Advancing Climate-Smart Agriculture The 2013 annual report

As climate changes, can we achieve food security while reducing rural poverty, improving health and nutrition, and sustainably managing our natural resources?

In 2013, CCAFS helped advance climate-smart agriculture in 20 countries around the world, through close collaborations with farmers, civil society, governments and researchers.

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Introduction

Outcomes and milestones

CCAFS achieved several far-reaching outcomes during 2013. These outcomes are helping to put climate-smart agriculture at the heart of farming practice and policy right across the globe, and are important milestones in the programme’s work.

Photo: K. Trautmann (CCAFS)

The CCAFS network is undertaking national policy engagement and action research on CSA technologies in about 20 countries

Policy engagement

Achieving climate-smart agriculture means bridging the gap between research and policy. For this reason, engaging with policy makers is an important part of the CCAFS approach. In 2013, CCAFS worked closely with government departments to inform the development of agriculture and climate change policy.

Photo: A. Jarvis (CIAT)

The Climate-Smart Village (CSV) approach has been established at 
15 sites in three regions (West Africa, East Africa, South Asia)

Capacity enhancement

To effectively combat and cope with the effects of climate change, farmers and researchers must be able to access appropriate technologies and training. CCAFS has therefore been working to enhance capacity in both agricultural practice and research.

Photo: Timothy Mwaura

Capacity building: In 2013, CCAFS supported 14,602 women and 9,455 men on short-term programs, and 522 women and 622 men on long-term programs.

Innovative partnerships

Climate change is a cross-cutting issue. Reflecting this, CCAFS works with a wide range of partners including governments, private companies and farmer networks. In 2013, CCAFS established and maintained innovative partnerships that transform climate change research into real-world initiatives.

Photo: N. Palmer (CIAT)

Innovative collaborations and breakthrough science

CCAFS tries to be at the cutting edge of climate-change science. But, more than that, the programme collaborates with research organizations across the globe to ensure that its science is as well informed and inclusive as possible. In 2013, CCAFS announced several collaborative achievements. 

Photo: G. Smith (CIAT)

CCAFS research is helping set breeding strategies for
beans, maize, wheat, rice, cassava and potatoes.
The achievements are a result of partnerships with
major development agencies, private companies, farmer organisations, communication services and other CGIAR Research Programs.

Communications

Good communication is the key to getting across the message of climate change, and influencing agricultural policy and practice to deal with climate change. An analysis of likely impact pathways helps researchers and communicators select the right medium and tailor messages to reach the right people. As such, CCAFS has embraced all forms of communication, from policy forums to radio jingles and text messaging.

Photo: N. Palmer (CIAT)
CCAFS media activities in 2013 generated 168 original news stories appearing in over 30 countries and in over 15 languages. In 2013 there's been a 40 percent increase in website visitors, with 179, 593 visitors from 218 countries. Number of @cgiarclimate twitter followers more than doubled in 2013 from 5,963 in January 2013 to 13,164 in December.

Annexes