Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Conducted Training Sessions on FAO’s SHARP+ Tool in Ankara
Ankara, Türkiye - The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry conducted the “Self-evaluation and Holistic Assessment of climate Resilience of farmers and Pastoralists (SHARP)+ Training” in the framework of “Türkiye Climate Smart and Competitive Agricultural Growth Project (TUCSAP)” funded by the World Bank from June 24 to June 28, 2024, in Ankara. The training commenced with opening speeches on the morning of June 24th. The opening remarks were delivered by Ayşegül Selışık, Assistant FAO Representative in Türkiye, and Mesut Akdamar, Deputy Director General of Directorate General for Policies and Research (TAGEM).
Ayşegül Selışık, Assistant FAO Representative in Türkiye highlighted the impact of climate change on agricultural and food systems, stating, "climate-related crises and changes affect the lives of millions of farmers every year. It is crucial to create farmer communities that can adapt to changing climate conditions and are resilient to these changes." She emphasized that the FAO SHARP+ tool is significant for preserving the lifestyles and local knowledge of farmers and pastoralists. The SHARP+ tool, she added, supports projects aimed at increasing the resilience of agrifood systems and rural households.
Mesut Akdamar, Deputy Director General of TAGEM also addressed the audience, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between FAO and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in his speech. Akdamar underscored the critical role of the tools like SHARP+ in enhancing the resilience of farmers and rural communities to climate change and expressed his optimism about the positive impact of the training for a climate resilient agriculture in Türkiye.
After opening speeches,İnci Tekeli, agricultural engineer at TAGEM, made a detailed presentation titled 'Agriculture and Climate Change in Türkiye' to raise the understanding of the participants. Presentations continued with the Project’s Lead Technical Officer Evetta Zenina’s presentation on the overview of FAO activities and of the project.
On the first day of the training, participants were introduced to the conceptual background and methodology of the SHARP+ tool. Presentations and practical sessions were conducted by FAO experts, enabling participants to learn how to use the SHARP+ tool effectively at the field. Sirine Johnston and Antoine Lemaitre moderated and delivered technical presentations on various aspects of the SHARP+ tool throughout the five-day training session. The day's sessions began with an introduction to the SHARP+ tool by Sirine Johnston, Resilience Assessment and Data Analysis Consultant, followed by a presentation on agroecology by Celia Del Campo Aragones, Agroecology and Food Systems Specialist.
On the second day, participants engaged in practical work to read and adapt the SHARP+ survey. They worked in groups to discuss and present the main adaptations of the questionnaire drafted in Turkish as the survey language for a better understanding of the national conditions. By the end of the day, participants had learned how to download and access the SHARP+ tool on their mobile devices and upload surveys to the central server.
The third day focused on facilitating data collection and minimizing biases. Sirine Johnston provided tips on facilitation and specific methods for SHARP+. Neşe Çakır, Gender Specialist at FAO Turkiye, presented on the importance of gender consideration in data collection, and Fatih Bayrak, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist at FAO Turkiye, discussed data collection strategies, monitoring, and evaluation methods.
On the fourth day, participants conducted the pilot survey in a village in Ankara’s Gölbaşı district with the selected farmers. This hands-on experience allowed them to practice using the tool in real-world conditions.
On the fifth and final day, feedback from the field day was evaluated. Presentations on data management and analysis were conducted by Antoine Lemaitre, Agriculture and Farming Systems Information Management and Communication Specialist and Sirine Johnston. Participants engaged in practical work to interpret the collected data and discuss the results.
The training program, conducted in technical collaboration between FAO and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, is seen as an essential step towards building a more resilient farmer communities in the agricultural sector in response to challenge with climate change risks.
Climate-related changes affect the lives of millions of farmers and pastoralists every year. The need to build resilient communities, capable of adapting to and withstanding new climate conditions, is crucial. For this reason, in 2014, FAO developed the Self-evaluation and Holistic Assessment of Climate Resilience of Farmers and Pastoralists (SHARP) tool. In synergy with various partners, SHARP supports projects aimed at improving the resilience of farmers and herders, preserving their way of life, maintaining their local indigenous knowledge, and enhancing their livelihoods. Following a technical review in 2017, the tool was improved and updated to SHARP+. This enhanced version continues to support the assessment and strengthening of climate resilience in agricultural communities.