The Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) conducted focus groups with CmiA farmers in Zambia to see where they see ecological changes and what measures they are taking in response.
The group of CmiA small farmers consisted of 46% men and 54% women, of which 66% had lived in the region since birth and 34% for 10 to 20 years.
“Discussions focused on facing and solving challenges together with farmers in Zambia,” said Nina Schöttle, AbTF project manager for monitoring and evaluation. She explained that the foundation’s key goals include halting biodiversity loss and increasing the resilience of African smallholder farmers through comprehensive, local actions.
Rural Africa has seen a decline in biodiversity, while deforestation, poaching and settlement development have “severely” affected many wildlife, even leading to the extinction of some species, and fueling many human-wildlife conflicts, according to a study.
Water shortages in local rivers were also considered an urgent problem.
The AbTF highlighted that in the focus group, farmers described signs of these ecological changes in their environments, including the absence of certain fungi in forests, which indicates reduced biodiversity, changes in soil structure and color signaling poorer soil quality, and the spread of certain weeds, such as witch and mayor, a sign of changes in biological balance.
They also noted fluctuating temperatures and erratic rainfall patterns, which are reported to be disrupting local agricultural cycles.
The AbTF highlighted the impact of biodiversity decline on fields, stating that soil fertility had deteriorated, resulting in lower yields: “In the past, good results could be achieved without fertilizers, but this is now more difficult. Bushfires and herbicide use have reduced the presence of beneficial soil organisms such as earthworms that help break down organic matter.”
Actions taken to promote biodiversity
The AbTF noted that group discussions with smallholder farmers clearly showed that the way cotton fields are managed has a “significant” impact on the soil health and biodiversity in their surroundings.
The foundation explained that to promote biodiversity, farmers have adopted practices such as crop rotation and integrated pest management, while minimizing chemical pesticides and herbicides in favor of organic alternatives. They also avoid plowing the soil to maintain its quality, using compost and organic fertilizers such as cow manure to improve it.
AbTF noted that these sustainable agricultural practices are consistent with the principles of the CmiA standard, which has long emphasized climate and environmental protection. The organization regularly shares these practices with smallholder farmers through training programs aimed at increasing their resilience to climate change and improving their livelihoods in the long term.
More recently, the AbTF’s annual CmiA Review and Implementation Report indicated that positive progress has been made since 2022.
“AbTF, Zambian Farmers Addressing Biodiversity and Climate Change through Sustainable Agriculture” was originally created and published by Just Style, a brand of GlobalData.
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