Climate-Smart Agriculture

FAQs

How is CSA related to sustainable agriculture? Are they the same thing?

How is CSA related to sustainable agriculture? Are they the same thing?

The CSA approach builds on the concepts, technologies and experience of sustainable agriculture, but explicitly focuses on integrating the impacts of and on unprecedented climate change. CSA involves building recommendations and possible options for reorienting existing sustainable agricultural strategies to respond to changing conditions, as well as to provide innovative policy and financing tools to implement them.

Does CSA promote agroecological practices?

Does CSA promote agroecological practices?

A more efficient use of resources improves both productivity and farm incomes, while reducing emissions. Agro-ecological principles and practices play an important role by enhancing ecosystem services to sustainably increase productivity.

Does CSA promote GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms)?

Does CSA promote GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms)?

No, CSA does not promote GMOs. The use of GMOs is determined by the national policies in each country and the CSA approach involves the development of options for addressing the challenges of climate change in coordination with key stakeholders at national and international level including national governments.

Is financing from carbon markets a key element of CSA?

Is financing from carbon markets a key element of CSA?

No, carbon markets are only a very small part of the potential climate finance that can be channelled into agriculture with very limited potential for the smallholder sector. However, linking climate finance to agricultural investments in food security and development is a key element of CSA. Climate finance includes financing for both adaptation and mitigation.

Does CSA impose climate change mitigation requirements on agriculture in developing countries?

Does CSA impose climate change mitigation requirements on agriculture in developing countries?

No. the CSA approach focuses on identifying potential synergies between food security, adaptation and mitigation, as well as estimating costs and trade-offs between mitigation and other objectives to better inform countries about the potential for capturing mitigation co-benefits and associated financing. In many instances, improved agricultural production systems result in substantial mitigation co-benefits, not least in the livestock sector. The CSA approach can support national policy on climate change mitigation in agriculture in the broader context of sustainable development, which is still under preparation in most countries.