July 2012

By Jaya Gurung and Chandra Adhikari

The CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security's (CCAFS) South Asia regional office recently began a Climate Smart Agriculture Learning Platform (CSALP), which aims at improving communication between scientists, policy makers, political leaderships, farmers and other stakeholders on best “climate smart” farming practices. This is vital in a region where one-third of the world’s poorest and malnourished people live. The learning platform publishes quarterly e-newsletter, organizes the Science-Policy-People Interface on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security, and initiates discussions, with media, political leadership and other stakeholders on the issues of climate change, agriculture and food security. This platform was inaugurated by the Rt. Honorable President of Nepal, Dr. Rambaran Yadav on 20April 2012 and subsequently released the first issue of the newsletter. Honorable President Dr. Yadav appreciated the efforts of interface among researcher, policy makers and farmers. President Dr. Yadav drew the attention of scientific communities for the fast deteriorating condition of the Chure Bhabar range, the buffer zone of the Mountain Hill and Terai Plain. Dr. Yadav also wished the workshop be productive. Read more »

Climate funds for reducing greenhouse gas emissions can benefit small farmers and help achieve development objectives, according to a new report from the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) and EcoAgriculture Partners.

In a detailed study of six African agricultural carbon projects, researchers found that communities are benefiting from a range of activities related to planting and managing trees on farms. The carbon projects include the Humbo Ethiopia Assisted Natural Regeneration Project, coordinated by World Vision, which was the first African forestry project to be registered under the Kyoto Protocol, and the Cocoa Carbon Initiative in Ghana, which is working to improve tree cover while enhancing sustainability of cocoa production, which many farmers rely on for income. Read more »

By Rasheed Sulaiman

Indian agriculture is extremely sensitive to climate change and its impact is increasing over time¹. The Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGPs) in India, which is considered as its “bread basket” providing food security and employment to several hundred millions of people, is extremely vulnerable to climate risks^2,3. Adaptation to the adverse effects of climate change is therefore vital for securing agricultural growth and poverty reduction for this region.

Adaptation is not a new phenomenon per se in agriculture as agricultural systems have always been responding to improved technologies, better market opportunities and changing weather patterns. However the nature and speed of adaptation vary considerably in different regions and among varied social groups. Understanding this process of local adaptation or innovation is extremely important for the successful design of policies, programmes and interventions that address climate risks. Read more »

By Jeremy Cherfas

When it comes to climate change and agriculture, almost all you hear about is the impact on short-lived crops, arable and horticultural. What about perennial tree crops? A newly published literature review shows that farmers are already feeling – and responding to – the effects of climate change on tropical trees.

What do you do when your mango trees – which took 15 years to start bearing fruit, and which have a good 50 years ahead of them – give up on you? Bioversity researchers decided to ask farmers. Progressive farmers, they found, are cutting out branches that aren’t bearing fruit and grafting new varieties onto their trees. Read more »