ALBERT

Description: "The overall purpose of this study was to examine how a transformative and community psychological approach could affect a socially challenged neighbourhood and participants´ perceptions of involvement (young boys, 12–16 years). A social research experiment lasting 2 years was co-created between researchers, practitioners and participants. A multi-method approach was used to ensure that thorough and socially robust knowledge was produced. Methods used included questionnaires, interviews, fieldwork and observations. Although several notable results emerged throughout the intervention period, the most important results were related to the significance of the overall approach regarding these results. Despite the challenges faced by researchers, when engaging youth at the margins of society in a co-creation process, the approach seemed valuable. Giving the participants the possibility to engage themselves, through empowerment initiatives, seems to be a confounding reason for the success of the project. Hence, this article will focus upon the benefits of using a community psychological approach when working with exercise psychology in a socially deprived community."

Description: "Det overordnede formål med dette studie var at undersøge, hvordan en handlingsrettet og community psykologisk tilgang påvirkede et socialt udsat boligområde og deltagernes opfattelse af sig selv og hinanden (unge drenge, 12–16 år). I den forbindelse blev der samskabt (co-created) et socialt eksperiment over en toårig periode imellem forsker, praktikere og deltagere. En multi-method tilgang blev anvendt for at sikre socialt robust viden. Metoderne omfattede spørgeskemaer, interviews, feltarbejde og observationer. Gennem interventionsperioden blev der rapporteret flere resultater på baggrund af projektet, men vigtigst synes at være den community psykologiske tilgangs betydning for disse resultater. Den valgte tilgang kan anses for at have været det centrale fundament for projektets succes i forhold til at engagere unge drenge på kanten af samfundet i en fælles skabelsesproces. I denne artikel fokuseres på fordelene ved at benytte en community psykologisk tilgang, når man ønsker at arbejde med idrætspsykologi i et socialt udsat boligområde."

Description: Wang Wei has traditionally been considered one of the greatest of Tang dynasty poets, together with Li Bo and Du Fu. This is the first complete translation into English of all of his poems, and also the first substantial translation of a selection of his prose writings. For the first time, readers encountering his work in English translation will get a comprehensive understanding of Wang Wei‘s range as a poet and prose writer. In spite of the importance of Wang Wei's poetry in the history of Chinese literature, no one has attempted a complete translation of all of his surviving poems moreover, even though he was known for his skill in composing prose pieces in the recognized genres of his day (especially as a writer of commissioned compositions), very little of his prose has been translated. This translation will enable students with limited or no knowledge of Chinese to get a full sense of Wang Wei's compositional range. Moreover, since Wang Wei was known for being a devout Buddhist, having the complete poetry available in reliable translation as well as all of the prose that is connected to the Buddhist faith will be useful to students of Chinese religion.

Description: "The present case study investigates stress and recovery of the Danish national under- 20 ice hockey players during a training camp and the following World Championship. The aims were to track their stress-recovery states longitudinally, and to map their main sources of stress and recovery. Methods included a survey, qualitative interviews and a coach diary. Results showed well-balanced stress-recovery states during the entire period, and the athletes stated that this positively affected their well-being, and performance. The athletes’ perceived sources of stress and recovery were classified into organizational, social, personal and athletic, with the organizational decisions and strategies playing a major role in reducing unnecessary stress and providing a good setting for engaging in recovery. The results lead us to suggest that coaches and managers be very mindful of the potential influence of their decisions on the athletes’ stress and recovery when preparing training camps and participation in major competitions."

Description: "I dette studie undersøgte vi de danske U-20 ishockeyspilleres stress og genopladning under en længerevarende træningslejr og det efterfølgende verdensmesterskab. Formålet var at følge udviklingen i spillernes stress-og genopladningsbalance samt at kortlægge deres oplevede kilder til stress og genopladning. Vi foretog dataindsamling via et spørgeskema, kvalitative interviews og en trænerdagbog. Resultaterne viste, at spillerne var i positiv stressgenopladningsbalance, hvilket i deres oplevelse havde en positiv indvirkning på deres trivsel og præstationer. Vi kunne inddele spillernes oplevede kilder til stress og genopladning i organisatoriske, sociale, personlige og sportslige, hvor beslutninger og strategier på organisatorisk niveau viste sig at spille en afgørende rolle i at reducere unødig stress og skabe gode rammer for genopladning. Med baggrund i resultaterne anbefaler vi, at trænere og sportschefer nøje overvejer, hvordan deres beslutninger og planlægning af træningslejre og konkurrencer potentielt har stor indflydelse på deres atleters stress og genopladning."

