Overview
This module looks at how the policies, institutional mechanisms and practices that have proven to be successful for disaster risk reduction can contribute to meeting the objectives of climate-smart agriculture. It considers how multi-hazard risk assessments, disaster risk governance, investments in disaster risk reduction, and emergency preparedness can be mobilized to scale up climate-smart agriculture.
Chapter C5-1 introduces the concept of disaster risk reduction and highlights the common ground it shares with sustainable development and climate change adaptation. Chapter C5-2 illustrates how a multi-hazard approach to risk assessment that examines the diversity of threats to agriculture can be effective for building resilient agricultural landscapes that are better able to withstand multiple shocks, particularly those associated with climate change. Chapter C5-3 outlines the institutional arrangements, and policy and planning frameworks required for effective disaster risk deduction at the regional, national, and local level. It highlights how these institutional arrangements can also be used to foster system-wide capacity development in support of climate-smart agriculture. Chapter C5-4 presents examples of methods, tools, and technologies for reducing disaster risks that can also be applied to climate-smart agriculture. Chapter C5-5 describes the role of disaster risk reduction in emergency response and recovery, and emphasizes how the 'building back better' approach promotes disaster risk reduction in recovery interventions and during the transition to risk-informed climate-smart agricultural development.
Key messages
- In developing countries, the agriculture sectors absorb about one-quarter of the economic impact of climate-related disasters. Droughts cause up to 84 percent of the total reported damage and losses in agriculture.
- Disaster risk reduction is key to sustainable agriculture development.
- Disaster risk reduction is the first line of action in adapting to climate change, particularly to the impacts of extreme weather events that are expect to increase in intensity and frequency.
- Multi-hazard risk assessment and mapping as applied in disaster risk reduction in combination with climate change scenarios provide a holistic framework for assessing the risks of multiple hazards to livelihoods in a given geographic area.
- Building on existing disaster risk reduction systems to advance climate-smart agriculture reinforces national and local capacities.
- Validated disaster risk reduction technologies and practices provide a valuable catalogue of resources and lessons learned that can be used to promote and increase investments in climate-smart agriculture.
- Community-based disaster risk management is a proven participatory approach for assessing and reducing local risks, and supporting local planning. It can also be a vehicle to promote climate-smart agriculture locally.
- Improved early warning and information systems for early action are a critical component of resilience to shocks, climate variability and change.
- Disaster risk reduction can help bridge the gap between humanitarian interventions and sustainable development programmes. Linking disaster risk reduction and climate-smart agriculture can facilitate the integration of short-, medium-, and long-term development actions in the recovery period after climate-related disasters.
- For farmers, there is little distinction between disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. Farmers’ concerns are mainly linked to threats to their livelihoods and family food security.