Climate-smart agriculture
The world population is expected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050. To feed this population, food production must increase by an estimated 70 percent. Agriculture is key to addressing these challenges. At the same time, agriculture must adapt to climate change and help mitigate climate impacts.
The Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) approach simultaneously addresses food security and climate change, while contributing to greenhouse gas mitigation.
FAO advocates this integrated approach at the national level by supporting governments in developing CSA approaches, providing policy-relevant evidence and tools, assisting in the design of national climate change adaptation plans, and supporting access to climate finance.
At the international level, FAO provides policy advice to inter-governmental processes (e.g. UNFCCC) and plays a unique role in raising awareness of the importance of agriculture in achieving food security under the new realities of climate change and population pressure.
Key messages
A CSA approach to agricultural policy making can be a major driver to achieve this.
It provides the means for integrating the specificities of adaptation and mitigation into sustainable agricultural development policies, programmes and investments.
As such, they require a process of analysis and consultation to identify what will work in which context to sustainably improve food security.
It capitalizes on potential synergies, reduces trade-offs and optimizes the use of natural resources and ecosystem services.
Mediating key trade-offs and enhancing synergies between the principles of sustainable agriculture and their associated indicators implies iterative processes of bargaining between different actors and sectors, and active coalition building. Governance arrangements that facilitate effective and inclusive dialogue between stakeholders, including governments, private sector and civil society, and make a concerted effort to ensure that the voices of the poor and marginalised are heard, are critical for sustainable agriculture.
Featured resources
Understanding climate-smart agriculture
FAO Policy Series: Climate-smart agriculture
06/07/2016
Romina Cavatassi and Aslihan Arslan, Natural Resource Economists of the FAO Agricultural Development Economics Division explain how Climate Smart Agriculture...
Sustainable Development Goals
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