ICT4resilience to climate change in Gran Chaco
In the Gran Chaco region, high deforestation rates and the effects of climate change are increasingly challenging the livelihoods of the 7.5 million inhabitants. Smallholder farmers are threatened by significant agricultural production losses due to water scarcity, flash floods, and soil erosion.
This IKI Small Grants project supports around 1.000 families in eight provinces in Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay to strengthen their resilience and better adapt to the impacts of climate change. Each family participates in technical field trainings on agroforestry, water conservation and -harvesting. The project also develops a mobile app “Kokue” containing a climate warning system that will help farmers to share local knowledge and experiences and make informed decisions.
INITIAL SITUATION
The Gran Chaco is a great plain in South America with an area of more than 1.000.000 km2. It is the world’s largest contiguous dry forest area, home to various indigenous people and characterized by a rich biodiversity. Although parts of the Chaco have long been used for agricultural purposes, the region is increasingly endangered by human interventions. Deforestation, soil degradation and climate change are threatening the ecosystem and the livelihoods of the local population. As a result of the effects described, livelihoods of smallholder farmers are threatened by agricultural production losses, as is the cultural heritage and biodiversity of the region.
TARGET GROUP
The project addresses 1.090 rural families (at least 5.000 individuals) in six provinces of the Gran Chaco region. The residents of the target communities are predominantly smallholder farmers who are dependent on agricultural production for food security and generation of income. Some of the families belong to indigenous groups such as Creole, Wichis, Qom, Moqoit or Comleéc. As women are agents of change concerning climate change topics, the project specifically targets local women for an agroecologocial transformation.
APPROACH AND ACTIVITIES
The project aims to improve the adaptive capacity and resilience of selected rural communities in the Gran Chaco region to the impacts of climate change.
Agroecological approaches are promoted in home gardens and combined with additional activities for improved organic soil management, water conservation and -harvesting as well as traditional agricultural practices. The beneficiaries improve their knowledge through the combination of technical field trainings with ITC application and services. Additionally, the information and knowledge gap at the local level is bridged by introducing a mobile app ‘Kokue’ to local farmers.
The project activities aim at overcoming rural isolation, reduce high mobility costs and facilitate the exchange of information and knowledge. Additionally, the promoted sustainable agricultural practices help to preserve biodiversity, protect natural resources, and improve food security and income for rural and indigenous communities.
LATEST PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS AND IMPACTS
- Project finalized.
- Development of the app Kokue to support family and community-scale agroecological gardeners to monitor crops.
- over 7,000 app downloads in 30 countries.
- 153 training sessions on agroecology and the use of the Kokue app in 18 months.
- 703 agroecological family gardens established in provinces of Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay, of whom 65 per cent managed by women.
CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT
IKI Small Grants supports ACDI in its organisational capacity development with:
- Trainings on digital solutions, design thinking and ITSCs
- Introduction of (new) methodological approaches in the organisation and design of good practices in the association
- To foster a culture of innovation,
- To find/define a good balance between experimentation, operation and business model
ABOUT THE ORGANISATION
The “Asociación Cultural para el Desarrollo Integral (ACDI)” is an Argentinian non-governmental organisation, established in 1990 and based in Santa Fe. ACDI is implementing development projects in Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay. It promotes socially and economically sustainable development in rural and urban areas. The organisation works in various sectors with a strong focus on capacity development and strengthening organisational structures on community level.
PRESS AND MEDIA COVERAGE
The following video offers a glimps about the features of the app “Kokue”. The video is available in Spanish with English subtitles.
In the second video, a woman working in her home garden offers insights into the benefits of the app. The video is only available in Spanish.