A compendium of Technologies, Practices, Services and Policies for Scaling Climate Smart Agriculture in Odisha (India)

Stakeholders engaged in agricultural research for development (AR4D) are increasingly tackling risks associated with climate change in smallholder systems. Accordingly, development and scaling of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) are one of the priorities for all the organizations, departments and ministries associated with the farm sector. Having a ‘one-stop-shop’ compiled in the format of a compendium for CSA technologies, practices and services would therefore serve a guide for all the stakeholders for scaling CSA in smallholder systems. Bringing out a Compendium on Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) for Odisha, India was therefore thought of during the workshop on ‘Scaling Climate-Smart Agriculture in Odisha’ organized at Bhubaneswar on 18-19 July 2018 by International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in collaboration with Department of Agriculture (DoA) & Farmers’ Empowerment, Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Rice Research Institute (ICAR-NRRI), Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) & International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) under the aegis of CGIAR Research program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS). The main objectives to bring forth this compendium are: to argue the case for agriculture policies and practices that are climate-smart; to raise awareness of what can be done to make agriculture policies and practices climatesmart; and to provide practical guidance and recommendations that are well referenced and, wherever possible, based on lessons learned from practical action. CSA programmes are unlikely to be effective unless their implementation is supported by sound policies and institutions. It is therefore important to enhance institutional capacities in order to implement and replicate CSA strategies. Institutions are vital to agricultural development as well as the realisation of resilient livelihoods.They are not only a tool for farmers and decision-makers, but are also the main conduit through which CSA practices can be scaled up and sustained. The focus in this compendium is on CSA and it’s relevant aspects, i.e., (i) technologies and practices, (ii) services, (iii) technology targeting, (iv) business models, (v) capacity building, and (vi) policies. The approaches and tools available in the compendium span from face-to-face technicianfarmer dialogues to more structured exchanges of online and offline e-learning. In every scenario it is clear that tailoring to local expectations and needs is key. In particular, the voice of farmers is essential to be captured as they are the key actors to promote sustainable agriculture, and their issues need to be prioritized. CSA practices are expected to sustainably increase productivity and resilience (adaptation), reduce Greenhouse Gases (mitigation), and enhance achievement of national food security along with sustainable development goals. CSA is widely expected to contribute towards achieving these objectives and enhance climate change adaptation. CSA practices have to be included in State’s Climate Policy as a priority intervention as the state steps up efforts to tackle climate change. Furthermore, emphasis shoud be laid on CSA training for a sustainable mode to enhance CSA adoption in the state hence the relevance of developing this document. The adaption of climate related knowledge, technologies and practices to local conditions, promoting joint learning by farmers, researchers, rural advisor and widely disseminating CSA practices, is critical. This compendium brings together a collection of experiences from different stakeholders with background of agricultural extension and rural advisory services in supporting CSA. The contributions are not intended to be state-of-the art academic articles but thought and discussion pieces of work in progress. The compendium itself is a ‘living‘ document which is intended to be revised periodically

Bioengineered Textiles and Nonwovens – the convergence of bio-miniaturisation and electroactive conductive polymers for assistive healthcare, portable power and design-led wearable technology

Today, there is an opportunity to bring together creative design activities to exploit the responsive and adaptive ‘smart’ materials that are a result of rapid development in electro, photo active polymers or OFEDs (organic thin film electronic devices), bio-responsive hydrogels, integrated into MEMS/NEMS devices and systems respectively. Some of these integrated systems are summarised in this paper, highlighting their use to create enhanced functionality in textiles, fabrics and non-woven large area thin films. By understanding the characteristics and properties of OFEDs and bio polymers and how they can be transformed into implementable physical forms, innovative products and services can be developed, with wide implications. The paper outlines some of these opportunities and applications, in particular, an ambient living platform, dealing with human centred needs, of people at work, people at home and people at play. The innovative design affords the accelerated development of intelligent materials (interactive, responsive and adaptive) for a new product & service design landscape, encompassing assistive healthcare (smart bandages and digital theranostics), ambient living, renewable energy (organic PV and solar textiles), interactive consumer products, interactive personal & beauty care (e-Scent) and a more intelligent built environment

What is systemic innovation?

