Synthesis Report Three Horizon Farmer Session at UFCCC Africa Climate Week

This synthesis report details a 2019 workshop in Ghana where farmers from East and West Africa discussed pathways to climate-resilient agriculture. Key findings highlight the need for better farmer self-organisation, increased seed ownership, and improved infrastructure to bypass middlemen. The report notes a strategic divide: East African participants focused on increasing productivity via research-led inputs, while West African participants prioritised agro-ecological methods and consumer market influence. Significant barriers identified include land tenure issues for women and youth, and the social stigma of farming which drives rural-urban migration.

• The session identified several priority areas to support resilient development for African farmers, including enhancing the ability of farmers and specific societal groups, such as women and youth, to self-organise and act independently. This includes increasing seed ownership and improving the societal status of farmers.
• Participants highlighted the need for improved infrastructure and information access to reduce reliance on middlemen in the value chain. This includes providing user-friendly information on climate, crops, and market prices, and investing in infrastructure to help farmers reach markets directly.
• There is a perceived gap between the vision of resilient landscapes and the actual initiatives implemented. While restoring landscapes with low erosion and rich soils is a desired future, it is the least addressed area in terms of solutions, partly because farmers may feel they have a low scope of influence compared to immediate needs like food security.
• The East Africa and West Africa groups presented diverging strategies for addressing climate and population challenges. The East Africa group focused on maintaining or increasing productivity through inputs and knowledge from researchers, while the West Africa group emphasised agro-ecological solutions, self-organisation, and influencing consumer markets.
• Youth migration to cities is driven by a poor perception of farming as a 'dirty and laborious job' and a lack of interest in farming as a career. Proposed solutions include promoting rural industrialisation, integrating farming skills into school curricula, and using modern technology to frame farming as a viable business.
• Financial barriers for smallholder farmers include high interest rates, a lack of collateral (particularly for women and youth who often lack legal land ownership documents), and a general lack of awareness regarding available financial services.

APA

Global Resilience Partnership (2019). Synthesis Report Three Horizon Farmer Session at UFCCC Africa Climate Week. https://www.globalresiliencepartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/synthesis-report-three-horizon-farmer-session-at-ufccc-africa-climate-week-final.pdf

Chicago

Global Resilience Partnership. Synthesis Report Three Horizon Farmer Session at UFCCC Africa Climate Week. 2019. https://www.globalresiliencepartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/synthesis-report-three-horizon-farmer-session-at-ufccc-africa-climate-week-final.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Global Resilience Partnership |title=Synthesis Report Three Horizon Farmer Session at UFCCC Africa Climate Week |date=19 March 2019 |url=https://www.globalresiliencepartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/synthesis-report-three-horizon-farmer-session-at-ufccc-africa-climate-week-final.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{globalresiliencepartnership2019synthesis, author = {{Global Resilience Partnership}}, title = {{Synthesis Report Three Horizon Farmer Session at UFCCC Africa Climate Week}}, institution = {Global Resilience Partnership}, year = {2019}, month = mar, url = {https://www.globalresiliencepartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/synthesis-report-three-horizon-farmer-session-at-ufccc-africa-climate-week-final.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }