MITAD- Mitigation and adaptation to climate change in Atacora
To raise awareness of the importance of combating climate change and help develop better capacities to adapt to the risks associated with this phenomenon.
The context
Benin is ranked 166th on the Human Development Index. The northern regions in particular, including Atacora, are the poorest. Here, investments in agriculture, a sector that supports 80% of the region's population, are largely insufficient compared to needs. Many people live under the constant threat of food insecurity and do not have the resources to cultivate large areas. They invest their few savings in synthetic fertilizers that allow them to have a better crop yield in the short term. However, over time, these same lands become less and less fertile.
In addition, in Atacora, particularly in the district of Boukombé, the risk of flooding is very high, as is the risk of landslides and soil erosion, and There is still little knowledge of climate change mitigation tools and the need for an ecological transition.
Learning objectives
The project has the general objective of promoting, in the Atacora region of Benin, greater awareness of the importance of combating climate change and of helping to develop better capacities to adapt to the risks associated with this phenomenon.
The activities
The activities aim to promote community resilience through the development of productive activities that adopt the agroecological approach using local crop varieties resistant to climate change and with low environmental impact, integrated with the planting of both fruit and forest trees. They also aim to mitigate the effects of climate change through raising awareness of environmental protection, tree planting and environmental education for young students.
Promotion of agroecology
Technical and material support, through the provision of seeds, agricultural tools and the provision of specific training, to local producers. Four local varieties of plants will be grown: yellow corn, chili pepper, voandzou and pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan), resistant to climate change, especially drought, which contribute to the regeneration of the soil and do not require synthetic fertilizers, the main cause of soil and biodiversity degradation. Through the cultivation, consumption and sale of these crops, producers will be able to be more resilient to climate change and guarantee their families healthy and nutritious food.
Development of agroforestry systems
Each producer involved in the project will receive, in addition to seeds and agricultural tools, 5 fruit tree seedlings and 5 forest tree seedlings. The fruit trees will be planted near the beneficiaries' homes to ensure a diversification of the diet, while the forest trees will be planted in the productive plots, to create integrated agroforestry systems.
Environmental education in schools
An environmental education course will be created for 50 students within the two selected schools. The main consequences of climate change and the behaviors and choices that cause them will be illustrated, both globally but also specifically in Atacora and in the villages where everyone lives. The topic of how and what to commit to in order to adapt and reduce the behaviors that are the cause of the changes themselves will also be addressed. At the end of the training course, an environmental education manual will be distributed to the students themselves, as well as to the Director and teachers of the schools involved, with the contents of the training they have received so that they can propose it to others.
Planting in schools
Practical activity of planting selected local plants with the aim of making the school spaces more sustainable and ensuring that students can make a small but concrete contribution to the global fight against climate change. 100 fruit trees will be planted in each of the two schools identified, so that each student is responsible for 4 trees. The plants will be protected by ad hoc wooden devices made by local artisans. Each beneficiary school will also receive a dozen watering cans to ensure that the irrigation of the plants can involve several students at the same time.