an improve soil conditions and boost production, making the agricultural system more climate resilient. In Burkina Faso, CowaterSogema’s Water and Sustainable Economic Growth in the Sahel (Eau et croissance économique durable au Sahel) project is addressing a critical need for water in this drought-prone region, a situation that greatly limits socio-economic development, especially for women. In doing so, the project is reducing the vulnerability of local populations to climate change through improved access and management of water supply. Specifically, the project is supporting climate-smart agricultural and livestock production for local producers and women’s groups.
CowaterSogema is using a demand-driven approach where local producers’ groups and associations, heavily represented by women’s groups, took an active role in designing activities in the dairy, livestock and vegetable value chains.
These value chains were selected for their potential to improve food security, revenue generating potential, and to ensure resilience to climate shocks. For example, irrigated vegetable gardening using water conservation techniques give farmers enough water for at least two market gardening growing cycles each year, when only one cycle was possible under rainfed conditions. Over 2,500 smallholder farmers have been involved and they are increasing agricultural production levels by around 30%. Climate-smart agriculture offers unique opportunities to tackle food security, address climate adaptation and mitigation objectives, and to reduce poverty. Implementing CSA requires an appreciation of how to ensure policy at the national and sub-national level provides the right incentives to support farm-level investment. It requires holistic adaption planning and av deep understanding of the priorities that men and women farmers have as land stewards. In an era of rising food and nutrition insecurity combined with climate change, a coordinated approach that takes into account the daily realities faced by farmers is essential to in overcoming these challenges and achieving global targets set under the Sustainable Development Goals.
CowaterSogema recognises the risks that climate change poses. Its expertise in designing and delivering climate-smart agriculture programs contributes to improve agricultural management and provide better livelihoods in communities while building climate resilience agricultural systems. Using a client-centric approach, we work closely with partners, governments and communities to build capacity and identify sustainable solutions that address challenges associated with rising food and nutritional insecurity in the context of a changing climate.
 Climate Smart Agriculture is an approach coined by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 2010.
 Herrero, Mario, et al. “Livestock and greenhouse gas emissions: The importance of getting the numbers right.” Animal Feed Science and Technology 166 (2011): 779-782.