Discussions+on+the+presentations

Discussion points from the chairman:

 * Do we need to give more emphasis to mitigation or should we really target for adaptation? Is there a clear understanding between the two?
 * The role of climate science – where does Ethiopia stand and what type of recommendation do we need?
 * We have so many good practices why aren't the farmers taking them up?

Questions and feedback from the participants:

 * Climate change - managing variability is it really easy to manage as it is indicated.
 * The three presentations are much related. To get a climate resilient economy is to understand the limit of the climate change. 1st develop a climate change scenario, and it is possible to make packages which is available to people so that they can respond. Use climate change scenarios to prepare Ethiopians resilience and influence people to adopt the packages which involves community awareness.
 * Water and sustainability and how we combine the two needs special attention. How can the competition of water be reduced. A good example is in Tigray – if you walk through the valleys there is water and other regions are getting dry. The experience in Tigray could be an example for other regions.
 * Increasing livestock productivity is very important. If one farmer is changes others would follow.
 * With improved seeds and with more fertilizer why we are not reaching highest level of crop production
 * Organic soil management (e.g. Adama site) is given enough stress but fertilizer doesn't give sustainable solution
 * What are other countries are saying about the green economy issues?
 * Climate change – for how long would that change become or climate variability
 * The issue of water – is a central thing in the issue of climate change and the demand for water is getting high while it becomes very scarce. What about the re-using of water. Take the urban agriculture and it is a question of technology
 * Resilience – what about resilience in terms of traditional knowledge. People have been resilient for many years. e.g. the Konso people (they are resilient because they have their own system).

Answers from the presenters:

 * Good practices but why they’re not adapted. This is a very significant question even within Africa. We tried to trace how technologies move while I was in CIAT. We introduced conservation measures and machinery and the interesting thing was the varieties moved 80 to 90 kms. And even far in the first year and they did very well but didn't last long.
 * Soil conservation measures – knowledge intensive process and it takes a lot of questions. It costs energy and knowledge. Knowledge intensive intervention and less knowledge intensive interventions.
 * Energy could be converted to milk because the Pastoralist communities don’t agree with this. It is like a stake for some institutions and there are NGO’s who promote the pastoralists and they say they’re even underestimated. There is a lot of negotiation required and awareness creation is needed
 * Organic matter – along with inorganic fertilizer is good. The combination of the two is good.
 * Reuse of resources, recycling of water is a very important strategy especially in the urban cities. Using water for different things (livestock, fishing,) multiple use of water is important as well
 * 15-20 years ago there was no mitigation and adaptation. Most of the developing countries have raised the issue of adaptation. We also prepared our NAPA and was submitted. In terms of implementation, there is no significant adaptation only 3 programs. How are we going to mainstream scientific community needs to involve (advise) climate change in our sectorial interventions. We need to have sector toolkit. Priority should be adaptation. There are a number of initiatives.
 * Statistically to say a change has a different definition and we better agree on the variability than the change.
 * Traditional knowledge helps – but it has its own limitation. But we can combine both and use it.
 * Our ability to predict the future is so much limited. 3F (Food, Fuel and …) crisis happened in 2007 the economist was asked why didn't you inform us. Predictions are even failing. (if it fails they are going to be responsible).
 * Mitigation strategy: - Green house gases the livestock number has reduced while livestock are the main contributors of mitigation.
 * In sub-saharan Africa we don’t have protocols/modalities to transfer the technologies. This is something that we have to do be it traditional or modern
 * We have to establish scenarios – what type of scenarios should we design. It all depends on the level of economy. Which type of community – what type of intervention mitigation and adaptation program needs to be differentiated.
 * From the water sector – we have reduce the amount of water recycle and reuse it. (3R’s). We are not using our water properly.
 * Do we appreciate the traditional knowledge in the communities. The traditional knowledge has changed also through time. (e.g. within the Geda system). The way we disseminate it also matters. Is it by the professional people or the elders. How to maintain the traditional knowledge and maintain it are also important.