At the heart of the Oueme Basin in Benin, a transformative initiative is underway to strengthen climate resilience among 330,000 small-scale farmers. The Oueme Climate Resilience Initiative (OCRI) aims not only to mitigate climate disruptions but also to empower local communities through innovative agricultural practices.

At the core of this effort is the Farmer Field School (FFS) approach, a proven method for developing resilient agricultural techniques tailored to local realities. The first step in this process involves training master trainers in the FFS method. These experts will then train facilitators, with the goal of establishing around 650 FFS and improving the capacities of approximately 16,250 farmers.

Recently, 32 master trainers, from diverse backgrounds (NGOs, farmer federations, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the National Institute of Agricultural Research of Benin), underwent intensive 10-day training sessions in Glazoué, in June and July. Participants explored a range of key topics, including the origins and objectives of FFS, the stages of implementation, the integration of gender in FFS processes, and the use of participatory monitoring and evaluation tools. Practical field sessions, such as the rapid participatory diagnosis in the village of Dokoundji, allowed for the application of the concepts discussed and the preparation of experimental setups. For example, comparative studies were conducted on three varieties of maize (Synee 2000, EVDT, and a local variety) and different soil fertilization techniques.

Thanks to OCRI, resilient and low-emission agricultural practices will be adopted, overcoming obstacles to sustainable change. The project enhances the adaptive capacity of agroecosystems and smallholder farmers in the rural communities of the Upper and Middle Oueme basins. Two additional training sessions are already scheduled for September and October, continuing this momentum of capacity building.

This initiative promises to better equip local communities to face climate challenges and improve their overall resilience, while paving the way for more sustainable agriculture in Benin.

For more information on the OCRI project and its implementation, please contact the national project coordinator: [email protected].