The term ‘systemic innovation’ is increasing in use. However, there is no consensus on its meaning: four different ways of using the term can be identified in the literature. Most people simply define it as a type of innovation where value can only be derived when the innovation is synergistically integrated with other complementary innovations, going beyond the boundaries of a single organization. Therefore, the term ‘systemic’ refers to the existence of a co-ordinated innovation system. A second, less frequent use of the term makes reference to the development of policies and governance at a local, regional or national scale to create an enabling environment for the above kind of synergistic, multi-organizational innovations. Here, ‘systemic’ means recognition that innovation systems can be enabled and/or constrained by a meta-level policy system. The third use of the term, which is growing in popularity, says that an innovation is ‘systemic’ when its purpose is to change the fundamental nature of society; for instance, to deliver on major transitions concerning ecological sustainability. What makes this systemic is acknowledgement of the existence of a systems hierarchy (systems nested within each other): innovation systems are parts of economic systems, which are parts of societal systems, and all societies exist on a single planetary ecological system. Collaboration is required across organizational and national boundaries to change the societal laws and norms that govern economic systems, which will place new enablers and constraints on innovations systems in the interests of sustainability. The fourth use of the term ‘systemic innovation’ concerns how the people acting to bring about an innovation engage in a process to support systemic thinking, and it is primarily this process and the thinking it gives rise to that is seen as systemic rather than the innovation system that they exist within or are trying to create. It is this fourth understanding of ‘systemic’ that accords with most of the literature on systems thinking published between the late 1970s and the present day. The paper offers an overview of what systems thinkers mean by ‘systemic’, and this not only enables us to provide a redefinition of ‘systemic innovation’, but it also helps to show how all three previous forms of innovation that have been described as systemic can be enhanced by the practice of systems thinking

Climate Transition Risk, Climate Sentiments, and Financial Stability in a Stock-Flow Consistent approach

It is increasingly recognized that banks might not be pricing adequately climate risks in the value of their loans contracts. This represents a barrier to scale up the green investments needed to align the economy to sustainability and to preserve financial stability. To overcome this barrier, climate-aligned policies, such as a revision of the microprudential banking framework (for example a Green Supporting Factor (GSF)), and the introduction of stable green fiscal policies (for example a Carbon Tax (CT )), have been advocated. However, understanding the conditions under which a GSF or a CT could represent an opportunity for scaling up green investments, while preventing trade-offs on risk for financial stability, is still insufficient. We contribute to fill this knowledge gap threefold. First, we analyse the risk transmission channels from climate-aligned policies, a GSF and a CT, to the credit market and the real economy via loans contracts. Second, we assess the reinforcing feedbacks leading to cascading macro-financial shocks. Third, we consider how banks could react to the policies, i.e., their climate sentiments. In this regard, we embed for the first- time banks climate sentiments, modelled as a non-linear adaptive forecasting function into a Stock-Flow Consistent model that represents agents and sectors of the real economy and the credit market as a network of interconnected balance sheets. Our results suggest that the GSF is not sufficient to effectively scale up green investments via a change in lending conditions to green firms. In contrast, the CT could shift the bank's loans and the green/brown firms' investments towards the green sector. Nevertheless, it could imply short-term negative transition effects on GDP growth and financial stability, according to how the policy is implemented. Finally, our results show that bank's anticipation of a climate-aligned policy, through stronger climate sentiments, could smooth the risk for financial stability and foster green investments. Thus, our results contribute to understand the conditions for the onset and the mitigation of climate-related financial risks and opportunities.Series: Ecological Economic Paper

Green Planet Architecture - A Methodology for Self-Sustainable Distributed Renewable Energy Ecosystems

Our planet has been endowed with a host of natural mechanisms to keep the environment and climate in balance. Humans are now facing the need to restore this balance that has been upset in the past years because of a growing population and resource demands. To steer dependency away from freshwater crops and decrease environmental damage from humanity s fuel and energy demands, it is necessary to take advantage of the natural adaptive biomass resources that are already in place. Using methods of Green Planet Architecture, based on compilations of current research and procedures, could lead to new forms of energy and fueling as well as new sources for food and feed. Green Planet Architecture involves climatic adaptive biomass; geospatial intelligence; agri- and aqua-culture life cycles; and soil, wetland, and shoreline restoration. Plants such as Salicornia, seashore mallow, castor, mangroves, and perhaps Moringa can be modified (natural, model-assisted, or genetically modified) to thrive in salt-water and brackish water or otherwise not arable conditions, making them potentially new crops that will not displace traditional farming. These fueling sources also have potential to be used in other rapid-growth industries, such as the aviation industry, that have incentive to move towards more sustainable fuel supplies. This paper highlights an example of how synergistic development of biomass resources and geospatial intelligence high-performance computing capabilities can be focused to resolve potential drought-famine problems. These techniques, provide a basis for future e-science-based discovery (and access) through technology that can be expanded to support global societal applications

