Resilience Design Course Resilience Design in Smallholder Farming Systems: A Practical Approach to Strengthening Farmer Resilience to Shocks and Stresses

The Resilience Design (RD) in Smallholder Farming Systems approach evolved from initial discussions at a TOPS Symposium on Agroecological Principles, Design and Practice in Washington, DC in January 2015, designed to improve agricultural programming in USAID/FFP programs. The two-day event brought together experts and practitioners to share knowledge on building resilience in smallholder farming systems. The RD approach builds from those initial discussions, combining elements from agroecology, permaculture, climate-smart agriculture, conservation agriculture, and bio-intensive methods, into a practical process that can be layered into existing activities within the development context.

The RD approach asks farmers to seek a deeper understanding of their farming systems within their agroecosystems to create a better farm design that optimizes the use of and enhances available resources over the long term and in response to external changes. It seeks to strengthen the resilience of smallholder farmers and their farming systems to environmental and economic shocks and stresses through: enhancing natural resources and ecosystem services; increasing energy efficiency; increasing income; contributing to increased nutritional status; and strengthening the skill set, adaptability and confidence of smallholder famers.