Climate Smart Agriculture
The Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) approach addresses food security and climate change simultaneously, whilst contributing to greenhouse gas mitigation.
FAO advocates this integrated approach at the national level by supporting governments in the development of CSA approaches, providing policy-relevant evidence and tools, assisting in the design of national climate change adaptation plans, and supporting the 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
Climate-Smart Agriculture Sourcebook. Summary. Second Edition
2017
This sourcebook provides an overview of the second, digital edition of the Climate-Smart Agriculture Sourcebook. The new edition includes new findings,...
Cropping systems diversification to enhance productivity and adaptation to climate change. Malawi
2019
Widespread maize monocropping in Malawi exposes farmers to significant livelihood risk in the context of increasing climate variability. 36 percent...
Cropping systems diversification to enhance productivity and adaptation to climate change. Zambia
2019
Spatial disconnect between cropping system diversification and climate risk. In Zambia, farmers residing in areas with low and medium rainfall risk...
Cropping systems diversification to enhance productivity and adaptation to climate change. Mozambique
2019
Farmers in Mozambique are diversified, but subsistence-oriented. Thirty-seven percent of farmers in Mozambique grow a three crop system based on maize,...
The Ex-Ante Carbon-Balance Tool (EX-ACT)
2019
The Ex-Ante Carbon-balance Tool (EX-ACT) is an appraisal system developed by FAO providing estimates of the impact of agriculture and forestry development...
The dual threat of extreme weather and the COVID-19 crisis: Anticipating the impacts on food availability
2020
The COVID-19 pandemic is having a profound negative effect on the global economy and is occurring in the context of a rapidly changing climate. This...
Drought adaptation practices and profits in Sri Lanka’s rice sector: what is the missing link? FAO Agricultural Development Economics Policy Brief 22
2020
It is projected that climate change will affect rainfall patterns in South Asia and will contribute to a decline in water availability for rice cultivation...
Food systems transformation. Transforming agri-food systems using climate-smart approaches to build back better from the COVID-19 pandemic
2021
This action sheet is part of a series of action sheets developed under the seven key priority areas of the FAO COVID-19 Response and Recovery programme,...
Building climate-resilient dryland forests and agrosilvopastoral production systems. An approach for context-dependent economic, social and environmentally sustainable transformations
2021
With climate change impacts already felt in the world’s drylands, there is an urgent need for action, at various scales and initiated by different stakeholders,...
Leveraging social protection to advance climate-smart agriculture: evidence from Malawi. FAO Agricultural Development Economics Working Paper 21-04
2021
In many developing countries the adoption of climate sustainable practices is hindered by resource and risk barriers. This paper assesses the interactions...
Crops and climate change impact briefs. Crops and climate change impact briefs. Climate-smart agriculture for more sustainable, resilient, and equitable food systems.
2022
This series of technical briefs aims to provide a solid knowledge base for building or strengthening stakeholder capacities on climate-smart agriculture...
Climate-smart policies to enhance Egypt's agrifood system performance and sustainability
2023
Highly vulnerable to climate change, Egypt is being increasingly affected by heat waves that disrupt food security. Having tested climate smart agriculture...
Agrifood solutions to climate change - FAO's work to tackle the climate crisis
2023
Amid a worsening climate crisis and slow progress in cutting greenhouse gases, sustainable agrifood systems practices can help countries and communities...
Climate-Smart Agriculture Sourcebook
2013
This comprehensive sourcebook on climate-smart agriculture (CSA), produced by the Food and Agriculture Organisation, consists of eighteen modules covering...
Managing Climate Risk Using Climate-Smart Agriculture
2016
Since the effects of climate change are already being felt, incorporating adaptation into...
Climate-Smart Agriculture Guideline for the United Republic of Tanzania: A Country–Driven Response to Climate Change, Food and Nutrition Insecurity
2017
This guideline is an instructive tool that highlights key climate change and agricultural risks in the United Republic of Tanzania and provides information...
Ex-Ante Carbon-balance Tool for Value Chain (EX-ACT VC). Guidelines
2017
This manual explains how to use the EX-Ante Carbon-balance Tool for Value Chain (EX-ACT VC) and how to address a multi-impact appraisal in terms of...
Climate-Smart Agriculture Sourcebook. Second Edition
2018
This sourcebook provides an overview of the second, digital edition of the Climate-Smart Agriculture Sourcebook. The new edition includes new findings,...
Sustainable Development Goals
Our work on this theme primarily contributes to:
