Our Approach

 
‘Deforestation and degradation are major causes of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and afforestation, reforestation and agroforestry practices have proven effective in sequestering carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere (IPCC, 2007)’.

Supporting a grass-roots model for change, CRD creates participatory village-based programs and processes to improve the agricultural, environmental and economic conditions for smallholder farmers and their families. Our work begins with a series of community meetings where the villagers identify their capabilities and needs and prioritize the most pressing issues in their communities.  The meetings are open and collaborative encouraging broad participation, collective brainstorming and trust building.  The process provides invaluable feedback and guidance for developing the initial methodologies and field interventions.  The entire process is voluntary, open and inclusive; fostering lasting relationship built on honesty and respect that encourages participation from the whole village, regardless of gender, age or religious affiliation.  Modeled after action research theory, the goal is for the villagers to prioritize their needs and help set the agenda. In time, the process will support systematic cycles of action and reflection and ideally will lead to co-production of knowledge.

 

In the context of climate change and development, CRD is committed to community-driven projects that integrate agroecological approaches with low carbon development pathways. Climate-based adaptation is rapidly becoming synonymous with sustainable development. Good development work does need to understand how our climate is changing and how these changes will impact specific populations.  Rural communities dependent on their land, water and natural resources for subsistence, are more vulnerable to the climate change impacts and must find new ways to fortify their social, economic and environmental capacities to adapt and prosper.   According to the Stockholm Resiliency group, resiliency refers to “ the long-term capacity of a system {a community} to deal with change and to continue to develop” (www.stockholmresilience.su.se).  CRD is looking to build local capacity and promote resiliency by reduce the vulnerabilities and risks to climate change and by addressing the direct impacts, in essence an integrated sustainable development framework.

Modifying traditional agricultural practices can only be achieved through a patient and deliberate participatory process where the local practices evolve as their knowledge and buy-in grows. The approach will integrate low cost organic afforestation, reforestation and agroforestry innovations most applicable to local conditions and indigenous customs. This is an area ripe for a project that implements sustainable agriculture and agroforestry practices while also addressing the core social and economic issues of the local communities.