when the larger group of EAS providers is present at the August 2023 ToT workshop."}]},{"head":"6: Agenda","index":22,"paragraphs":[{"index":1,"size":6,"text":"Wednesday, March 1 Morning Workshop opening:"},{"index":2,"size":6,"text":"• Opening remarks (ZMD, IWMI, IRI)"},{"index":3,"size":7,"text":"• Introductions by participating organizations and institutions"},{"index":4,"size":13,"text":"• Overview of the AICCRA project and its training goals and strategy (Amanda)"},{"index":5,"size":6,"text":"• Workshop objectives, overview, context (Amanda)"},{"index":6,"size":12,"text":"Overview of curriculum structure and sharing of experiences from other AICCRA countries:"},{"index":7,"size":7,"text":"• Experiences, lessons, and approach from Ethiopia  "}]}],"figures":[{"text":" ************************************************************* "},{"text":"Module 1 : Climate Basics provides foundational knowledge about climate concepts, data and common data analyses, and forecasts. A basic understanding of climate from this module provides necessary background and context for subsequent learning about the types and use of climate information to improve agricultural risk management. It also prepares participants to address client farmers' questions and concerns about weather and climate. The module includes probability concepts that are foundational for understanding and managing risk, and for interpreting and using climate information to support risk management. Participants write down and share ideas about opportunities and challenges for implementing a CRMAE curriculum in Zambia. ** **************************************************************** "},{"text":"Following both the presentation and detailed discussion of the Ethiopia and Senegal CRMAE curriculum and its relevance for Zambia, as well as the SWOT activity, a detailed roadmap and action plan was developed to advance the co-development of such a curriculum for the Zambian context. Participants representing Zambia's main EAS providers learn about local and global factors that affect the country's climate, during a presentation by Dr. Dinku of the IRI giving an overview of Module 1 (Climate Basics) content. ** **************************************************************** "},{"text":" ************************************************************* "},{"text":"The• Training of Trainers (ToT) on the CRMAE Curriculum: Timing, Trainee Composition, and Location Timing: In moving forward and planning next steps towards actualizing the CRMAE curriculum in Zambia, participants agreed that the timing of a 10-day training of trainers (ToT) workshop should be August 14-25, 2023. Moreover, because of the important role that agricultural training institutions (ATIs) play in professionalizing and building the capacity of agricultural extension workers to strengthen the productivity and resilience of the agricultural sector, participants agreed that the AICCRA project should also aim to adapt this short course curriculum for implementation at each of Zambia's seven ATIs. A two-day consultative workshop to adapt this curriculum for this purpose following the ToT workshop is therefore proposed for August 28-29, 2023. Trainee Composition: To reflect and ensure inclusive representation of the EAS providers in Zambia within the curriculum development, refinement, and training processes, for the ToT, the group requested to expand participation beyond those already present in the room to also include the following institutions and organizations: Conservation Farming Unit (CFU) 4: Conclusions and Recommendations The MoA's Principal Extension Methodologist takes notes on opportunities for capacity building of extension staff. ** **************************************************************** • Zambia National farmers Union (ZNFU) "},{"text":" *************************************************************Afternoon Presentation of available curricular materials: • Integrating Climate Services into Agricultural Extension (communicating climate information and supporting its use); (Jim) Discussion on required competencies, foundational knowledge, structure, alignment of available materials with needs, gaps that require new materials Friday, March 3 Morning Summarize and finalize overall curriculum design (Amanda): "},{"text":"  "},{"text":"  "},{"text":"  "},{"text":" It also includes a unit that provides an introduction to the basics of reading and interpreting a map or graph, and exercises to expose participants to the most common climate maps and charts they are likely to encounter in their work. SWOT Analysis To equip participants to provide appropriate SWOT AnalysisTo equip participants to provide appropriate  support and guidance to their farmers, the support and guidance to their farmers, the To ensure the curriculum and its accompanying module builds understanding of factors that To ensure the curriculum and its accompanyingmodule builds understanding of factors that training strategy are in harmony with and building upon existing capacity building efforts around climate risk management in the country, as well as to avoid lead to different management decisions by different farmers and under different climate conditions. training strategy are in harmony with and building upon existing capacity building efforts around climate risk management in the country, as well as to avoidlead to different management decisions by different farmers and under different climate conditions. duplication of efforts and accounting of