The Avaclim project aims to create the necessary conditions for the deployment of agroecology in arid areas. To achieve this, CARI, the NGO that is carrying out the project, and its partners are giving themselves three years, from 2020 to 2022. Practitioners, farmers and scientists are studying agroecological initiatives in seven countries: Burkina Faso, Senegal, Morocco, Ethiopia, South Africa, Brazil and India to promote agro-ecology to the political authorities of these countries and to intergovernmental bodies.

Agroecology enables the improvement of agricultural production through the enhancement of local natural resources and traditional know-how. It contributes to maintaining biodiversity and restoring land in drylands in these generally poor regions, where physical constraints are significant. They are particularly threatened by global warming and food insecurity.

In addition to poverty eradication (SDG1), it is recognized that agroecology contributes to many other sustainable development goals of Agenda 2030; zero hunger (SDG2), health and well-being (SDG3), decent work and economic growth (SDO8), responsible consumption and production (SDG12), climate action (SDG 13) and life on earth (SDG 15)
Avaclim's objective is to generate the knowledge needed to engage policy makers and stakeholders in the seven project countries to prioritize and implement agroecological systems in drylands in order to support the productivity of agroecosystems for food security, agricultural livelihoods and reduce environmental degradation and GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions.

The Avaclim project was developed on the basis of the observation of major shortcomings in agroecological practices:
A lack of capitalization of agroecological initiatives
Inadequate investment in agroecology by scientists, a theme that remains more widely supported by civil society
Insufficient collaboration and exchange between civil society and scientists
The absence of a scientifically validated reference framework on the benefits of agroecology and on the success factors for its implementation, on which decision-makers (international institutions, donors and politicians) could rely.
The project is building a scientifically-based argument in collaboration with agroecological practitioners.
This argument is built in two key steps: the sharing of acquired knowledge between the practitioners themselves and the multidimensional evaluation of the impact of these initiatives using a scientific method.

Its results are then taken to the political level, at the country level but also to donors and international institutions. These results will be widely disseminated to agroecology practitioners and coaches throughout the world.

Please read further about the project components, partners and organizations related, following the link tp the project page above