Climate smart agriculture - a new buzz word or an answer to climate change challenges?
The meeting is arranged by the Agro-Ecological Network, the Network for Programmatic Climate Change in Developing Countries, and the Growth and Employment Platform, Building Stronger Universities (BSU)
Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) is a new concept that is being promoted as part of a solution to climate change. CSA has gained widespread support in organizations such as FAO and the World Bank, and was backed by a number of heads of states and the former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan at COP17.
The meeting is arranged by the Agro-Ecological Network, the Network for Programmatic Climate Change in Developing Countries, and the Growth and Employment Platform, Building Stronger Universities (BSU)
Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) is a new concept that is being promoted as part of a solution to climate change. CSA has gained widespread support in organizations such as the UN Food And Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Bank, and was backed by a number of heads of states and the former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP17) in Durban South Africa in 2011. The rationale for promoting CSA as part of a climate change solution is that the farming techniques increase the carbon retention capacity of the soils. It has also been claimed that CSA will boost the agricultural sector and benefit the small scale farmers through improved farming techniques, and by creating a market for soil carbon credits that can provide a direct financial income. The concept of CSA raises a number of questions:
- What is the content of CSA and how does it differ from agro-ecological methods?
- What are the benefits and consequences for small scale farmers in developing countries?
- What are the economic and political consequences if CSA is introduced in large scale?
Objective of the meeting
During the meeting, we will present different views on Climate Smart Agriculture to enhance the understanding of the concept. There will be a special attention to the consequences for small holder farmers in developing countries, and the pros and cons for CSA will be discussed by representatives from the scientific world, development organizations and research institutions.
Sonja Vermeulen, Head of Research at the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), attended the discussion and held a presentation.
Read more about the event and view the other presentations here
View the presentation "A Vision for Climate Smart Agriculture" by Sonja Vermeulen below