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Climate-smart agriculture: options for practices and systems

Sonja Vermeulen Head of Research

CGIAR Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security www.ccafs.cgiar.org

Climate-Smart Agriculture Online Learning Event FAO 13–27 May 2014

www.fao.org/climatechange/micca/79527

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CSA options involve farms,

landscapes, food systems

and services

landscape

crops

livestock

fish

food system

services

Photo: N. Palmer, CIAT

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CSA options for landscapes

landscape

Ensure close links between practice and policy (e.g. land use zoning)

Manage livestock & wildlife over

wide areas

Increase cover of trees and perennials

Restore degraded wetlands, peatlands,

grasslands and watersheds

Create diversity of land uses

Harvest floods & manage

groundwater

Address coastal

salinity & sea surges

Protect against large-scale erosion

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Led by Example: Sustainable land management in Ethiopia

Photos: W. Bewket, AAU

190,000 ha rehabilitated 98,000 households benefit Cut-and-carry feed for

livestock 380,000 m3 waterways 900,000 m3 compost

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CSA options for crops & fields

crops

Crop diversification and “climate-ready” species

and cultivars

Altering cropping patterns & planting

dates

Better soil and nutrient management e.g. erosion control and micro-dosing

Improved water use efficiency (irrigation

systems, water micro-harvesting)

Monitoring & managing new trends in pests and diseases

Agroforestry, intercropping &

on-farm biodiversity

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Example: Alternate-Wetting-and-Drying (AWD) in Vietnam

30% water

25-50% emissions

lower costs for farmers same yields better food security

• Keep flooded for first 15 days and at flowering

• Irrigate when water drops to 15 cm below the surface

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CSA options for livestock

livestock

High-quality diets that increase conversion

efficiency and reduce emissions

Herd management e.g. sale or slaughter at

different ages

Changing patterns of pastoralism and use of

water points

Livestock diversification and “climate-ready” species and breeds

Improved pasture

management

Use of human food waste for pigs & chickens

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Led by Example: Forest land use and cattle management in Brazil

Photo: N. Palmer, CIAT

45% higher stocking density no increase in pasture area better pasture quality 40% reduction in emissions agriculture decoupled from

deforestation

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CSA options for fisheries

& aquaculture

fish

Better physical defences against

sea surges

Quota schemes matched to

monitoring of fish stocks

Greater energy efficiency in harvesting

Rehabilitation of mangroves &

breeding grounds

Less dependence of aquaculture on marine fish feed

Reducing losses and wastage

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Photo: Government of China

Example: Integrated mollusc and finfish aquaculture in China

net carbon sink

(0.04 tonnes per hectare)

diversified food supply

energy use & costs

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CSA options for food systems

food system

More creative and efficient use of by-products

Less energy-intensity in

fertilizer production

Improving resilience of infrastructure for storage & transport (e.g. roads, ports)

Changing diets

Greater attention to food safety

Reducing post-harvest losses &

consumer wastage

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Led by Example: “Love Food Hate Waste” in United Kingdom

13 % less household food waste consumers saving $4 billion

national water footprint down 4% 3.6 million tonnes CO2eq less per year

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CSA options for services

services

Monitoring & data for food

security, climate & ecosystems

Early warning systems & weather forecasts

Mobile phone, radio & other extension or

information for farmers

Research that links farmers &

science

Weather insurance &

micro-finance

Financial transfers & other “safety nets” for

climate shocks

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Led by Example: Seasonal weather forecasts in Senegal

3 million farmers get forecasts 70 community radio stations better food security outcomes

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In summary,

climate-smart agriculture options are:

Often based on proven low-cost practices

Achievable at large scale

Best if integrated, not applied one by one

Vital for future food supplies

Already in the hands of farmers, businesses and

governments

Thank you! www.ccafs.cgiar.org

Twitter: @cgiarclimate