Re-posted from CGIAR research program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security
The debate on agriculture in UN climate change negotiations is shifting from setting the agenda towards building consensus on an action plan. The Agriculture Advantage 2.0 event series at COP24 seeks to inform priorities for action.
The theme of agriculture inhabits a growing space within UN climate negotiations, for instance through the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture. Actors involved in the climate negotiations have started to recognize the importance of agriculture in addressing climate change adaptation and mitigation, and the necessity of discussing this issue on an international platform.Last year, an alliance of organizations active in the agriculture sector connected with negotiators and national and international organizations through an event series on the potential for adaptation and mitigation in and through agriculture during COP23. In its second iteration, Agriculture Advantage 2.0, the series builds on last year's experiences, emphasizing the need to move from agenda setting to action.
A system-wide transformation needs to… leverage finance
''One of the key ingredients for scaling up CSA is unlocking finance by de-risking agriculture."
Godefroy Grosjean, Asia Climate Policy Hub Leader & Climate Policy Expert, CIATIn order to leverage finance, one way forward is to bring international and national funders together to get a clear idea of what is needed for effective adaptation and mitigation in agriculture. Policy actors need to remove institutional barriers to trigger policy advantages and investment advantages simultaneously. Investments are urgently needed, as an estimated USD 205 billion investment is necessary to achieve adaptation to climate change in the agricultural sector.
This need, however, does not have to be a burden. By better understanding the advantages of food system finance, system elements such as soil or climate-smart agriculture be an opportunity for economic wealth in additional to ecological and social wealth.
… be differentiated
''This is truly a story where one size fits all is not going to work. We need to think about differentiated pathways for different types of farmers to improve their livelihoods and climate-smartness.''
Ana Maria Loboguerro, Head of Global Policy Research, CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS)One crucial challenge in transforming the agricultural sector is its context specificity: different contexts and different types of farmers call for different solutions. Ana Maria Loboguerrero suggests understanding these pathways as existing in a three-dimensional space defined by three axes: culture, productivity and the environment. This approach, developed by Lindsay Stringer and colleagues at University of Leeds, allows differences to be explored and addressed appropriately.
… and tech-forward (but people-focused)
Technological advantages can help us shift from incremental to transformational change in food systems. But while technology is an essential element of the way forward, it is not a silver bullet, and comes with its own challenges:
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Graham Thiele, Director of RTB, elaborates on the opportunities and challenges of using technology to address climate change in agriculture. Photo: Barbara Ogrodniczak
Furthermore, it is also important not to forget that ultimately, technologies are used by people and require mindful incorporation, in line with the differentiated pathways that need to be identified for different contexts and types of farmers.
Thus behaviour change among farmers and consumers is equally important. Communication will be a crucial ingredient for that change:
Technological advantages can help us shift from incremental to transformational change in food systems. But while technology is an essential element of the way forward, it is not a silver bullet, and comes with its own challenges:
''Technology on its own does not take us very far; rather it is one piece of the puzzle. When using these new technologies what we need is time, so we are hitting a moving target.”
Graham Thiele, Director, CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas (RTB)
Graham Thiele, Director of RTB, elaborates on the opportunities and challenges of using technology to address climate change in agriculture. Photo: Barbara Ogrodniczak
Furthermore, it is also important not to forget that ultimately, technologies are used by people and require mindful incorporation, in line with the differentiated pathways that need to be identified for different contexts and types of farmers.
''We should not forget that technologies are used by people. The technology does not just spin off. It is people that need to implement the technology.”
Dean Cooper, Market Development Manager – Energy Sector, SNVThus behaviour change among farmers and consumers is equally important. Communication will be a crucial ingredient for that change: