New methodology on climate technology uptake piloted in Morocco
With funding from the EBRD and input from the International Energy Agency, FAO developed a methodology that guides countries and investors in assessing the market penetration of diverse climate technologiesin the agrifood sector, as well as relevant policy and investment opportunities. FAO tested the tool in Morocco, a water-scarce country strongly committed to tackling the impacts of climate change.
Globally, the agrifood sector contributes to over 20 percent of total annual greenhouse gas emissions – a percentage expected to rise as demand for animal-based foods increases. But the agrifood sector has excellent potential to be part of the solution, with several technologies aimed at shrinking the sector’s footprint already on the market. The challenge is finding the right fit for these technologies and identifying opportunities for their quick implementation.
“Better data and analysis are urgently needed to help us make smarter investments in energy efficiency, renewable energy and climate resilience,” said Gianpiero Nacci, Associate Director of the EBRD’s Energy Efficiency and Climate Change team. “This tool helps us achieve this objective.”
In Morocco, FAO evaluated and ranked 12 climate technologies, drawing on the expertise of five FAO divisions.
Their findings, published in a study, identified conservation agriculture as one of the most promising options. The study has attracted considerable interest thanks to the quality of its analysis and comprehensiveness. It also gives the Government a valuable starting point to identify incentives to make the country’s agriculture sector more environmentally friendly.
The pilot project in Morocco recommended setting up an ‘Open Innovation Platform’ to encourage information exchange on technical, policy and financial issues related to the use of clean technologies in the agrifood sector – including stories from agribusiness companies that have successfully switched to those technologies.
FAO and the EBRD are working on similar studies in Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic to analyse options for investing in climate technologies and tapping into existing climate finance mechanisms to advance climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts.
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