20/01/2018

Kigali, Rwanda

The EU African Roots and Tubers Project (ART) organized a three-days’ regional training and workshop on ‘‘Climatic Risk Management Instruments for Roots and Tubers Sector in Africa’’ from 28 to 30 November 2017 in Kigali, Rwanda.

The impacts of climate change is putting unprecedented stresses and threats on the roots and tubers sectors. Reducing climate risks require robust and innovative tools that can help producers and relevant institutions to make pro-active decisions and adjustment of their activities. 

The ART Project is addressing issues focusing on two key areas: developing climate information services and climate risk management tools in collaboration with meteorological institutes. 

The event brought together representatives from the Ministries of Agriculture, the National Meteorological Services, and experts from Cameroon, Benin, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Malawi, Uganda and Rwanda to facilitate sharing of lessons learned and to introduce available climate risk management tools for the roots and tubers sectors.

The workshop was opened by the FAO Representative of Rwanda Attaher Maiga, the European Union Second secretary to the head of section rural development Arnaud de Vanssay, the Representative from the Minister of Agriculture of Rwanda (Minagri) Jean Claude Kyisinga and Massimo Pera, Project Coordinator. 

In addition, the event saw the special participation of Pierre Berthelot representing the African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States (ACP).

During the Regional workshop speakers presented the results of the 4 studies related to the impact of climate variability of production and prices of Irish potato and cassava, and discussed about the current status and challenges related to climate information services in all the project countries.

Participants have been trained on Climate risk assessment and management tools and methods including risk transfer mechanisms and case studies. The project facilitated also country team discussions and final presentations.

The main suggestions provided by the participants include: increasing the availability of improved climatic information for farmers, translating climatic information into location-specific agricultural practices, strengthening coordination between meteorological institutions and government officer at local level, and replicating capacity building activities on climate risk assessment and management for the roots and tubers sector at country level.