risks, a  duplication of efforts and accounting of risks, a Module 2: Climate Information Products and participatory Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Module 4: Integrating Climate Services into Module 2: Climate Information Products and participatory Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities,Module 4: Integrating Climate Services into Tools Available for Agriculture provides an and Threats (SWOT) activity was carried out with the Agricultural Extension (Communication) equips Tools Available for Agriculture provides an and Threats (SWOT) activity was carried out with theAgricultural Extension (Communication) equips overview of relevant weather and climate workshop participants. The results of this activity are participants to bring climate services into the overview of relevant weather and climate workshop participants. The results of this activity areparticipants to bring climate services into the information products and services that are [or will soon be] available through the Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD). It teaches summarized in the next section (Results and Findings) and included in full in Appendix A. services that they provide their client farmers. Building on learning from the other three modules, Module 4 equips them to lead information products and services that are [or will soon be] available through the Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD). It teaches summarized in the next section (Results and Findings) and included in full in Appendix A.services that they provide their client farmers. Building on learning from the other three modules, Module 4 equips them to lead participants how to navigate and use relevant farmers in a participatory seasonal planning participants how to navigate and use relevantfarmers in a participatory seasonal planning historical, monitored and forecast information workshop, informed by historical and historical, monitored and forecast informationworkshop, informed by historical and products available through ZMD's web page seasonal forecast information. products available through ZMD's web pageseasonal forecast information. (ZMD, 2023) and online climate information  (ZMD, 2023) and online climate information products (Maprooms).  products (Maprooms).  "},{"text":" In terms of existing educational and capacity materials on the topic of climate risk management on which the CRMAE curriculum might build, some materials were shared by both national and development partners. In particular, ZMD shared its Agrometeorological Training Manual for Agricultural Extension Officers, while Catholic Relief Services (CRS) shared its Community-Based Climate Change Education Manual. These materials will be reviewed for possible integration with and coordination with the CRMAE curriculum content and materials. ensure sustained food security at both ZMD also highlighted that it is implementing ensure sustained food security at bothZMD also highlighted that it is implementing household and national level. Moreover, there the Participatory Integrated Climate Services household and national level. Moreover, therethe Participatory Integrated Climate Services are now several major insurance companies (PICSA) approach and e-PICSA in two districts. are now several major insurance companies(PICSA) approach and e-PICSA in two districts. operating within the country, including Such approaches are incorporated already in operating within the country, includingSuch approaches are incorporated already in Zambia State Insurance, Professional Module 4 (Integrating Climate Information Zambia State Insurance, ProfessionalModule 4 (Integrating Climate Information insurance, and Murchison Insurance. into Agricultural Extension-Communication), insurance, and Murchison Insurance.into Agricultural Extension-Communication),  and could therefore help ZMD and the and could therefore help ZMD and the  Government of Zambia in promoting this Government of Zambia in promoting this  approach with farmers. approach with farmers. \"There is a very  \"There is a very good connection  good connection between what is  between what is being relayed in  being relayed in this curriculum and  this curriculum and supporting farming  supporting farming as a business. This  as a business. This content can help  content can help farmers make  farmers make decisions on which  decisions on which enterprises to get  enterprises to get involved in-  involved in- this is what drives  this is what drives profitability!!\"  profitability!!\" -Dominic Namanyungu,  -Dominic Namanyungu, Principal Extension  Principal Extension Methodologist, Zambian  Methodologist, Zambian Ministry of Agriculture (MoA)  Ministry of Agriculture (MoA)  "}],"sieverID":"0acc26c1-7090-4ee0-a7cb-97d4200452b1","abstract":"A three-day multistakeholder consultative workshop was convened from March 1 to March 3, 2023, in Lusaka, Zambia by the Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD), in close collaboration with the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) of the Columbia Climate School and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI). The workshop, which was organized as part of the World Bank's Accelerating the Impact of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) project, brought together 15 participants representing agricultural extension and advisory service (EAS) providers across Zambia to co-design a curriculum to support climate risk management in agricultural extension."}