Description: "In recent years there has been an increased focus on the importance of the environment for the development of elite athletes. In order to understand the factors that contribute to or limit an athlete’s sporting development, it is not enough to study only the individual but the whole environment in which the athlete develops. The purpose of this chapter is to investigate what characterizes a successful elite sport environment in Danish badminton. An elite sports environment that continuously manages to create senior results at the highest international level and win medals at the European championships, the World championships and the Olympics. The study was organized as a case study of the national elite sports center in Badminton Denmark (BD). Data was based on interviews with players, coaches and managers, observations on training and in competitions, meetings and analysis of documents. The environment was centered on self-understanding based on “us against the rest of the world” and a fundamental value in the environment was to create intelligent players while focusing on individual development through high training quality. The organizational culture was characterized by being: 1) a well documented, quality oriented and dialogue-based learning environment, 2) an environment with hard competition and 3) an environment with proximal role models."

Description: "De seneste år har der været stigende fokus på miljøets betydning for udvikling af eliteidrætsudøvere. Det er sket ud fra en erkendelse af, at hvis man ønsker at forstå de faktorer, der medvirker til eller begrænser en udøvers sportslige udvikling, er det ikke nok kun at studere den enkelte atlet, men hele miljøet, som udøveren udvikler sig i. Formålet med dette kapitel er at undersøge, hvad der karakteriserer et succesfuldt eliteidrætsmiljø i dansk badminton, dvs. et eliteidrætsmiljø, der kontinuerligt formår at skabe seniorresultater på højeste internationale niveau og vinde medaljer ved EM, VM og OL. Undersøgelsen var et casestudie af eliteidrætsmiljøet i Badminton Danmark (BD). Der er indsamlet data fra interviews med spillere, trænere og ledere, observationer under træning og turneringer, interne møder og analyse af dokumenter. Miljøet var centreret omkring en selvforståelse baseret på ”os mod resten af verden”, og en grundlæggende værdi i miljøet var at skabe intelligente spillere og samtidig have fokus på individuel udvikling igennem høj træningskvalitet. Organisationskulturen var konstrueret som: 1) et veldokumenteret, kvalitetsorienteret og dialogbaseret læringsmiljø, 2) et miljø med hård intern konkurrence og 3) et miljø med nære rollemodeller."

Description: Why do children and young people need art? How do we rationalize the significance of art in society? This anthology is based on research carried out by members of the multidisciplinary research group Art and Young People at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Agder in Kristiansand. The contributing authors argue in favor of research into children’s and young people’s actual experience of art and artistic practices as well as issues within the arts that affect them indirectly. The book’s subtitle indicates a desire to employ a wider understanding of the notions of art and childhood and youth, which is also evident in the themes, content and research approaches it includes. The chapters span both children’s and young people’s interaction with visual art, music, theater within and outside the context of preschool, school and extracurricular programs, and projects that are more on the periphery of these areas. The authors are thus not just interested in the importance of art to children and young people, but to society in general as well. This anthology is aimed at readers across a broad spectrum of academic disciplines, but will also be of interest to all those concerned with art’s place and meaning in schools, in society, and in research itself.

Description: Hvorfor trenger barn og unge kunst? Hvordan begrunnes kunstens betydning i samfunnet? Denne antologien tar utgangspunkt i forskning utført av medlemmer av den tverrfaglige forskningsgruppen Kunst og barn & unge ved Fakultet for kunstfag, Universitetet i Agder i Kristiansand. Forfatterne argumenterer både for betydningen av å forske på barn og unges møter med kunst og kunstnerisk praksis direkte og det å forske på kunstfaglige problemstillinger som indirekte berører barn og unge. Bokens undertittel peker på et ønske om å anvende en utvidet forståelse av begrepene kunst og barn og unge, som også kommer til uttrykk i antologiens temaer, innhold og forskningstilnærminger. Kapitlene omhandler både barn og unges omgang med visuell kunst, musikk og teater i og utenfor barnehage, skole, kulturskole, og prosjekter som er mer i randsonen av denne målgruppen. Forfatterne er derfor ikke bare opptatt av hvilken betydning kunst og kunstnerisk praksis har for barn og unge, men også for samfunnet generelt. Antologien retter seg mot et bredt fagfelt og kan være interessant for alle som er opptatt av kunstens plass og betydning i skole og samfunn og i forskningen selv.

