Blog Climate-smart villages transforming the Sahel’s agricultural landscape
In a region aced with droughts, land degradation, and irregular rainfall, the TARSPro project has established Climate-Smart Villages (CSV) in five West African countries—Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Chad. These villages serve as collaborative hubs where farmers, researchers, and local institutions work together to test, adapt, and scale up climate-smart agricultural practices.
Through a participatory approach, the project enhances access to drought-resistant seeds, climate services, and irrigation infrastructure. It also promotes the active involvement of women and youth, ensuring broader adoption of innovations. By combining scientific research and local knowledge, TARSPro strengthens food security and paves the way for a more sustainable and resilient agricultural model in the Sahel region.
The climate challenge in the Sahel
West Africa, and particularly the Sahelian zone, faces increasingly extreme climate conditions: repeated droughts, erratic rainfall, and rapid soil degradation. In a region where 80% of the population depends on agriculture, these climate shocks weaken rural communities and heighten the risk of food insecurity.
To address this crisis, the TARSPro project (Technologies and Agricultural Innovations for Enhancing the Resilience of Production Systems and Family Farms in West and Central Africa) was launched. Funded by Swiss Cooperation and implemented by CORAF in Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Chad, in partnership with national agricultural research institutions (IER, INRAB, ITRAD, INRAN, INERA), this initiative deploys climate-smart agricultural solutions with technical support from Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT.
At the heart of this approach are Climate-Smart Villages (CSV), where farmers, experts, and institutions collaborate to test, adapt, and disseminate innovative agricultural technologies and practices.
“Agricultural innovation is no longer a luxury but a necessity for our communities to adapt to climate variability,” says Dr. Mathieu Ouédraogo, Technical Assistance Coordinator for the project at CIAT.
The stakes are high. TARSPro aims to reach 2,000,000 farmers (at least half of them women and 60% youth) and over 10 million indirect beneficiaries across the five target countries. With a planned duration of 12 years (divided into three four-year phases), the project is not just an experiment, but a long-term action plan to transform Sahelian agriculture.
TARSPro: For a greener Sahel
The Core of the Project: Climate-Smart Villages (CSV)
These villages function as open-air laboratories, where innovative solutions are applied to address climate challenges. Farmers receive training on drought-tolerant seeds, water conservation techniques, and organic compost production. At the same time, researchers collect continuous feedback from the field to refine and improve proposed solutions.
Through an inclusive approach, TARSPro actively engages women and youth, who are both vulnerable and key players in agricultural transformation. Through discussion groups, training on infrastructure management, and cooperative development, these groups are fully involved in decision-making.
Concrete Results: Five Countries, Five Innovation Models
Mali: Anticipating Climate Variability with Weather Forecasting
In Mali, unpredictable rainfall is a major challenge. In Sabénébougou village, participatory weather bulletins now provide farmers with customized climate information to decide when to sow, choose the right seed variety, and adjust their harvesting strategies in case of delayed rains. This system reduces crop losses and stabilizes yields while raising awareness about climate risk management.
Niger: Ensuring Livestock Feed Availability
In the Sahel, livestock plays a crucial role in rural economies, but chronic droughts threaten pasture availability. In Kiéché, TARSPro has introduced drought-resistant fodder crops and trained livestock keepers in sustainable forage management, ensuring a stable income and reduced drought-related losses.
Burkina Faso: A “Supermarket” of Agricultural Innovation in Ouda
In Burkina Faso, the climate-smart village of Ouda embodies the TARSPro approach. Farmers test drought-tolerant seeds, irrigation systems, and soil management techniques. A participatory selection process ensures that only the most effective solutions are scaled up by farmers.
Chad: Securing Water Access
In Chad, water scarcity remains a major obstacle to agricultural development. TARSPro supports the construction of dikes, rainwater harvesting basins, and solar-powered irrigation systems. These infrastructures store water during rainy periods and redistribute it during dry seasons, reducing climate vulnerability. Additionally, agroecological practices such as improved Zaï techniques and mulching help retain soil moisture.
Benin: Agroecology and Climate Services
In northern Benin, the climate-smart village of Worogui-Goura stands out for its agroecological approach: organic composting, biofertilizers, and crop diversification. Farmers also rely on seasonal weather forecasts to precisely plan their sowing periods. This synergy between traditional knowledge and climate science enhances resilience and ensures environmentally friendly agricultural practices.
Overcoming challenges: TARSPro’s participatory approach
- Establishing Climate-Smart Villages is not without challenges. Many communities face barriers such as limited access to inputs, water shortages, and high initial investment costs. To address these barriers, TARSPro and the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT have adopted a participatory and step-by-step methodology:
- Co-Design with Communities: From innovation selection to implementation, farmers, traditional leaders, and women’s and youth groups are actively involved in decision-making.
- Integrated and Flexible Strategy: Access to resilient seeds is paired with climate services, technical training, and financial support (microcredit, savings groups) to remove multiple barriers simultaneously.
- Capacity Building: Targeted training enables communities to maintain infrastructure (pumps, basins) and conduct their own agricultural experiments (farmer field schools).
"Every challenge is an opportunity to learn and adapt," says Dr. Mathieu Ouédraogo, reflecting the project’s research-action philosophy.
This adaptive approach ensures that climate-smart villages continuously improve based on experience, offering a replicable model for other Sahelian regions facing similar constraints.
Towards a new era of agricultural resilience
In just a few years, TARSPro has demonstrated that Sahelian agriculture can adapt to climate challenges while driving economic and social transformation. Key achievements include:
- Enhanced Food Security: Diversified crops and drought anticipation reduce harvest losses and stabilize farm incomes.
- Empowerment of Women and Youth: Previously marginalized groups now play a key role in agricultural transformation, with growing participation in training and cooperatives.
- Stronger Regional Collaboration: The project fosters dialogue between research centers, local communities, and governments, creating a knowledge-sharing network beyond national borders.
- Influence on Public Policy: Inspired by TARSPro’s results, several governments are integrating climate adaptation and agroecology into national rural development strategies.
"We are witnessing a paradigm shift: technologies are no longer confined to laboratory shelves—they are taking root in farmers' fields," reflects Dr. Mathieu Ouédraogo.
TARSPro is not just a project—it’s a long-term movement built on the belief that combining local knowledge with scientific expertise will enable the Sahel to develop climate-resilient agriculture for future generations.
