Welcome to the fourth issue of FAO's e-newsletter on Climate Change and Food Security published on the occasion of the FAO Committee on Agriculture. This update includes announcements of FAO's upcoming events on climate change, information on the outcomes of various international meetings, such as the Climate Change talks in Bonn, Germany, the UN-REDD programme's first policy board meeting and other conferences held with FAO's participation. Special focus is given to climate change adaptation in Bangladesh and to gender and climate change issues in India. Also featured in this issue are presentations of publications recently added to the FAO Climate Change web portal as well as useful new on-line tools.
| Interview | Upcoming events | From the field |
| Featured map |
Interview
Interview with Stephan Baas, Sustainable rural development officer at FAO and Satendra Singh, International Lead Technical Consultant of the Livelihood Adaptation to Climate Change (LACC) project in Bangladesh
For the past years FAO has used the livelihood approach in promoting climate change adaptation processes at grassroots level. Within the Livelihood Adaptation to Climate Change (LACC) project in Bangladesh, FAO has developed and tested a multidisciplinary approach. In the context of a changing climate, the approach translates climate scenario data into local agricultural impact outlooks and responds to farmers' perceived needs for local adaptation practices.
In this interview Satendra Singh and Stephan Baas explain, from a field-based and an international perspective, why this approach has been so successful.
What are the main objectives of the Livelihood Adaptation to Climate Change project being carried out in Bangladesh by FAO?
Stephan Baas: The Livelihood Adaptation to Climate Change project or LACC - as we call it - is a sub-component of the Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP) launched in 2004 by the Bangladesh Ministry of Food and Disaster Management. Its main role within that context is to find mechanisms to address climate change adaptation at the local level by using global circulation models and climate scenarios data, translating them into local agricultural impact outlooks and finally into location specific livelihood adaptation practices. The umbrella programme's key request to the LACC project was to elaborate a "down to earth" working approach which bridges the gap between global climate information and local adaptation needs of farmers. The aim is to translate abstract models of change in temperature, change in precipitation patterns and change in sea level rise into something understandable to farmers at the local level using suitable extension methodologies and agricultural practices and technologies.
What pre-requisites do local adaptation options need to have to be successful?
Satendra Singh: Farming communities have already developed over time a series of coping strategies to face climate impacts. That is our entry point: traditional knowledge and existing practices. Any options must first of all fit the location specific agro-ecological setting. Second, they should increase climate resilience and reduce the risk of hazard impacts to the production system. Finally, they must maintain (or increase) the income level of farmers. This is very important since we are dealing with vulnerable rural people such as sharecroppers or landless farmers, who live on the margins. Often, they cannot afford pre-investing in costly technologies. Thus we consider as highly recommendable adaptation options which fit to local agro-ecological settings and increase both income levels (livelihood security) and climate resilience. If, above all, these adaptation strategies do not increase green house gas emissions, they become "ideal" adaptation option.
One of the key issues in climate change is technology for adaptation: How does the transfer of technology occur within a project that holds a strong community and livelihoods approach?
S.B. Based on our field experience, the most suitable way of addressing the issue of technology transfer is by blending local knowledge (which is not only traditional knowledge) with innovative knowledge coming either from national research institutes or universities or from practices that are being carried out in other countries and that can possibly be implanted and tested in that local context. It's good to start with locally known good practices which contribute to livelihood food security and to more climate resilience. From this entry point, an agreed common objective and working approach can be built, leaving space for further experimenting with more innovative technologies that are not known locally. It's a process of awareness raising and joint learning, by doing to phase-in more innovative technologies matching the demands of long term climate change perspectives. An important interim step before releasing any option for field testing/demonstration is a thorough validation process, which is done jointly by field officers, farmers and experts from research institutes and agricultural extension. Meetings are held before each cropping season to review the proposed season specific adaptation options. The key criteria when proposing the replication of new technologies after successful testing, is that the current economic situation of farmers cannot be worsened or put at risk by the introduction of any new practices. Otherwise farmers would not accept them.
S.S: The project developed technical implementation working groups at national and local levels in partnerships with main national research institutions. The Department of Agriculture Extension, the partner implementing agency, has strong field presence with trained staff, called Sub Assistant Agriculture Officers, who are working at grass root level in close collaboration with the rural community. They play a crucial role in the technology transfer to the communities. At local level, the project uses the existing grass root level institutional systems (farmers' field schools, youth clubs, etc.) to test adaptation options and further replicate those considered successful by the farmers. The project is regularly organizing training programmes involving research organisations about the new technologies and developments.
Community-based adaptation implies the involvement of many actors. How successful has the learning process been?