Description: Pentasyllabic poetry has been a focus of critical study since the appearance of the earliest works of Chinese literary criticism in the Six Dynasties period. Throughout the subsequent dynasties, traditional Chinese critics continued to examine pentasyllabic poetry as a leading poetic type and to compile various comprehensive anthologies of it. The Matrix of Lyric Transformation enriches this tradition, using modern analytical methods to explore issues of self-expression and to trace the early formal, thematic, and generic developments of this poetic form. Beginning with a discussion of the Yüeh-fu and ku-shih genres of the Han period, Cai Zong-qi introdues the analytical framework of modes from Western literary criticism to show how the pentasyllabic poetry changed over time. He argues that changing practices of poetic composition effected a shift from a dramatic mode typical of folk compositions to a narrative mode and finally to lyric and symbolic modes developed in literati circles.

Description: The German-Danish War of 1864 has been extensively investigated in the literature -as far as the major political and military events are concerned. The civilian population, the civil administration and the national movements during the war, as well as the economic consequences and the formation of identities after the war, have been more or less neglected. In order to change this, German and Danish historians have written this book. It is the result of a German-Danish conference organized by the the federal state archives in Schleswig and Aabenraa.

Description: With this publication, the Landesarchiv Schleswig-Holstein and the Danish State Archives celebrate the 75th anniversary of the signing of the German-Danish Archives Agreement. As is already a tradition in German-Danish archival cooperation, this is done in German and Danish. All texts of the publication are therefore available in both languages.The former archivist Hans Kargaard Thomsen, Copenhagen, wrote a detailed report in the 1990s entitled "Arkivoverenskomsten med Tyskland 1933 og dens forhistorie" ("The Archives Agreement with Germany of 1933 and its Prehistory"). It forms the core of the publication. This is followed by guidelines on the use of archival material exchanged in 1936 under the agreement between Germany and Denmark. The archivists Malte Bischoff, Landesarchiv Schleswig-Holstein, and Hans Schultz Hansen, Landsarkivet for Sønderjylland, are the authors of these texts. The annex contains the wording of the German-Danish archive agreement.

Description: Wang Wei has traditionally been considered one of the greatest of Tang dynasty poets, together with Li Bo and Du Fu. This is the first complete translation into English of all of his poems, and also the first substantial translation of a selection of his prose writings. For the first time, readers encountering his work in English translation will get a comprehensive understanding of Wang Wei‘s range as a poet and prose writer.

Description: Wang Wei has traditionally been considered one of the greatest of Tang dynasty poets, together with Li Bo and Du Fu. This is the first complete translation into English of all of his poems, and also the first substantial translation of a selection of his prose writings. For the first time, readers encountering his work in English translation will get a comprehensive understanding of Wang Wei‘s range as a poet and prose writer. In spite of the importance of Wang Wei's poetry in the history of Chinese literature, no one has attempted a complete translation of all of his surviving poems moreover, even though he was known for his skill in composing prose pieces in the recognized genres of his day (especially as a writer of commissioned compositions), very little of his prose has been translated. This translation will enable students with limited or no knowledge of Chinese to get a full sense of Wang Wei's compositional range. Moreover, since Wang Wei was known for being a devout Buddhist, having the complete poetry available in reliable translation as well as all of the prose that is connected to the Buddhist faith will be useful to students of Chinese religion.

Description: This is a new, accurate translation into English, with critical introduction and notes and based on recent scholarship, of Yan Zhitui’s (531–590s) complete literary works, including his famous Family Instructions, his self-annotated poetic autobiography, a never-before-translated fragmented rhapsody questioning the phenomena of the natural world, and his extant poems. The appendix provides a translation of Yan’s biographies in dynastic histories.

