Colombia

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Overview

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, agricultural production has been seriously affected due to the occurrence of extreme climate events, especially during phenomena such as La Niña and El Niño whose characteristics are strong periods of drought followed by intense rain. 

To tackle these challenges, the country is working to ensure that priority sectors are able to cope with and adapt to the effects of climate change.

 

Adaptation policies

Colombia launched its National Adaptation Plan (Plan Nacional de Adaptación al Cambio Climático, PNACC) in 2012. This milestone document was followed in 2013 by a Road Map for the country’s National Adaptation Plan (Hoja de ruta para la elaboración de los planes de adaptación dentro del PNACC). With a NAP already in place, the country is now developing NAPs for different sectors, and agriculture is one of them. Colombia is also developing a set of adaptation indicators to monitor and evaluate impacts in selected territories, which will be incorporated into a national monitoring system and protocol. Colombia is together with Guatemala and Gambia, one of the three new NAP-Ag countries launched in 2017.

NAP-Ag activities

The NAP-Ag programme was launched in Colombia in 2017 and was developed under innovative and transformational approaches. The activities focus on strengthening the formulation process of the Climate Change Plan for the agricultural sector, that addresses adaptation and mitigation articulately, as well as focusing on the implementation of adaptation solutions at the family farming level and the establishment of a virtual platform for collaboration and exchange.

Vulnerability and Risk Analysis

The study “Vulnerability and Risk Analysis of Climate Change Impacts in the Agricultural Sector of Colombia” identifies critical correlations between risk and vulnerability variables, including threat, sensitivity and adaptive capacity of the agricultural sector in the country. This study presents the expected changes in production for several crops (cacao, maize, yucca, plantain), livestock, forest plantations, among other key agricultural products to improve their decision-making climate change adaptation measures.

Monitoring and Evaluation

A workshop on “M&E of climate change adaptation in the agricultural sector” was delivered in October 2018 to advance on the conceptualization of an M&E system to track adaptation for adaptation planning and reporting under the UNFCCC. Its development is led by the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (IDEAM) as a secretary of the National System of Climate Change (SISCLIMA). The IDEAM’s recent risk and vulnerability analysis for the agriculture sectors is also informing the definition and selection of indicators to measure sensitivity and adaptive capacity of food security, water resources, biodiversity, as well as selected crops and farm animals.

Develop an Integral Management Plan of Climate Change for the agricultural sectors (PIGCC)

The plan covers both adaptation and mitigation since the Climate Change National Policy establishes that mitigation and adaptation must be addressed under an integrated approach. Adaptation dialogues were a pivotal strategy for sharing and exchange ideas and experiences around adaptation in the agricultural sector in four regions of Colombia: Montería (Córdoba), Ibagué (Tolima), Valledupar (Cesar) and Manizales (Caldas). The program is also supporting the design of an implementation strategy of the PIGCC through the: identification of key adaptation measures for the main crop production systems, definition of a mechanism and roadmap for coordination and articulation at national and subnational levels, as well as formulation of an implementation strategy for short, medium and long-term for each region. These activities will facilitate the operationalization of the PIGCC.

National climate vulnerability assessment for the agriculture sector

The Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (IDEAM) is carrying out an analysis of current and future climate scenarios for the main agricultural production systems to identify the vulnerabilities, adaptation and mitigation options, assess and prioritize risk reduction responses.

Agroforestry cocoa pilot system adapted to climate change

This activity is carried out to enhance adaptation of family farming and the elaboration of practical recommendations to MADR for the implementation of the PIGCC. The agroforestry cocoa pilot system is located in the Uribe Municipality, and involves an expert company, "Mariana Cacao", in supporting former combatants on the cultivation of cocoa varieties that are more resilient to drought and intense rainy seasons. The target group is organized in a Cooperative.

Platform for the exchange of adaptation experiences in the agricultural sector

The platform will be managed by the Ministry of Agriculture, through the Directorate of Innovation, Technological Development and Health Protection (Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change Group). It is expected to allow the systematization of successful adaptation initiatives.

Integrating gender in national adaptation planning for agriculture sectors (2017)

A workshop was held in Bogota, Colombia, from in November 2017 to begin the process of incorporating gender analysis into the adaptation planning process in Colombia. The workshop was organized with the objective of identifying opportunities to promote gender-responsive adaptation in the agricultural sector.

Climate finance (2017)

Colombia, Guatemala, Kenya, Nepal, the Philippines and Zambia took part in a study to review domestic data sources for climate finance to better understand how much the countries are allocating to climate change through their national public expenditures. More