NAP Expo Chile 2023: FAO highlighted the Platform for Climate Action in Agriculture to address climate change
©FAO/Matias Salas
March 30, 2023, Santiago, Chile - On March 27 and 30, NAP 2023 Expo, a global event where participating countries present their plans and programs on adaptation to climate change, took place in Santiago, Chile. In this context, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) presented in the session "Transforming agrifood systems through adaptation and mitigation to climate change: experiences in Latin America and the Caribbean," highlighting the work done by the Platform for Climate Action in Agriculture for Latin America and the Caribbean (PLACA) as a forum for promoting exchanges on national policies and instruments for adaptation in agriculture, contributing to regional climate action and emphasizing the importance of climate services in decision-making.
FAO emphasized the competition promoted by PLACA, which, last year, raised more than 80 low-cost technological solutions from different countries of the region, such as a regenerative livestock initiative as a solution to productive sustainability in Argentina; planting in holes as an alternative for potato production in eroded soils in Ecuador; and the use of azumiate as an alternative for the production of grains and seeds in rural areas, among others.
The Least Developed Countries Expert Group of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) organized Expo NAP 2023, one of the main activities on the climate change agenda. Its main objective is to highlight the importance of adaptation in a scenario of rising temperatures and extreme weather events. It also seeks to promote the exchange of experiences and foster partnerships between actors and stakeholders on advancing National Adaptation Plans (NAPs).
The Minister of Environment of Chile, Maisa Rojas, and other high-level authorities attended the event's opening. "This event provides us an opportunity to exchange experiences and foster cooperation between our countries to advance in national adaptation plans," stated Rojas
Also in attendance were the vice minister of Foreign Affairs of Chile, Gloria de la Fuente, the Executive Director of the Caribbean Community Climate Change Center, Colin Young, and the Deputy Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Ovais Sarmad, among others.
"This background underscores the importance of strengthening climate action and adaptation to climate change in the agricultural sector, and where mechanisms such as PLACA are fundamental, mainly because of their articulating role between the Ministries of Agriculture of our countries," said Hivy Ortiz, Coordinator of FAO's Sustainable and Resilient Agriculture Initiative.
The Platform for Climate Action in Agriculture
The Latin American and Caribbean region faces major agri-environmental threats and challenges, such as water scarcity and drought, soil degradation, biodiversity loss, deforestation, extreme events, and natural disasters.
PLACA, a regional collaboration mechanism that already involves 16 countries and six partner organizations, was created to address these challenges and, in particular, to strengthen regional climate action in agriculture. FAO and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) provide the secretariat of the Platform.
The PLACA session was attended by Martha Márquez, from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Colombia; María José Pizarro, Head of the Department of Sustainability and Climate Change of the Ministry of Agriculture of Chile; Angelina Espinoza, Head of Climate Change of the Office of Agricultural Studies and Policies (ODEPA) of the Ministry of Agriculture of Chile and Focal Point of the country to PLACA; and Jorge Vásquez, from the World Meteorological Organization.
FAO Agenda
During the NAP Expo, FAO highlighted how its actions, including its portfolio of projects in preparation for the Green Climate Fund National Adaptation Plans - valued at US$17.2 million - are scaling up adaptation and reducing the gender gap in agriculture. The Organization also shared the experience of projects such as the Climate Ambition for Improving Land Use and Agriculture (SCALA) project.
Rosalie Lehel, FAO Natural Resources Officer, led talks on how Kenya, Belize, and The Gambia strengthen gender considerations in adaptation planning and implementation, from increasing women's participation in community projects to appointing a gender champion in ministries to lead adaptation actions.
Another session delved into how Chile and Sudan are transforming adaptation into long-term actions, for example, by leveraging NAP preparation projects to generate data and develop vulnerability assessments in key sub-sectors. These provide the essential baseline information needed to implement the Plans.