This document outlines the regional engagement strategy of CCAFS, which focuses on empowering stakeholders in three regions: Indo-Gangetic Plains, West Africa, and East Africa. The strategy involves integrating thematic research, participatory priority setting, effective regional partnerships, and capacity building. Key actions include designing climate-smart agriculture in benchmark sites and assessing vulnerabilities at sub-national and national scales. The strategy aims to build capacity of farmers, NGOs, and policymakers through participatory action research and farmer exchanges to achieve outcomes like enhanced adaptation plans and improved early warning systems.

1. CCAFS: Regional Engagement Strategy

2. The Three CCAFS Focus Regions Indo-Gangetic Plains: Parts of India, Bangladesh, Nepal West Africa: Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Niger East Africa: Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia

3. Regional Engagement Strategy Goal To empower stakeholders by increased regional engagement with them and not to provide ready one-time solutions for adaptation/mitigation

4. Approach Integration of thematic research Participatory priority setting and benchmark site selection- Agenda setting workshops Effective regional partnerships for participatory action research at different scales Involvement of women and marginalized sectors of the society Capacity building of stakeholders Linkages with appropriate agencies for upscaling Communication with stakeholders

5. Action Plan 2011-15: Focus area 1: Design and demonstration of community led climate-smart agriculture in benchmark CCAFS sites/villages Work with rural communities to provide science driven actions addressing overall goals of development Theme 2, 3 and 4: Bio-economic household modelling Theme 2: PAR on risk management strategies (weather forecasting; insurance; food, forage, seed and water banks; adapted varieties; RCTs) Theme 3: Agro-forestry, mitigation potential of interventions Theme 1: Analogues to provide knowledge of adaptation options in other regions; farmer exchange Partners in India, e.g.: CG centers, NARS, IFFKO (PAR), IFKSL (ICT), If-TOKIO (Insurance); IFFDC (Agro-forestry), IMD (Met Dept), Linkages: MGNREGA, NFSM

6. Priorities in IGP 2011-15: Focus area 2: Climate-smart agriculture at sub-national/ national scale Theme 4: DSS/Toolkits for assessing the regionally differentiated vulnerabilities, and consequences of actions/inactions of policy decisions Theme 1: Climate analogues for PGR conservation/evaluation Theme 2: Climate forecasts and food security components Theme 3: Agric contribution to GHGs, mitigation options, incentives Partners (e.g. India): CG centers, ESSP, NARS, Deptsof Agriculture

7. Priorities in IGP 2011-15: Focus area 3: Capacity building of stakeholders Farming communities Self-help-groups of farmers NGOs Industry such as insurance related Local governments and leaders, especially women Advisors of national policy planners Researchers

9. NARES

10. Indian Farmers Fertilizer Co-operative Limited (links with 150 m farmers (25%); rainfall insurance, ICT in agriculture, farm forestry, community development, training to farmers)

11. National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (Employment provided in 2010: 41 million households (40% backward castes; 50% women))

15. Better technology targeting for climate change resilience

16. Improved early warning systems

17. Enhanced social safety nets

19. Local governments

20. Farmers’ organizations

21. Met dept.

22. Industry bodies such as insurance, ICT, input suppliers

24. Participatory action research for co-production, evaluation and dissemination

25. Farmer exchanges

26. Assessing regionally differentiated vulnerabilities and opportunities

27. Consequences of policy decisions

29. Village leaders

30. NGOs

31. NARES

32. Universities

33. CGIAR Centers

35. Portfolio of adaptation and mitigation technologies, practices and policies

36. New knowledge about the trade-offs between adaptation and mitigation