Climate Resilient Agriculture in three of the Vulnerable Extreme northern crop growing regions (CRAVE)

The CRAVE project was initiated in December 2016 and aimed to reduce food insecurity and vulnerability of rural populations to climate change in the Kavango West, Kavango East, and Zambezi regions. The project targeted 3,000 direct small-scale farmers (SSF) over 5,000 hectares, focusing on conservation agriculture (CA) and climate-resilient agriculture (CRA) practices to improve crop production and livelihoods.

Achievement wise, the CRAVE project successfully exceeded its targets, directly benefiting 3,158 small-scale farmers (65% female) with conservation agriculture goods and training 3,065 farmers in climate-resilient practices. The project established the Mashare Climate Resilient Agriculture Centre of Excellence (MCRACE) which has become a hub for training and research, benefiting over 2,831 small-scale farmers, created 1,646 jobs (35% female), and expanded horticultural production to 105.5 hectares. Notable outcomes included distributing 41 solar-powered water pumps, installing a 125kW solar PV plant, deploying 35 tractors covering 3,709 hectares, and reaching 19,010 farmers with training and support. The project facilitated market linkages for 3,065 farmers and piloted a crop insurance scheme for 168 vulnerable farmers.

Key lessons learned: include the importance of community involvement in decision-making to prevent land disputes and the need for timely recruitment of skilled staff to enhance project implementation. The integration of climate-smart agriculture with irrigated horticulture proved to be a game-changer for food security and farmer resilience. Proper site selection requires extensive community consultation and traditional leadership involvement to ensure project sustainability. The project demonstrated that combining conservation agriculture with renewable energy technologies creates synergies that enhance both climate adaptation and income diversification for small-scale farmers.

Sustainability and exit strategy: To ensure sustainability, the project established partnerships with local organizations, including AgriBank and Agro-Marketing & Trade Agency (AMTA), to continue supporting farmers beyond the project's lifespan. The project assets were transferred to the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform (MAWLR) to maintain ongoing support for small-scale farmers. The project also developed a crop insurance scheme to provide financial security to vulnerable farmers against climate risks.

The CRAVE project has successfully improved the adaptive capacity and resilience of small-scale farmers in Namibia, contributing to food security and sustainable agricultural practices. The collaboration between EIF, MAWLR, and various stakeholders has laid a strong foundation for future initiatives in climate-resilient agriculture.