S.S. The LACC project has been successful in involving all relevant actors, both from government and non government sectors in its different activities, starting from option identification to monitoring and evaluation of field tested options. The project successfully established a mechanism in the form of technical implementation groups (national to sub-district level) and uses the existing community committees/groups to involve different actors in project implementation. This mechanism proved successful not only in identifying, validating and recommending the adaptation options on a routine basis but also in providing technical and management decisions during the implementation of the project interventions. Above all, the project maintains a lively and useful collaboration with the union level Disaster Risk Reduction committees who provide local support during project implementation.
S.B. Since we are working from a pilot project perspective in 10 sub-districts called upazilla, it is also challenging to achieve a provincial or even country wide approach. Among our direct partners the learning process and learning exchange goes very well. Outside our inner circles, it is more difficult. We have the strategy and are slowly institutionalising the lessons learned. We are very aware it is a long term process. The high turn-over rate of institutional staff also makes it difficult to retain and transfer the knowledge developed within the project. The institutionalization goes through people. Other actors working on climate change adaptation go through NGOs. However, we made a conscious decision that our main partner is the Department of Agriculture Extension and its 14 000 field staff country wide. If one succeeds to mainstream the working approach within this big organization, this effective institutionalization can aim to increase outreach.
What are the major obstacles in adaptation to climate change at the community level?
The willingness to adapt to climate vulnerability is there. At the beginning, it's not so easy to achieve farmers' buy-in towards long-term thinking in terms of climate change impact. A way to communicate the concept of climate change and to get farmers to act upon it is to initiate discussion around the impacts of current climate hazards and then establish the link to longer term climate change, assessing the local trends regarding drought and/or floods and frequent extreme events. Most farmers clearly recognize changes in seasonal cropping patterns and in frequency and intensity of events. The current extreme weather events concern people the most. They are ready to act upon it. Once this is the agreed common denominator, it's much easier to initiate adaptation processes with locally known practices. In some areas, farmers are already investing small scale technologies for adaptation such as in mini ponds or irrigation facilities. But in many cases, even though they are very much aware and would like to do something, they simply cannot afford to invest in these technologies.
S. S. The farmers in Bangladesh work on the basis of day-to-day thinking rather than of long-term pro-active risk management. It is a bit difficult to convince them about the need to address long term risks and take appropriate measures at present. Taking this fact into consideration, the LACC project felt the need to slowly encourage longer-term thinking and start working on issues that matter today, and then adding a longer term perspective. Therefore, the implementation process was initiated from a community level risk perception and disaster risk management perspective, and phased-in climate change issues and modelling results thereafter. However, there is still gap in communicating the project objectives, not only to the agriculture community but also to other actors. An improved communication strategy is needed to disseminate the complicated issues of climate change adaptation among the different stakeholders to bring a change in the thinking process.
What are the project's next steps?
S.B. In February 2008, we entered the second phase of the project which will last until June 2009. The third phase of LACC is scheduled under CDMP for another 5 years with increased funds (some $4 million have been earmarked by funding partner of CDMP, namely EU, DFID and UNDP). During the third phase, the Department of Agricultural Extension will use the adaptation options identified and tested over the past 4 years in drought prone areas for large scale outreach and replication. The experimental mode of LACC will continue in the coastal areas and be expanded into two additional agroecological zones: the hill tracks and the flood plain areas in the north of the country.
S.S During the next phase, the project intends to apply the methodological framework and project implementation process tested in limited pilot areas in other regions highly vulnerable to climatic change, addressing and including stakeholders as appropriate from all sectors relevant for rural livelihoods within the regions (i.e. crops, fisheries including aquaculture, forestry, livestock, bio-energy and other livelihood areas).
- For more information on the project, visit the website.
- To download the training material, visit the website.
Events
Next FAO Committee on Agriculture (COAG) to discuss the challenges of climate change
The role of agricultural production in adapting to climate change and mitigation will be part of the many topics to be discussed during FAO's next Committee on Agriculture from 22-25 April in Rome.
As population increases, the demand for agricultural produce grows with it. Meeting this demand, which is expected to double by 2050, means increased pressure on natural resources such as land and water.
- For more information on the Committee visit the website.
- To read the Document on "Agriculture and Environmental Challenges of the Twenty-first Century: Elements of an FAO Strategic Framework", click here.
Symposium on animal production and its potential for mitigation
The next session of the Intergovernmental Group on Meat and Dairy Products will feature a symposium entitled "Mitigating green house gas emissions from animal production: A policy agenda" in Asunción, Paraguay, from 6-8 May
The livestock sector contributes to green house gas emissions. Improved pasture management and sylvopastoral systems are effective ways to reduce these emissions and conserve the environment. Pasture systems occupy 40% of the world land areas but are currently excluded from carbon trading despite their significant potential for emission reduction/carbon storage.