The Role of Carbon Credits on Farmers’ Adoption of Climate-Smart Practices in South Dakota

Net-zero pledges and carbon credit systems have gained momentum due to the growing urgency to address climate change and limit global warming to below 2°C above preindustrial levels. Agricultural carbon credits can be a potentially win-win mechanism by providing extra income for farmers while helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Nevertheless, there is a paucity of understanding about farmers’ willingness to accept carbon credit incentives and adopt climate-smart practices that sequester carbon. To address this, we analyzed 309 responses from a South Dakota producer survey conducted in 2021. We estimated probit and interval regression models to ascertain the level of carbon credit incentives farmers are willing to accept and adopt climate-smart practices and the factors affecting farmers’ willingness to accept carbon credit incentives, and based on our results, about half of farmers would consider adopting climate-smart practices to sequester carbon at a given carbon credit price of about $50/ton. The results indicate that farmers’ perceptions of the co-benefits of climate-smart practices such as reduced soil erosion, reduced nutrient runoff, enhanced wildlife habitat, etc., positively affect their willingness to accept carbon credit incentives and adopt climate-smart practices. Also, farmer previous experience with weather extremes had a significant but mixed effect on their willingness to accept carbon credit incentives and adopt climate-smart practices. Other factors, such as the younger age of the farmer, higher gross sales, a higher slope of land, and the importance of webinars and SDSU extension service as information sources, make the farmer more likely to adopt the practices at a given carbon credit value. We suggest that besides financial incentives, higher adoption rates of climate-smart practices might be realized if carbon credit payments are accompanied by information dissemination on the co-benefits of climate-smart practices such as reduced soil erosion, reduced nutrient runoff, enhanced wildlife habitat, and climate change adaptability via university extension programs and webinars

Practical lessons on scaling up smallholder-inclusive and sustainable cassava value chains in Africa

Developing more inclusive and sustainable agricultural value chains at scale is a development priority. The ‘Cassava: Adding Value for Africa’ project has supported the development of value chains for high quality cassava flour (HQCF) in Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria, and Malawi to improve the incomes and livelihoods of smallholder households, including women. The project focused on three key interventions: 1) ensuring a consistent supply of raw materials; 2) developing viable intermediaries as secondary processors or bulking agents; and 3) driving market demand. Scaling-up experiences are presented, guided by an analysis of drivers (ideas/models, vision and leadership, incentives and accountability), the enabling context (institutions, infrastructure, technology, financial, policy and regulations, partnerships and leverage, social context, environment), and the monitoring, evaluation, and learning process. Lessons for scaling up of similar value chain interventions are presented. These highlight the tension between rapid development of value chains and achieving equity and sustainability goals; the need for holistic approaches to capacity strengthening of diverse value chain actors; the role of strengthening equitable business relationships and networks as a vital element of scaling processes; and how informed engagement with government policy and regulatory issues is key, but often challenging given conflicting pressures on policymakers. The scaling process should be market-led, but the level and type of public sector and civil society investment needs careful consideration by donors, governments, and others, in particular less visible investments in fostering relationships and trust. Addressing uncertainties around smallholder-inclusive value chain development requires adaptive management and facilitation of the scaling process

