Introduction
Scope
This module looks at issues related to the coherence between agriculture and climate policies at the global, national and local levels. The main message is the necessity for the public sector to create an enabling policy and legal environment for climate-smart agriculture. Various stakeholders – agricultural producers, producer organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector – will take necessary actions only if there is a coherent policy framework in place that supports the achievement of the climate-smart objectives. This module is intended mainly for national, subnational and local policy makers who need guidance for adjusting and harmonizing policies, programmes or action plans (e.g. agriculture, environment and climate policies) to create an enabling environment that promotes a transition to climate-smart agriculture. It is anticipated, however, that other stakeholders in the food system, including research institutions, extension services, NGOs, will benefit from the module as it can help them adjust their operations and advocate for policies that support climate-smart agriculture. Overcoming sectoral constraints and other barriers is a fundamental challenge for achieving objectives related to climate change and food security. At the national, subnational and local levels, new institutional structures and alliances may be needed among private and public stakeholders, for example in policy making, research, extension and financing. This will require participatory system-wide capacity development to strengthen the capacities of individual policy makers and their institutions (see module C1).
Objective
The objective of this module is to provide guidance for identifying and analysing existing international and national policy frameworks and the contribution they make to achieving the objectives of climate-smart agriculture. This can be done using ex ante and ex post policy analysis, and where necessary, adjusting policies and their implementation mechanisms, or designing new policies that provide better support to the scaling up of climate-smart agriculture. An overview of key global agreements can help countries gain a deeper understanding of the connections between international mechanisms and their own policy measures.