Changements climatiques, sécurité alimentaire et petits producteurs

La présente note d’information donne un aperçu du point de vue de l’AR5 concernant les impacts des changements climatiques sur l’alimentation et l’agriculture – en particulier l’alimentation et l’agriculture du demi-milliard de petits exploitants agricoles, éleveurs et pêcheurs qui sont les plus tributaires, dans l’immédiat, des systèmes agricoles pour leurs moyens d’existence. La note d’information commence par faire l’état des lieux en ce qui concerne les changements climatiques dans les années 2010, jette ensuite un regard prospectif sur les 15 prochaines années eu égard aux impacts et à l’adaptation dans les années 2030, avant de se pencher enfin sur les années 2050 et au-delà

El cambio climático, la seguridad alimentaria y los pequeños productores

La presente nota informativa ofrece un panorama general de lo que se afirma en el AR5 sobre los efectos del cambio climático en la alimentación y la agricultura, y en particular, la alimentación y la agricultura de los 500 millones de pequeños agricultores y criadores de ganado, así como pescadores en pequeña escala, que dependen directamente de los sistemas agrícolas para su subsistencia. Se basa en dos fuentes conexas comprendidas en el resultado del Grupo de trabajo II en relación con el AR5: a) el capítulo 7, sobre seguridad alimentaria y sistemas de producción de alimentos, y b) el Resumen para responsables de políticas. El Grupo de trabajo II del IPCC se encarga de evaluar la vulnerabilidad de los sistemas socioeconómicos y naturales al cambio climático, los efectos negativos y positivos del mismo, y las opciones en materia de adaptación

Climate change, food security and small-scale producers: Analysis of findings of the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

Written in association with Pramod Aggarwal, Bruce Campbell, Edward Davey, Elwyn Grainger-Jones and Xiangjun YaoThis briefing note offers an overview of what the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) AR5 has to say on the impacts of climate change on food and farming – particularly the food and farming of the half a billion small-scale croppers, livestock keepers and fishers who are most immediately dependent on agricultural systems for their livelihoods. The briefing note starts with where we are at with climate change in the 2010s, then looks ahead 15 years to impacts and adaptation in the 2030s, before touching finally on the 2050s and beyond

Closing the gender gap in climate-smart agriculture

Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) has become a central concept shaping action and bringing together constituencies at the global level on agriculture and climate change. In essence, climate-smart agriculture pays explicit attention to how interventions in agriculture and food systems affect each of three key outcomes: food security, adaptation and mitigation (FAO 2013). The climate-smart agriculture movement is not prescriptive about how best to achieve these outcomes, nor how to manage the inevitable trade-offs – the idea is that locally appropriate priorities and solutions will be generated. A key question arises as to the winners and losers from these processes, in terms of gender as well as other social dimensions, and whether climate-smart agriculture help transform agriculture and rural development in ways that achieve major gains for gender equity

Investing in on-farm and post-harvest resilience to climate change in smallholder value chains: Lessons from Rwanda

This study assessed intermediate results of an investment intended to support climate change adaptation and resilience-building among farmers’ cooperatives in Rwanda. The assessment was based on a purposive sampling survey of farmers’ perspectives conducted in sites in 10 programme intervention districts of the country’s 30 districts. Assessed interventions included the enhancing of farmer-access, quality and utilization of climate information services; onfarm participatory trials of climate-smart crop and forage varieties; and climate-smart harvest and post-harvest support for infrastructural development at “HUBs” for shared post-harvest storage and marketing. Interventions included the capacity development among farmers’ organizations to access funding from commercial lending for integrating climate-smart features in warehouse construction and in other post-harvest infrastructure. Demonstration infrastructures were also constructed by a funding arrangement between the programme, local government structures and farmers’ organizations. Farmers’ perspectives indicated appreciation of the value of and need for the (yet to be available) weather information. Farmers understood weather information that includes seasonal advisories to be of higher quality than daily weather forecasts. Farmer-scientist participatory on-farm trials were successful in identifying potato and maize varieties that met both climate-resilience and other farmer-defined criteria. However, the applied method for forage trails did not indicate satisfactory yield levels, nor did it generate farmer confidence. The assessment revealed resounding farmers’ approval for climate-smart infrastructure demonstrations. Misgivings were, however, indicated by farmers and their organizational leaders on the efficiency and effectiveness of the capacity development mechanism for commercial lending access to finance climate-smart requirements

Working with farmers for agricultural innovation and climate adaptation

The CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), in common with other CGIAR research programs, understands that farmers are at the centre of agricultural innovation and adaptation. This publication describes some of the many ways in which CCAFS works with farmers and farmers’ organizations to solve problems generated by climate change. Recognizing the importance of participatory knowledge systems involving farmers, scientists, and other stakeholders in responding effectively to climate change, this document seeks to provide an overview of the many ways CCAFS collaborations with farming communities work in practice – and how this can serve as a springboard for more effective dialogue and planning, leading ultimately to better outcomes for farming in a climate-constrained world

A rough estimate of the proportion of global emissions from agriculture due to smallholders

Smallholders in developing countries produce, on a very rough estimate, 5% of total global greenhouse gas emissions. This figure includes emissions due to both agriculture and land use change for agriculture. Mitigation actions in smallholder agriculture now could support farm livelihoods and more sustainable agriculture in the long run, but should only be introduced where they have the potential to advance rather than constrain rural development outcomes

Ten principles for effective AR4D programs

Effective agricultural research for development (AR4D) faces many challenges that are exacerbated under climate change. Effective behaviours by AR4D programs may drive the likelihood and quality of positive outcomes when working with partners.Explicit principles about effective behaviours can improve AR4D theories of change and enhance achievement of outcomes. Internal learning over four years of CCAFS implementation suggests ten principles to guide the program and explore which behaviours are most effective

Measuring Progress Towards the WBCSD Statement of Ambition on Climate-Smart Agriculture: Improving Businesses’ Ability to Trace, Measure and Monitor CSA

At the Paris climate summit in 2015, the World Business Council on Sustainable Development (WBCSD) announced a set of 2030 ambitions under the three pillars of climate smart agriculture (CSA), namely productivity, resilience and mitigation. Based on work under WBCSD’s workstream to improve businesses’ ability to trace, measure and monitor CSA, this working paper provides (a) a simple framework, (b) sets of recommended indicators, and (c) a stock-take of the current status of CSA progress under each of the three pillars, both globally and among WBCSD member companies. The purpose is to inform future monitoring and reporting on CSA among member companies, both individually and collectively. For pillar 1, productivity, we are exceeding targets for global food production. However, we have less information on whether this food is nutritious, available and affordable, or whether we are achieving higher productivity per unit of input, and sustainable use of resources, not just higher production. For pillar 2, resilience, there is insufficient company or global data to monitor the resilience and welfare of agricultural communities and landscapes under climate change. A high priority is collection of activity data on provision and adoption of positive environmental (e.g. agroecological) and social (e.g. climate information and financial) approaches among farmers. For pillar 3, mitigation, we are falling behind targets for agricultural and food system emissions. While there have been some impressive improvements in emissions intensity for some foods and beverages, increasing levels of production mean that absolute emissions are rising. This early snapshot of progress can hopefully stimulate shared learning and renewed investment, ahead of future collective reporting by WBCSD

How can we develop value chain programs that address climate risks?

The “How To Do Note: Climate change risk assessments in value chain projects” provides guidance for the design and development of climate-smart value chains. A number of tools and resources are available to support decision makers at various stages in value chain development. Mainstreaming climate risk management approaches in different stages of value chain development helps increase resilience of smallholder farmers. The IFAD-CCAFS learning alliance generates and shares knowledge to support IFAD’s programming needs