Description: Extended store has been a work of mapping the phenomena of digitalization that effects spaces and above all the world of retail. Apps allow interaction between users and brands, the book hosts a selection of those which are redesigning spaces, changing their forms, hierarchies, flow systems, arrangement of goods, experiences, and dimensions. The store takes on completely new dimensions and characteristics, in addition to sales, that of exhibition, performance, entertainment, engagement and sensory immersion. The store is a place tailored to the desires and sensory, psychological, and temporal needs of those who want to encounter the brand. The extended store will be a shop spread throughout the territory, it will be more connected, more available, more open and at the same time closer, mass customized, but above all it will be more digitalized and able to fulfil and modify itself more quickly and faithfully to needs and desires. Shops will not disappear in the 21st century, but they will have to change (if they have not already done so) to survive. They will have to evolve by integrating technological solutions that are not only back-end (as they have done so far), but front-end, and therefore available to customers in the shop as in the cases reported in the book.

Description: The relationships, both historical and philosophical, among the Zhuangzi’s Inner, Outer, and Miscellaneous chapters are the subject of ancient and enduring controversy. Liu marshals linguistic, intertextual, intratextual, and historical evidence to establish an objectively demonstrable chronology and determine the philosophical affiliations among the various chapters. This major advance in Zhuangzi scholarship furnishes indispensable data for all students of the great Daoist text. In a lengthy afterword, Liu compares his conclusions with those of A. C. Graham and addresses the relationship between the Zhuangzi and the Laozi.

Description: Two Twelfth-Century Texts on Chinese Painting presents two texts in translation that provide dual insight into the Painting Academy of Emperor Hui-tsung and the literati school of painting. The Shan-shui ch’un-ch’uan chi is a treatise for beginning landscape painters dated to the Hsüan-ho era. The treatise was written by Han Cho, a reputed member of the Academy, but the text was not specifically directed at Academicians. The treatise collects and orders previous writings on landscape painting; one of Han Cho’s main goals is to list all landscape definitions and their practical application in painting. Yet his view is more detached and analytical than a stereotypical Academy painter, revealing an approach reminiscent of Confucian scholarship and literati painting as well. The Hua-chi by Teng Ch’un is a history of painting that was written as a sequel to two earlier painting histories. In ten chapters, Teng Ch’un compiles facts and critical evaluations of painters from 1075 to 1167, as well as listings of selected masterpieces. Teng Ch’un provides more specific information about the Academy than Han Cho, discussing its organization and examination system, and noting that “form-likeness” and adherence to rules were leading standards for painting in the Academy. On the other hand, he thinks that painting should transmit “soul,” not just “form.” Thus, Teng Ch’un writes the history of both the establishment values of the Academy and the intellectual tendencies of the literati.

Description: Meng Haoran (689-740) was one of the most important poets of the "High Tang" period, the greatest age of Chinese poetry. In his own time he was famous for his poetry as well as for his distinctive personality. This is the first complete translation into any language of all his extant poetry. Includes original Chinese texts and English translation on facing pages.

Description: The poetry of Ruan Ji has been previously translated several times, with one fully scholarly translation of both the poetry and the Fu (poetic expositions). The present translation not only provides a facing page critical Chinese text, it addresses two problems that have been ignored or not adequately treated in earlier works. First, it traces the history of the current text. The rather serious problems with this text will be, if not soluble, at least visible. Second, translations have been shaped by the anachronistic assumption that Ruan Ji was loyal to the declining Wei dynasty, when actual power had been taken by the Suma family, who founded the Jin dynasty after Ruan Ji's death. The introduction shows how and when that assumption took full shape five centuries after Ruan Ji lived and why it is not tenable. This leads to a different kind of translation, closer to what a contemporary reader might have understood and far less certain than referring it to some political event. The Poetry of Xi Kang presents a complete scholarly translation of his poetic works (including "Rhapsody on the Zither") alongside the original texts. Many of Xi Kang's poems are difficult and most are laden with allusions and quotations, adding another level of challenge to interpretation. Basic explanatory notes are provided. The translations are based on the critical modern edition of Xi Kang's work by Dai Mingyang, generally considered to be the best edition available. Important editions by Lu Xun and Lu Qinli are consulted on matters of variants, arrangement, and interpretation.

