The main objective of the AST is equip policy-makers in Côte d’Ivoire with novel knowledge and tools to efficiently guide the adjustments in agricultural adaptation policies and the operationalization of the national climate Measuring, Reporting and Verification (MVR) system. The findings will contribute to respond to adaptation needs formulated in three major agriculture and climate policy documents (PNIA2; PNCC; INDC). These needs include:

• identification of contextualized adaptation techniques & technologies with low GHG emission and high sequestration potential on a scientific basis;
• science-based support to the formulation of climate smart agriculture models;
• incorporation of adaptation technologies & techniques into farmers’ practices to combat climate effects while mitigating GHG emissions;
• improving the Côte d’Ivoire’s reporting effort in reducing GHG through the development of a specific national emission factor, move Côte d’Ivoire from Tier 1 to Tier 2 of GHG emission accounting;
• support the implementation of the country’s NDC

Specifically, the project aims at

• identifying the most relevant agricultural adaptation technologies for two agroclimatic zones taking the agricultural or livestock systems value chain (per area & per food production unit and from site cleaning to harvesting) or life cycles into account, with a focus on irrigated rice or cattle/pig farming systems;
• modeling GHG emission and sequestration potential of the identified technologies per unit of food product as well as per agricultural production area;
• elaborating an integrated digital climate risks management planning tool to guide long-term adaptation and mitigation decision making that avoids maladaptation in Ivorian agriculture.

The Advanced Sciences Training (AST) at Ghent University and its partner institute ILVO (the Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food) (more particularly their Centre of Excellence on Agriculture and Climate) will focus on gaining skills in GHG accountability related to agriculture & livestock farming systems (data collection, emission factor calculation, modeling GHG emission & sequestration potential, and uncertainty assessment) to complete the specific objective 2.