Also related to this topic, a workshop was recently held in FAO, Rome from 15-17 April 2009 on the potential of grassland and forage based systems for mitigating climate change. The event gathered experts from all over the world (scientists, representatives of civil society, and policy makers) to establish the current state of scientific information related to grassland and forage systems carbon sequestration and its importance in both the efforts to mitigate and adapt to global climate change.
- To read the agenda of the Symposium in Paraguay on Mitigating GHG emissions from animal production visit the website.
- For more information on the Workshop on grassland and forage for climate change mitigation visit the website.
From the Field
Farmers' views on climate change and food security discussed in southern India
The FAO and local Indian institutions in Andhra Pradesh are currently addressing the gender aspects of coping with climate variability and long-term change within the project "Gender-sensitive Strategies for Adaptation to Climate Change: Drawing on Indian Farmers' Experiences".
Financed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and in close collaboration with local institutions, the project is currently documenting how men and women farmers in 8 villages perceive climate shifts as well as the adaptation strategies they adopt to ensure food security in farm households.
During a workshop in February held in Hyderabad, the capital of Andhra Pradesh, the project team discussed farmers' views on climate change, food security, and the roles and resources that men and women have access to. Farmers have observed changes in the seasonal patterns of rainfall, decreases in the amount of rainfall, and diminishing water resources. In addition, they are concerned about dwindling forest cover which had in past times of drought served as a source of supplementary food. Strategies to cope with these changes include migration and livelihood diversification. Often women migrate and work as labourers (in construction) while men, as sole owners of the land, consider themselves farmers. Men ultimately have the final word when it comes to deciding on what coping strategies to adopt. Women are responsible for providing food for the family; however, compared to men, women have limited access to information on both farming options and support systems.
Opportunities for disseminating the findings and recommendations of the case study include providing gender sensitive policy advice to the Indian government as well as using this case study as a model for research in other countries. Members of the team also agreed to expand the work beyond the drought prone districts to a flood prone district in order to capture information on a different climatic stress and to test the replicability of the methodology in other contexts.
For more information on gender and climate change, visit the website.
Latest news
Mitigation through agriculture
FAO called for including agriculture in climate change during the workshop: "Opportunities and challenges for mitigation in the agricultural sector" carried-out during the climate change negotiations in Bonn, Germany from 28 March to 8 April.
"With appropriate incentives and innovative institutions, agriculture can help mitigate greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, while generating multiple benefits to sustainable development such as increased food production and food security, poverty reduction, and environmental services." This was the main message of a workshop in which FAO was one of the guest speakers, during the session of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change UNFCCC Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative action.
Most of the mitigation potential from agriculture could be achieved through soil carbon sequestration (89%) and 70% could be realized in developing countries. In addition, there is also potential to decrease emissions of other non-carbon greenhouse gases (N2O and CH4) through more efficient use of fertilizers and improved rice and livestock systems.
There is good scientific understanding of the different farming practices that can be used to build organic matter in soils and to keep it there. Techniques developed for organic and conservation agriculture, including improved pasture management, agroforestry, mulching, composting, crop rotation, cover crops, low/no-till are relevant, as they help to accumulate soil organic matter and biomass.
Agriculture, together with land use change and forestry, is a significant contributor of GHG emissions (about one third). Including agriculture in the international Post-Kyoto climate change agreement is essential.
- Read a recent FAO press release on agriculture's potential to reduce green house gas emissions here
- Read the FAO Submission to SBSTA/Copenhagen 2009 here
- Read an article on Agriculture and mitigation by FAO experts issued in the MEA newsletter here
UN-REDD Programme set for action in selected countries
The UN-REDD Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation, a collaborative initiative between FAO, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), held its first Policy Board meeting in Panama from 9-10 March and allocated $18 million for country support in Democratic Republic of Congo, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Tanzania and Viet Nam. Other UN-REDD Programme pilot countries include Bolivia, Panama, Paraguay and Zambia
The Policy Board provides overall leadership and strategic direction to the programme and includes members from participating countries, participating agencies, indigenous peoples groups, civil society, donors and other interested parties as observers such as the World Bank's Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF), the UNFCCC secretariat and the Global Environment Facility secretariat.
During its first meeting, members of the Policy Board emphasized two working areas for the near future: measurement, assessment, reporting and verification (MARV) and engagement of indigenous peoples and civil society in REDD activities.