Description: For many years, the oral performing and dramatic literatures of China from 1200 to 1600 CE were considered some of the most difficult texts in the Chinese corpus. They included ballad medleys, comic farces, Yuan music dramas, Ming music dramas, and the novel Shuihu zhuan. The Japanese scholars who first dedicated themselves to study these works in the mid-twentieth century were considered daring. As late as 1981, no comprehensive dictionary or glossary for this literature existed in any language, Asian or Western. A Glossary of Words and Phrases fills this gap for Western readers, allowing even a relative novice who has resonable command of Chinese to read, translate, and appreciate this great body of literature with an ease undreamed of even two decades ago. The Glossary is organized into approximately 8,000 entries based on the reading notes and glosses found in various dictionaries, thesauruses, glossaries, and editions of works from the period. Main entries are listed alphabetically in the pinyin romanization system. In addition to glosses, entries include symbolic annotations, guides to pronunciation, and text citations. The result is a broadly useful glossary serving the needs of students of this literature as well as scholars researching Jin and Yuan language and its usage.

Description: This volume is a translation of the song lyrics, poetry, and prose of Li Qingzhao (1084-1150s), with annotations and an introductory critical essay. Her song lyrics and poetry will be presented in a way to help readers get beyond traditional conventional images of her and gain insight into her originality and importance as a female voice in a literary world of her time that was almost exclusively male.

Description: Sporting and sport psychological accomplishments are an important part of Scandinavian culture. Psychological factors have been demonstrated to have a major impact on both participation and achievements in sport. Sport psychology is about precisely these factors. The diversity of sport psychology research in Scandinavia is presented for the first time in this scholarly volume. Contributors from key sport psychology research teams in Sweden, Denmark and Norway present resarch covering a wide range of issues in the book’s twelve chapters. By publishing the contributions collectively as an Open Access anthology, the authors wish to reach researchers in the field of sport psychology, sport psychology advisers and professionals throughout Scandinavia. The volume will also be relevant to anyone with any interest in sport. The editors of the book are Tommy Haugen and Rune Høigaard, who are both affiliated with the Department of Public Health, Sport and Nutrition in the Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences at the University of Agder.

Description: Idrett og idrettspsykologiske prestasjoner er en viktig del av den skandinaviske kulturen. Psykologiske faktorer har vist seg å ha stor betydning for både deltagelse og prestasjoner i idrett. Idrettspsykologi handler om nettopp disse faktorene. I denne vitenskapelige antologien presenteres for første gang mangfoldet i den idrettspsykologiske forskningen i Skandinavia. Gjennom tolv kapitler illustrerer bidragsytere fra sentrale idrettspsykologiske forskningsmiljøer i Sverige, Danmark og Norge forskning på et vidt spekter av problemstillinger. Ved å publisere bidragene samlet som en Open Access-antologi ønsker forfatterne å nå forskere innenfor idrettspsykologi-feltet, idrettspsykologiske rådgivere og fagpersoner i alle de skandinaviske landene. Antologien vil også være interessant for alle som er interessert i idrett. Redaktører for boka er Tommy Haugen og Rune Høigaard, begge fra Institutt for folkehelse, idrett og ernæring, Fakultet for helse- og idrettsvitenskap ved Universitetet i Agder.

Description: Wang Wei has traditionally been considered one of the greatest of Tang dynasty poets, together with Li Bo and Du Fu. This is the first complete translation into English of all of his poems, and also the first substantial translation of a selection of his prose writings. For the first time, readers encountering his work in English translation will get a comprehensive understanding of Wang Wei‘s range as a poet and prose writer.

Description: This is the first complete translation of the poetry of Cao Zhi, a major figure from the formative age of classical Chinese poetry. The translations take the reader beyond anthology pieces to present a more complete view of the literary practices and concerns of Cao Zhi and his contemporaries. A number of works not previously available in English are included here, enhancing our understanding of the culture of China’s early medieval period.

