Intro
Step 4 focuses on the validation and implementation of the chosen adaptation options in the field (see Figure 18). Depending on what your options require, implementation can range from training (e.g. through a Farmer Field School), to transferring knowledge about specific adaptation options, to setting up demonstration plots.
Objectives
- To validate adaptation options (if necessary)
- To choose the best method of implementation for adaptation options at the production level
- To begin implementing the chosen adaptation options
Guiding Questions
- What does it mean to validate an adaptation option?
- Why is it important to validate and under what circumstances is validation necessary?
- What are some methods of implementing adaptation options with farmers?
Required Time
Depending on the type of adaptation option, the time required can range from a few months to several years. For example, the construction and testing of solar drier to improve drying conditions in rainy seasons can require six to twelve months; coffee seedlings and root growth performed by use of larger polybags and/or Micorrhizas can require four to six months; shade establishment and validation of suitable shade trees and plant distances can require several years.
What happens in Step 4
Validation refers to the testing and assessing of adaptation options in order to ensure that they are effective, feasible and accepted by the local farming community. Validation is usually carried out first on a small scale (e.g. on a few farms or in a certain designated area) before beginning larger-scale implementation. Validation is recommended if an adaptation option is new and the intended results in the field are still unknown, or if farmers are showing doubt about the possible benefits. Implementation should only take place on a larger scale (e.g. with a bigger group of farmers or larger production area) if the results are positive and verify that the option is suitable for a particular production system. However, it is still possible to start large-scale implementation without validation if the adaptation option is already well-known and positive results have been noted in the past. There are a range of different participatory methods for the validation and implementation process of selected of adaptation options.
M&E is important throughout the process of validation or implementation. Good M&E enables both the implementing organization and the host community to learn and adjust activities in response to findings. It is also valuable for others looking to undertake similar adaptation work. Step 5 provides more information on M&E processes and shared learning.
Results of Step 4
Step 4 is about taking action in the field. After small-scale validation is complete (if necessary), and there is confidence that the results of the particular adaptation option are positive, implementation on a larger scale can take place.
By the end of this step, you will have selected the best suitable method for training farmers in implementation and they will know exactly what to do on their farms. You will have kept records of the effects of the adaptation option on the plant, soil and environment and will be able to use them to evaluate the option’s effectiveness as a whole. However, monitoring data that is related to the technical performance of an option (e.g. changes in soil conditions) is only one part of a broader process of M&E, which is outlined in Step 5.