This video showcases lessons learned about El Niño phenomenon identified and documented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The video was carried out by the Climate and Environment Division under the auspices of the new FAO Strategic Framework, for the Strategic Objective 5 “Increase the resilience of livelihoods to threats and crises”, in the context of the FAO project “Early action to protect the livelihoods of the most vulnerable households to agricultural drought in the Dry Corridor of Central America”.   

FAO, through its several specialized units, monitors the evolution of hazards and provides early indications and warnings on possible impacts on agriculture and food security. One such phenomenon is the periodic occurrence of El Niño. During El Niño episodes the normal patterns of tropical precipitation and atmospheric circulation are disrupted, hence triggering extreme climate events around the globe: droughts, floods and affecting the intensity and frequency of hurricanes. FAO monitors the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon, among other weather related hazards, with a special focus on the potential impacts on the agricultural sector. Agriculture is one of the main sectors that could be severely affected by El Niño phenomenon and having a preventive approach is key. In order to address this challenge, FAO focuses on knowledge, innovation and promotion of good practices.