Description: For a long time， with the continuous expansion of the oil and gas genesis theory and the increasing global demand for clean energy， hydrogen， as an important link connecting the theory of inorganic and organic hydrocarbon generation， as well as a promising clean energy， has gradually attracted widespread academic attention. The genesis of hydrogen in natural gas is relatively complex and diverse. According to its reaction mechanism， it can be divided into two categories： inorganic and organic. Inorganic genesis is mainly earth degassing， water rock reaction and water radiation decomposition， while organic genesis is dominated by biological action and organic matter pyrolysis. At present， hydrogen isotope and geochemical characteristics of associated gases are mainly used to identify the origin of hydrogen. However， due to the complex and diverse sources of hydrogen and its active chemical properties， it is still unable to identify the origin of hydrogen systematically and accurately. Due to the extensive genesis of hydrogen， natural gas with different hydrogen concentrations has been found in different geological conditions around the world， and the hydrogen content varies greatly （0.1%-99%）. Hydrogen can participate in hydrocarbon generation in Fischer Tropsch synthesis as a reducing agent， and also can be used as a hydrogen source to improve the hydrocarbon yield during the thermal evolution of organic matter. Therefore， the existence of hydrogen may extend the lower limit of deep gas exploration and development. Based on the systematic summary of the genetic mechanism and distribution of hydrogen， this paper discusses the energy significance of hydrogen in natural gas， and provides a reference for the future research on hydrogen rich natural gas resources.

Description: This profile provides an overview of the projected climate parameters and related impacts on different sectors in Cameroon until 2080 under different climate change scenarios (called Representative Concentration Pathways, RCPs). RCP2.6 represents a low emissions scenario that aims to keep global warming likely below 2 °C above pre-industrial temperatures. RCP6.0 represents a medium to high emissions scenario that is likely to exceed 2 °C. Model projections do not account for effects of future socio-economic impacts unless indicated otherwise.

Description: This profile provides an overview of projected climate parameters and related impacts on different sectors in Senegal until 2080 under different climate change scenarios (called Representative Concentration Pathways, RCPs). RCP2.6 represents the low emissions scenario in line with the Paris Agreement; RCP6.0 represents a medium to high emissions scenario. Model projections do not account for effects of future socio-economic impacts.

Description: Burkina Faso has a high socio-economic dependency on agriculture, a sector which is strongly influenced by weather-related factors and increasingly challenged by the impacts of climate change. Currently, only limited information on climate risks and its impacts is available for the agricultural sector in the country. Therefore, this study aims to provide a comprehensive climate risk analysis including a thorough evaluation of four potential adaptation strategies that can guide local decision makers on adaptation planning and implementation in Burkina Faso. The impact assessment consists of several steps including climate projections based on two emissions scenarios (SSP3-RCP7.0 and SSP1-RCP2.6), hydro-logical modelling on water availability changes, modelling and comparison of future yields of four widely used crops (maize, sorghum, millet and cowpeas) and an assessment of livestock production under future climate conditions. Based on the projected climate change impacts on agricultural production, four different adapta-tion strategies ((1) Integrated soil fertility ma-nagement (ISFM), (2) irrigation, (3) improved seeds and (4) climate information services (CIS)) suggested and selected by different national stakeholders were analysed regarding their potential to risk mitigation, (cost-)effectiveness and suitability for local conditions. The analyses have been further complemented by expert- and literature-based assessments, semi-structured key informant interviews and two stakeholder work-shops. The results show that the mean daily temperature is on the rise and projected to increase further by 0.6°C (2030) up to 1.1°C (2090) under SSP1-RCP2.6 and by 0.5°C (2030) up to 3.6°C (2090) under SSP3-RCP7.0 in reference to 2004, dependent on future greenhouse gas emissions. Some un-certainty exists for annual precipitation projections, with slight increases until 2050 followed by a slight decrease under SSP1-RCP2.6 and continuous increase under SSP3-RCP7.0 with high year-to-year variability. Projected impacts of cli-mate change on yields vary between regions and show partly opposing trends. Some regions in the north show increasing yields (up to +30% in SSP1-RCP2.6 and up to +20% in SSP3-RCP7.0), while few regions in the south present decreasing yields (down to -30% in SSP1-RCP2.6 and down to -20% in SSP3-RCP7.0). Crop models show that the areas suitable for cowpeas will decrease in Burkina Faso under future climate change conditions while the suitability for maize, millet and sorghum will remain stable. Moreover, the potential to produce multiple crops will become more and more difficult, which limits farmers’ diversification options. Regarding the livestock sector, it seems very likely that the grazing potential will decrease under both climate change scenarios with higher decreases under SSP1-RCP2.6 than under SSP3-RCP7.0. All four adaptation strategies were found to be economically beneficial, can have a high potential for risk mitigation and entail different co-benefits. Particularly, ISFM can be highly recommended for smallholder farmers, resulting in very positive effects for societies and environment. Irrigation and improved seeds have a high potential to improve livelihoods especially in Northern Burkina Faso, but are also complex, costly and support-intensive adaptation strategies. Lastly, CIS can support farmers to make informed decisions and thereby reduce the impact of climate risks. Generally, a combination of different adaptation strategies can entail additional benefits and active stakeholder engagement as well as participatory approaches are needed to ensure the feasibility and long-term sustainability of adaptation strategies. The findings of this study can help to inform national and local adaptation and agricultural development planning and investments in order to strengthen the resilience of the agricultural sector and especially of smallholder farmers against a changing climate.

