Addressing emerging threats to food security and livelihoods

for sustainable development in AIMS SIDS

Alemneh DejeneTeam Leader, Climate Impact, Adaptation and Environmental Sustainability, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO)

AIMS Regional Preparatory MeetingVictoria, Seychelles

17-19 July 2013

FAO’s support to SIDS/ Third International Conference

• Corporate website to systematize the knowledge base of FAO on SIDS

• Task Team with experts from different technical departments and decentralized offices

• Support to the SIDS regional preparatory meetings, inter-regional and the international Conference

• Examining strategic partnerships for sustainable development in FAO’s core mandate areas

• FAO currently supports 190 (operationally active on July 2013) projects in SIDS providing policy advice, analysis and technical assistance in agriculture, livestock, fisheries, forestry, natural resources management and food security, in its commitment to support resilient livelihoods and enhance food security.

• 69 in AIMS• 60 in the Caribbean• 61 in the Pacific

Major emerging threats

Atlantic Ocean SIDS

Indian Ocean SIDS

CLIMATE CHANGE• Sea level rise• Temperature• Rainfall variability • Extreme events

Climate change impacts in AIMS SIDS(IPPC, 2007)

Atlantic Ocean• Scarce water resources• Siltation• Poor infiltration in to

soils• Longer dry seasons• Over exploitation of

aquifers• Saltwater intrusion• Waterborne diseases• Aridification• Reduction of rainy

season• Health risks• Loss of agricultural land

Indian Ocean• Insufficient access to safe

drinking water• Droughts/Flooding• Soil erosion• Health risks • Decline in yields/fisheries productivity • Land degradation• Lagoon sedimentation and

eutrophication • Coastal erosion• Saltwater intrusion • Salinization of soil• Coral bleaching• Rural-urban migration

Livelihoods in the Indian Ocean SIDS(UNFCC Country submission)

Maldives

Seychelles

Mauritius

Comoros

Maldives• Tuna fisheries, affected by ENSO • tourism• high proportion of imported food Seychelles• Low agricultural potential (2.2% arable land) micro-irrigation. • high proportion of food is imported• Developed tuna fisheries (industrial) and artisanal fisheries• Path of growth in the secondary and non-tourism tertiary economy

Comoros• high reliance on smallholder agriculture,

fishing and forestry (80% of employment). • high proportion of food is imported

Mauritius• significant tracts of arable land (90% under sugar cane) • Tuna fisheries & seafood hub (marketing and processing)• Diversified tertiary sector through financial services, information

and communications technology, and property development.

Livelihoods in the Atlantic Ocean SIDS

Cape Verde

Guinea-Bissau

Sao Tomé & Principe

Cape Verde: • Low agricultural potential (~10% of arable land) & water

shortages ; recently piloted rice production. • Artisanal & Tuna fisheries • High reliance on food imports• Tourism has been the fastest-growing sector

Guinea Bissau:• Agricultural potential under-utilized (rice and livestock ). Rice prod. Affected by Cc.

Commercial production is currently limited to cashew production.• High reliance on cashew and fish/shrimp exports. • Rich forest resources

Sao Tomé & Principe: • Agricultural potential limited (~10% of arable land) & water shortages• High reliance on food imports • Cocoa production (exports accounting for 80% of all exports) but sensitive to rainfall

fluctuations. • Fisheries risk over-utilization & artisanal fishing practices exposes fishermen to life-

threatening ocean-climate hazards.

Food Security in AIMS• “Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic

access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life”. (World Food Summit, 1996)

Current food security and nutrition situation in AIMS• Large dependency on imported food• Availability of local food product (possible but imported products preferred)• Increasing Human health issues related to diet (high rates of diabetes and obesity)• Availability and access to water is limited and unstable• There is potential to

o increase/develop livelihoodso added value for agriculture, fisheries & marine resources o Diversify economyo Increase resilience to emerging threats

Availability AccessUtilization Stability

4 dimensions of FS

Some adaptation options…

• water storage schemes; • Small-scale water harvesting and irrigation for local food

production (i.e. from rice to cash crops to horticulture); • desalination using renewable energy.• sustainable development of fisheries and coastal ecosystems • sustainable development of forest resources;• introduction of suitable modern technologies for climate-

resilient production; • Climate services

…and the necessary enabling environment

• further diversification of the economy (e.g.. services sector);• investment in physical defenses and risk transfer schemes;• agro-processing and value chain development; • Reducing heavy reliance on one sector as it is vulnerable to climate

change• Governance & institutional strengthening (from community to

international levels);• Effective and strategic partnerships for results• Regional Initiatives on Food Security & Nutrition for SIDS

Closing Remarks

• Threats of CC are urgent. Immediate actions need to be taken, as it impacts on livelihoods. These countries have made good efforts to address them through the development of NAPAs, even in LDCs.

• Other island vulnerabilities include external pressures (trade, food imports, globalization, etc) and internal processes (i.e. population growth, increasing income inequality, unemployment, rapid urbanization, etc). These processes are related and interact in complex ways to heighten the vulnerability of island social and ecological systems to climate change.

Closing Remarks

• Countries with a diversified livelihoods and economy have shown more resilience to the impacts of climate variability and climate change, as it reduces risk. High reliance on tourism remains risky and safety nets are needed. High revenue activities, such as tuna and tourism need to be used for the development of services sector.

• Innovative and efficient partnerships are essential, specifically-tailored for SIDS (inter-regional needs to be further examined)

• Caribbean Climate Online Risk and Adaptation TooL (CCORAL) by the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC)

• Building institutional capacity remains critical in addressing the challenges of SIDS.

Thank you