The next Policy Board meeting is scheduled to be held in June 2009 in Montreux, Switzerland. The interagency Secretariat of the UN-REDD Programme is expected to be soon operational in Geneva.
For more information visit the UN-REDD website at http://www.un-redd.net/
3rd Community-Based Adaptation Workshop in Dhaka launches Global Initiative on Climate Change
The third International Workshop on Community-Based Adaptation (CBA) to Climate Change held in Dhaka from 18-24 February 2009 launched a Global Initiative as a knowledge generation and exchange platform of CBA activities.
As one of the meeting's co-sponsors, FAO chaired a technical session during the workshop on advancing adaptation through communication for development. The session addressed how communication can improve CBA by enhancing local knowledge and facilitating the dissemination of appropriate technologies. This was illustrated, among other examples, by the FAO's "Livelihood Adaptation to Climate Change (LACC)" project.
The key messages of the workshop included:
- Disaster risk reduction is a good entry point to launch adaptation processes.
- However, adaptation needs to empower rural communities to not only cope with short term variability, but also to respond to long term effects of climate change.
Ian Burton, IPCC member, stressed that "adaptation is not about quickly fixing things and going back to business-as-usual". Instead, it should be perceived as a new spark for social change that aims at reducing climatic risk exposure and the underlying vulnerabilities of rural livelihoods. This requires that CBA initiatives are scaled up and embedded into broader development strategies, but also that they are supported by an effective global adaptation framework.
- Read the complete conference report here
- For more information on FAO's work on community based adaptation on climate change visit the website
Seven statements on Climate Change - global risks challenges and decisions
The International conference entitled "Beyond Kyoto: Addressing the Challenges of Climate Change" took place from 5-6 March 2009 in Denmark issued seven statements on the global risks, challenges and decisions on climate change stressing on the need to increase agricultural productivity and use less water and land.
"We must increase agricultural productivity and use less water and land. This urgently requires a substantial increase in research, innovation, education and advice" was the third of the seven statements on climate change stemming from the conference.
During the Conference, FAO presented its efforts in promoting Conservation Agriculture as an approach to farming with a potential that can both increase the production of organic products and limit green house gas emissions.
The event organized by the University of Aarhus in Denmark gathered the business community, researchers, NGOs and decision-makers to dialogue about the challenges and needs for innovative, sustainable solutions for climate change.
- Download the seven statements here
- For more information on FAO's work in conservation agriculture visit the website
- Read the recent FAO press release on agriculture's potential to reduce green house gas emissions here
Publications, tools and websites
FAO publication on the State of the World's Forests
This year's publication on the State of the World's Forests reports on the future of forests and forestry in each region with the theme "Society, forests and forestry: adapting for the future".
It also examines the possible impacts of external factors such as demographic, economic, institutional and technological changes on forests.
Published every two years, the publication, available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Spanish and Russian, serves as a source of information to support forest-related policy and research.
To download the publication visit the website.
Building adaptative capacity to climate change - policies to sustain livelihoods and fisheries.
The publication "Building adaptative capacity to climate change" is part of the Policy brief series produced by the Sustainable Fisheries Livelihood Programme of FAO. It focuses on how climate change may influence the fisheries and its future contribution to poverty reduction.
It also provides a look at adaptative livelihood and institutional responses to climate variability in fisheries.
To download the policy brief click here.
Unasylva - Adapting to Climate Change
FAO's international journal on forestry and forest industries, Unasylva has published a double edition on "Adapting to Climate Change" in English, French and Spanish.
The latest issue of this specialized journal was developed from presentations to the international conference on Adaptation of Forests and Forest Management to Changing Climate with Emphasis on Forest Health: A Review of Science, Policies and Practices, held in Sweden in August 2008.
The articles featured in Unasylva provide examples of the links between climate change and sustainable development, the impacts of climate change on forest health and on forest species composition and distribution, and ways in which science and policy can promote adaptation of forests and communities.
To read the double edition of Unasylva click here.
The FAO's Climate Change webportal contains an even wider array of publications related to climate change and food security, impacts, green-house gas emissions, mitigation, adaptation and policy framework that can be consulted under the Publications section of the webportal.
The FAO also has published valuable tools ranging from dataset, to e-learning and training manuals that can be easily accessed and downloaded under the Data and Tools section of the webportal.
Featured Map
Regional Rainfall Monitoring Maps
Useful information on the monthly total rainfall in all Africa or in specific regions of the continent can be consulted using an on-line tool through the FAOClimpag website. The map featured above includes information on the total rainfall in Africa during the month of March 2009. The data used to generate the maps is provided by the Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (GPCC).
Visit the regional monitoring rainfall maps here.
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