Description: Niger has a high socio-economic dependency on agriculture which is strongly influenced by weather-related factors and highly vulnerable to climate change. Currently, only limited information on climate risks and its impacts is available for the agricultural sector in the country. Therefore, this study aims to provide a comprehensive climate risk analysis including a thorough evaluation of four potential adaptation strategies that can guide local decision makers on adaptation planning and implementation in Niger: (1) agroforestry and farmer managed natural regeneration (FMNR) of trees, (2) integrated soil fertility management (ISFM), (3) irrigation and (4) improved fodder management for livestock. The impact assessment includes climate projections based on two future emissions scenarios (SSP3-RCP7.0 and SSP1-RCP2.6), hydrological modelling on water availability, modelling and comparison of future yields of four dominant crops (sorghum, millet, maize and cowpeas) and an as-sessment of livestock production under future climate conditions. Based on the projected climate change impacts on agricultural production, the four adaptation strategies suggested by different national stakeholders were analysed regarding their potential to risk mitigation, cost-effectiveness and suitability for local conditions. The analyses have been complemented by expert- and literature-based assessments, semi-structured interviews and two stakeholder workshops. The results show that the mean daily temperature is projected to increase further in Niger, up to +1.3 °C (SSP1-RCP2.6) and +4.2 °C (SSP3-RCP7.0) by 2090, in reference to 2004. The mean annual precipitation sum is also projected to increase until 2050 under both emissions scenarios, with a slight decrease in the interannual variability. In the second half of the century, this trend in precipitation is likely to continue (SSP3-RCP7.0) or decrease slightly (SSP1-RCP2.6), while the year-to-year variability would increase. Greater annual rates of groundwater recharge due to increasing precipitation amounts and higher annual mean river discharge are expected until mid-century. Sorghum yields would decline in general, by 20-50% (SSP1-RCP2.6) or 40-75% (SSP3-RCP7.0) by 2090, compared to 2005. Crop models hinted at an increase in the suitability of sorghum and millet, and no significant change for maize and cowpeas in Niger under both emissions scenarios. In addition, the potential for multiple cropping would de-crease from mid-century, limiting farmers’ diversification options. Regarding the livestock sector, the grazing potential is likely to decrease in the south and increase in the central regions of Niger, under SSP1-RCP2.6, while it is expected to increase in the whole country under SSP3-RCP7.0. All four adaptation strategies were found to be economically beneficial, risk-independent, with a medium to high risk mitigation potential, and can bring about various co-benefits. FMNR practice can be highly recommended, as the upscaling potential is high and the climate resilience of local livelihoods will be strengthened. ISFM can help to improve water use efficiency and benefit from positive environmental and social outcomes. Irrigation has a medium potential to improve livelihoods of smallholder farmers but is also a support-intensive adaptation strategy that needs to be carefully implemented in order to avoid overexploitation of local water resources. Lastly, improved fodder management, especially al-falfa production, contributes to building up resilience of livestock farming systems and affects women and youth employment positively. Gener-ally, a combination of different adaptation strategies can yield additional benefits and active stake-holder engagement as well as participatory ap-proaches are needed to ensure the feasibility and sustainability of adaptation strategies. The findings of this study can help to inform national and local adaptation as well as development planning and investments in order to strengthen the climate resilience of the Nigerien agricultural sector and especially of smallholder farmers.