611
4 Climate Smart Agriculture
Climate change has a great impact on agriculture; thus, considering the role of
agriculture in food and fiber security and as source of livelihood for majority of
population, FAO saw the need for recognition of agriculture in the climate change
agenda. Climate smart agriculture (CSA) consists of multiple approaches toward
sustainable agriculture to attain food and nutritional security, in the face of climate
change. The Concept of CSA hinges on three pillars: agricultural productivity,
adaptation, and reduction of greenhouse gases (FAO 2013; Lipper et al. 2014). To
achieve CSA, there must be improved agricultural productivity (crop, livestock and
fisheries) without degrading the environment and ensuring adaptation to climate
change through sustaining livelihood. The concept also includes enabling farming
communities to be resilient to climate shocks and contributing to mitigation of
climate change through reducing emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) per kg of
food or fiber produced, build up C sinks, or participate in C trade. CSA places
agriculture in the middle of the climate change agenda and calls for committed
effort to make agriculture more adaptive and resilient to climate change so that it
can sustain productivity and feed the growing population. In sub-Sahara Africa,
CSA is of high importance because the agricultural productivity has been low, and
the population increase is high. Although adoption of modern agricultural technology can increase productivity, the effects of climate change can compromise the
benefit of modern agricultural technologies, leading to even lower adoption of
these technologies among farmers.
One of the most noteworthy impacts of climate change is increased events of
extreme weather variability, which significantly affects productivity and food security, even when other good agricultural practices are employed. The increased
weather extremes (floods and droughts and extended dry spell, shifting of weather
pattern – onset and end of rainy season) have further challenged the efforts to
increase productivity in holders – farming systems in SSA. Climate change has also
increased risks in agriculture, making adoption of technologies to improve productivity an even more unattractive investment option. Furthermore, the quick and easy
coping strategies to low productivity due to decreased fertility, degradation due to
erosion, and extreme weather have resulted in shifting cultivation and/or expansion
of agricultural land to increase production. This has led to increased deforestation
and encroachment on wetlands and other protected areas. Therefore, a holistic
approach through climate smart agriculture is needed to do agriculture more smartly
to ensure, sustain, and enhance productivity, without causing natural resources degradation or contributing to further greenhouse gas emissions.
4.1 Climate Smart Agriculture to Enhance Productivity
CSA technologies and practices must ensure improved productivity, even in the
presence of climate change. There are various proven technologies that increase
productivity with minimum negative effects on the environment such as appropriate
Knowledge Gaps and Research Priorities
4 Climate Smart Agriculture
Climate change has a great impact on agriculture; thus, considering the role of
agriculture in food and fiber security and as source of livelihood for majority of
population, FAO saw the need for recognition of agriculture in the climate change
agenda. Climate smart agriculture (CSA) consists of multiple approaches toward
sustainable agriculture to attain food and nutritional security, in the face of climate
change. The Concept of CSA hinges on three pillars: agricultural productivity,
adaptation, and reduction of greenhouse gases (FAO 2013; Lipper et al. 2014). To
achieve CSA, there must be improved agricultural productivity (crop, livestock and
fisheries) without degrading the environment and ensuring adaptation to climate
change through sustaining livelihood. The concept also includes enabling farming
communities to be resilient to climate shocks and contributing to mitigation of
climate change through reducing emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) per kg of
food or fiber produced, build up C sinks, or participate in C trade. CSA places
agriculture in the middle of the climate change agenda and calls for committed
effort to make agriculture more adaptive and resilient to climate change so that it
can sustain productivity and feed the growing population. In sub-Sahara Africa,
CSA is of high importance because the agricultural productivity has been low, and
the population increase is high. Although adoption of modern agricultural technology can increase productivity, the effects of climate change can compromise the
benefit of modern agricultural technologies, leading to even lower adoption of
these technologies among farmers.
One of the most noteworthy impacts of climate change is increased events of
extreme weather variability, which significantly affects productivity and food security, even when other good agricultural practices are employed. The increased
weather extremes (floods and droughts and extended dry spell, shifting of weather
pattern – onset and end of rainy season) have further challenged the efforts to
increase productivity in holders – farming systems in SSA. Climate change has also
increased risks in agriculture, making adoption of technologies to improve productivity an even more unattractive investment option. Furthermore, the quick and easy
coping strategies to low productivity due to decreased fertility, degradation due to
erosion, and extreme weather have resulted in shifting cultivation and/or expansion
of agricultural land to increase production. This has led to increased deforestation
and encroachment on wetlands and other protected areas. Therefore, a holistic
approach through climate smart agriculture is needed to do agriculture more smartly
to ensure, sustain, and enhance productivity, without causing natural resources degradation or contributing to further greenhouse gas emissions.
4.1 Climate Smart Agriculture to Enhance Productivity
CSA technologies and practices must ensure improved productivity, even in the
presence of climate change. There are various proven technologies that increase
productivity with minimum negative effects on the environment such as appropriate
Knowledge Gaps and Research Priorities