Climate change adaptation in Latin America and the Caribbean: CGIAR research

Climate change adaptation in Latin America and the Caribbean: CGIAR research

Rodomiro Ortiz (CIMMYT, on behalf of CGIAR)

Regional Consultation Meeting on the Development of the Global Climate Change Network in Latin America and the CaribbeanUNEP, 18-19 May 2009, Mexico City, Mexico

Rodomiro Ortiz (CIMMYT, on behalf of CGIAR)

Regional Consultation Meeting on the Development of the Global Climate Change Network in Latin America and the CaribbeanUNEP, 18-19 May 2009, Mexico City, Mexico

The Centers of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research

Some approaches in CGIAR climate change agenda

Better forecasts, policy options: provide local and regional information that combines forecasting knowledge with expertise in farming systems

Developing climate-ready crops capable of withstanding increased temperatures, drought, and flooding

More efficient use of resources: improving farmers’ ability to use water efficiently and to better manage fragile soils essential to adapt to the shocks of climate change

Impact of Climate Change

At least US$ 7 billion per year in additional funding is required to finance the research, rural infrastructure, and irrigation investments needed to offset the negative effects of climate change on human well-being The mix of investments differs by region: Sub-Saharan Africa requires the greatest overall investment and a greater share of investments in roads, Latin America in agricultural research, and Asia in irrigation efficiency

Source: Nelson, G.C. et al. 2009. Climate Change Impact on Agriculture and Costs of Adaptation. IFPRI, Washington D.C. http://www.ifpri.org/sites/default/files/publications/pr21.pdf

Daily per capita availability

Source: Nelson, G.C. et al. 2009. Climate Change Impact on Agriculture and Costs of Adaptation. IFPRI, Washington D.C. http://www.ifpri.org/sites/default/files/publications/pr21.pdf

Sector analysis: Colombia

50-60% farmers (about 70% of the agricultural work) are smallholders

Agriculture accounts ~50% of national GHG emissions (Colombia accounts 0.37% of global GHG emissions)

28.6% of agricultural products from above 1200 m

Permanent crops (66.4% GDP) will be severely affected

Source: Andrew Jarvis, CIAT, personal communication

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Cambio en ppt mayor 3%

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Evaluating technology options: cassava improvement

Grey areas would get no benefit from drought or flood tolerance.

Blue areas benefit from drought tolerance improvement

Purple areas benefit from flood tolerance improvement

An international SGRP initiative hosted by Bioversity International

Goal

“To enhance the

sustainable management

and use of agrobiodiversity

for meeting human needs

by improving our

knowledge of all its

different aspects”

A new project undertaken by the Platform for Agrobiodiversity Research and partners

Improve the information available to researchers and others on use of agrobiodiversity to help cope with climate change

Identify some key characteristics of production systems around the world where agrobiodiversity is likely to be particularly important for coping with climate change

Explore ways of improving access to, and availability of, new crop diversity from ex situ genebanks to rural communities and indigenous peoples

Example: Working with indigenous peoples in Bolivia and Sarawak together with PROINPA and the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre

Source: Toby Hodgkin, Bioversity International, personal communication

Genetic dissection of drought tolerance at CIMMYT

10 segregating populations

F2/3, F3/4 and RIL families / hybrids

Mexico, Zimbabwe, Kenya

30 stress environments

About 350 morphological traits

About 70 physiological parameters

About 3,000 QTL data pointsSource: M. Bänziger et al., CIMMYT

CIMMYT heat-tolerance screening (leaf chlorophyll content - LCC) for 2,225 wheat landraces (Reynolds et al. 1999)

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Low LCC

High LCC

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Cropping systems ID {“hot spots”}

Passport data analysis of accessions from heat-stress prone areas (GIS tools)

Characterization data available from thermo-screening

Multi-site testing temperature data and crop performance or any other assessment

Modeling “heat impacts” on crops in target population of environments

Germplasm enhancement by design

Guided- crop physiology H0 testing (leading to defining ideotypes for crop breeding)

Temperature component fine-tuning in crop modelsInstrumentation from remote sensing to trait recording

in the experimental fields or greenhousesMolecular trait analysis – reverse geneticsAllele discovery, comparative biology (synteny) Cross-breeding targeting “hot spots”

MAIN OUTPUT: Genetically-enhanced seed-embedded technology (GESET) to “beat the heat” and water stresses

Conservation agriculture: saving resources and money

Conservation agriculture includes minimal soil disturbance, retaining an adequate cover of crop residues, and use of economically viable crop rotations

Conservation tillage leads to net savings of diesel use per hectare, greatly reduces water use, and lower CO2 emissions

Resource conserving technology practices provide a better soil cover, moderate soil temperatures, and reduce the evaporation of irrigation water

N2O a potent greenhouse gas generated through use of manure or N fertilizer

Reduced emissions (50% less) possible in intensive irrigated wheat systems by proper amounts and timing of N applications.

Use of infrared sensor to measure yield potential as plants grow

Normalized Differential Vegetative Index (NVDI)

Reducing emissions of nitrous oxide

Source: I. Ortiz-Monasterio, CIMMYT

Climate change in the Semi-Arid Tropics

Source: D. Hoisington, ICRISAT, personal communication

The innovation paradigm in agriculture

Impacts =

[Info, Knowledge, Technology] Agro-

Ecosystems

Management Policy Institutions

People indicates multiplicative interactions

The CGIAR Challenge Program on Climate Change, Food Security and Agriculture

A CGIAR-Earth System Science Partnership joint undertaking with other partners

Further information

CGIAR Climate Change Challenge Program: Bruce Campbell, Director, CGIAR Challenge Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security, b.campbell@cgiar.org

Agro-biodiversity: Marleni Ramírez, Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Bioversity International, m.ramirez@cgiar.org

Agro-forestry: Tony Simons, Deputy-Director General, World Agroforestry Center, t.simons@cgiar.org

Arid Zones: Marteen van Ginkel, Deputy-Director General of Research, ICARDA; m.vanginkel@cgiar.org

Fishery: Patrick Dugan, Deputy-Director General, WorldFish Center, p.dugan@cgiar.org Food Policy: Mark Rosegrant, Director for Environment and Production Technology, IFPRI,

m.rosegrant@cgiar.orgForestry: Robert Nasi, Program Director, CIFOR, r.nasi@cgiar.org Livestock: John McDermott, Deputy Director General, ILRI, j.mcdermott@cgiar.org Maize, wheat (incl. conservation agriculture in respective cropping systems): Marianne

Bänziger, Deputy-Director General for Research & Partnerships, CIMMYT, m.banziger@cgiar.org

Potato, sweetpotato, Andes: Charles Crissman, Deputy-Director General, CIP, cip-ddg@cgiar.org

Semi-Arid Tropics: David Hoisington, Deputy-Director General of Research, ICRISAT; d.hoisington@cgiar.org

Tropical agriculture (including bean-, cassava-, forage-, fruit- and rice- cropping systems): Andrew Jarvis, Program Leader on Decision and Policy Analysis, CIAT, a.jarvis@cgiar.org

Water: David Molden, Deputy-Director General, IWMI, d.molden@cgiar.org