Comment for the CEO

May 2008

I recently received the following comment in my Comments for the CEO suggestion box on HIP.

The global climates are changing and so are the agricultural seasons, especially like us in Africa . What can Heifer do to address and curb on the uncertain weather patterns which has a great effect on our projects? We are very proud of Heifer's work in Africa .

Thank you for your comment. As we all know, climate change has been at the forefront of the international research agenda and, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), overwhelmingly scientific findings indicate that climate change is real. Although the specific effects on regional climate patterns are not completely understood, it is foreseen that the poorest and most vulnerable people – in Africa and around the world – will be affected first and most. Experts also agree that agriculture in particular is highly sensitive to global warming, which make smallholder farmers in developing countries the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

While Heifer does not currently have an organization-wide strategy to combat climate change, it is a real concern and Heifer recognizes the need to increase our efforts to develop mitigation and adaptation strategies for our project communities. This will be accomplished in part by Heifer's Healthy Hoofprint project, which was implemented in March 2008. The project will include carbon assessments of headquarters, field offices and field projects and follow up by recommending practices specific to each area that would best combat the effects of climate change.

Heifer's Healthy Hoofprint includes the following activities:

• We will pilot an appraisal of sustainable agriculture farming practices at the project level in several countries of the four area programs. We will review key practices within production systems (such as cut and carry/zero grazing dairy goat and dairy cattle production, composting practices, soil and water conservation practices) to better understand the contribution to greenhouse emissions as well as their capacity to be “carbon sinks.”

• We will then identify farming practices which help our project families to better adapt to the uncertain weather patterns. Depending on the local situation, it will be recommended that projects be designed using these farming practices. Heifer can build on the current sustainable agriculture farming methods based on agro-ecological practices that will assist communities' adaptation strategies such as building organic matter, composting and increasing soil productivity and improving moisture holding capacity to reduce the risks of drought, among many others.

• We also plan to see how improved wood-burning stoves are making an important contribution to save trees. Preliminary studies show they save at least 50 percent of the firewood as traditional cooking methods. Simply constructed of local materials at a very low cost, improved wood burning stoves contribute less emission into the air.

• We also need to better understand how climate change will influence the communities with whom we work. For example, how is climate change likely to affect women farmers in Asia, small-scale entrepreneurs in Latin America, HIV/AIDs families in Southern Africa, markets in Romania ?

In addition to Heifer's Healthy Hoofprint, and in regard to the Africa Area Program specifically, efforts are currently taking place in some country programs to use the Participatory Vulnerability Analysis (PVA). The PVA is a tool developed by ActionAid that involves communities, local authorities and other stakeholders in an in-depth examination of what makes them.

vulnerable. The goal of PVA is “not only for the community to develop action plans, but to be motivated through the process and be able to constantly seek opportunities that may change their vulnerability.” If adopted as a standard tool by the Africa Area Program, PVA can be a useful vehicle for addressing vulnerability to erratic weather patterns in the region.

In addition, Heifer will explore with our global program team various adaptation and mitigation strategies that could potentially be implemented.

Climate change and how to respond to it are complex issues that affect all those whom Heifer serves, and are issues that require much time, research and dedication. I have no doubt that Heifer International can serve as a leader internationally to effectively adapt to climate change while cultivating a healthier planet.