Broadacre farmers adapting to a changing climate

Abstract Data on the financial performance of a diverse set of 249 farm businesses in south-western Australia over the period 2002 to 2011 was collated and analysed.  These 10 years were a period of challenging weather years, underpinned by a warming and drying trend in the region’s climate, frost events and marked price volatility.Based on a range of metrics, almost two-thirds (64%) of the farms in the sample were classed as growing or strong. A less secure group of farms that are at some potential financial risk formed 15% of the farm sample. Over the study period farm profitability, on average, improved, supported by productivity growth, in spite of no underlying improvement in the farmers’ terms of trade.  Productivity improvement allowed most farm businesses, especially crop and mixed enterprise farm businesses, to prosper.  The pathway to their profitability was not so much by investing in new technologies that may have shifted outwards farms’ production possibilities, but rather through better use of existing technologies, including technologies that offered scale economies. Also farmers’ shift into greater dependence on cropping, especially wheat production, was shown to be a sensible and successful adaptation strategy in many regions of south-western Australia, particularly the northern grainbelt.The unique and particular characteristics of each farm business were the main determinant of their business success.  However, a few generalisations apply.  Due to seasonal and market conditions during the study period more farms in the northern parts of the grainbelt in south-western Australia fared better.  Also farmers whose businesses grew strongly over the study period on average displayed superior management capabilities and choices in many areas of farm management.  In addition, these farmers were often more connected to their local community and achieved greater work-life balance.We conclude that as long as broadacre farmers in south-western Australia have on-going access to improved crop varieties and technologies that support the profitable growing of crops, especially wheat; and that they have access to farm management and business education then farmers are likely to be able to adapt to projected climate change.  Provided that a farmer’s terms of trade does not become unduly adverse, and that farmers sensibly manage farm debt, then it seems highly likely that farmers who continue to rely on crop production, mostly wheat-growing, will persist as financially sound businesses in most parts of the study region, even in the face of projected climate change.Please cite this report as:Kingwell, R, Anderton, L, Islam, N, Xayavong, V, Wardell-Johnson, A, Feldman, D, Speijers, J 2013 Broadacre farmers adapting to a changing climate, National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility, Gold Coast. pp.171.Data on the financial performance of a diverse set of 249 farm businesses in south-western Australia over the period 2002 to 2011 was collated and analysed.  These 10 years were a period of challenging weather years, underpinned by a warming and drying trend in the region’s climate, frost events and marked price volatility.Based on a range of metrics, almost two-thirds (64%) of the farms in the sample were classed as growing or strong. A less secure group of farms that are at some potential financial risk formed 15% of the farm sample. Over the study period farm profitability, on average, improved, supported by productivity growth, in spite of no underlying improvement in the farmers’ terms of trade.  Productivity improvement allowed most farm businesses, especially crop and mixed enterprise farm businesses, to prosper.  The pathway to their profitability was not so much by investing in new technologies that may have shifted outwards farms’ production possibilities, but rather through better use of existing technologies, including technologies that offered scale economies. Also farmers’ shift into greater dependence on cropping, especially wheat production, was shown to be a sensible and successful adaptation strategy in many regions of south-western Australia, particularly the northern grainbelt.The unique and particular characteristics of each farm business were the main determinant of their business success.  However, a few generalisations apply.  Due to seasonal and market conditions during the study period more farms in the northern parts of the grainbelt in south-western Australia fared better.  Also farmers whose businesses grew strongly over the study period on average displayed superior management capabilities and choices in many areas of farm management.  In addition, these farmers were often more connected to their local community and achieved greater work-life balance.We conclude that as long as broadacre farmers in south-western Australia have on-going access to improved crop varieties and technologies that support the profitable growing of crops, especially wheat; and that they have access to farm management and business education then farmers are likely to be able to adapt to projected climate change.  Provided that a farmer’s terms of trade does not become unduly adverse, and that farmers sensibly manage farm debt, then it seems highly likely that farmers who continue to rely on crop production, mostly wheat-growing, will persist as financially sound businesses in most parts of the study region, even in the face of projected climate change

Against the Odds: The Potential of Swarm Electrification for Small Island Development States

The paper builds on earlier observations using system complexity theory to explain the characteristics of a swarm electrification approach using existing small, distributed renewable energy generation infrastructure integrated into a grid. The concept is based on swarm intelligence where information and electricity flow between neighbors to achieve a compounding network effect, in that they are linked together to form a microgrid but at the same time showing a high degree of resilience as each node/ household can also operate independently. The paper contrasts this approach with traditional stand-alone and minigrid systems in small island development states using the multi-tier framework of measuring energy access and taking into account the particularities that these have, especially with regards to infrastructure and geography. The authors make use of qualitative and quantitative results from first practical applications of swarm electrification in Bangladesh