Till BelowThis week, my time in #Zambia 🇿🇲 is coming to an end. From May onwards, I will be working in the Sector Project Rural Development of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (#GIZ), based in Bonn 
Germany.
Germany.
Looking back 🔭 on my time in Zambia, I feel extremely grateful and fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with a great team ⚒️ at GIZ's wonderful AgriFood Cluster and inspiring cooperation partners on the promotion of #climate #resilient smallholder #agriculture 👩🌾 👩🌾 over the past three years.
When I moved here in 2020, I wanted to contribute to a new generation of climate #adaptation initiatives. However, just before my arrival, the #COVID pandemic hit, making it challenging to even go to the field and interact with farmers. Despite the uncertainties and tragic impacts of the #pandemic in Zambia, we found ways to deliver our support services even in times of #crisis, and we managed to partner with many organizations that were eager to try out new things with us, with great results.
One of our most successful initiatives has been the Participatory Integrated Climate Services for Agriculture (#PICSA) approach, which empowers smallholder #farmers with accurate climate and weather information 🛰️ 📻 and participatory decision-making tools ☔ 🌡️ . Hundreds of Zambian farmers have adopted this approach, and a #gender sensitive digital version is now being implemented in Zambia and #Malawi.
The #AGRICA study, carried out by the #PIK - #Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (@PIK_climate), shows that PICSA is a highly cost-effective investment with significant benefits after just one year. 📊 ☔ 🌡️ I am grateful to have been part of this cycle - from piloting to evaluation - and to see my colleagues continue to work passionately and committedly to promote climate #information services in Zambia.
Now, as I leave Zambia, I am confident that #agricultural #development 🚜 🌳 🍃 in the country will continue to benefit from these achievements, thanks to the #positive response from partners and stakeholders. I am fortunate to be able to hand over my responsibilities to #passionate and committed colleagues, and I am excited to take on new challenges and continue to contribute to global development efforts in my new role in 🇩🇪 #Germany. 🌍 💚 🌍