Empowering agripreneurs to adapt to climate change

Agri-food actors across the supply chain urgently need to put protective measures in place, whilst making use of trade opportunities and innovative adaptation technologies. That was the key conclusion of a recent Adaptation Committee workshop in Geneva co-hosted by UN Climate Change and the International Trade Centre (ITC).

“Food security is at the core of sustainable development and adaptation action. And yet, the latest available science is indicating that food security is at serious risk from climate change,” said Julio Cordano, UNFCCC Adaptation Committee member, at the launch of the event on 29 October.

The workshop convened entrepreneurs, government representatives, farmers, scientists, researchers, business owners, as well as representatives of civil society and banks. Talks focused on ways to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) adapt to climate change.

“Climate change is a threat to SMEs and those working in their supply chains, especially in developing countries,” said Dorothy Tembo, ITC Deputy Executive Director.

Experts stressed data gaps as a key barrier to building climate resilience of the agri-food sector.

The challenge is particularly acute for SMEs and smallholder farmers who lack the financial and technological resources of larger firms.

But clever innovations can help overcome these obstacles. For example, the company Ignitia is tackling the data challenge by bringing local tropical weather forecasts to West African farmers via SMS that are low-cost and twice as accurate as global weather forecasts.

This information helps farmers optimize their planning and resource use, decrease their losses and increase their income, thereby bolstering their capacity to adapt to the changing climate.

While the workshop focused on the risks of climate change impacts on the agri-food sector, it also covered the benefits that adaptation can bring.

The Brazilian MAIS project, which recently received the UNFCCC Momentum for Change award, demonstrated how it cultivates these opportunities by working with farmers, financial institutions, technical experts and companies to build resilience through climate-smart, regenerative agricultural practices.

The project restores degraded land, boosts the productivity of the food system, increases farmers’ incomes, and can yield $7 in social and economic output for every $1 invested.

The national adaptation plans under the UNFCCC, which are being developed by over 80 developing countries, also offer governments and the private sector an opportunity to shape an enabling environment for adaptation for the next 5-10 years. Investment plans are created through public-private partnerships and enable easier access to finance for farmers and SMEs.

Original source: UNFCCC
Published on 12 November 2018