Climate Smart Agriculture Programme

1. Climate Smart Agriculture Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) is agriculture that sustainably increases productivity, resilience (adaptation), reduces/removes greenhouse gases (mitigation), and enhances achievement of national food security and development goals (UN-FAO-http://www.fao.org/climatechange/climatesmart/en/). CSA promotes agricultural best practices, particularly integrated crop management, conservation agriculture, intercropping, improved seeds and fertilizer management practices, as well as supporting increased investment in agricultural research. CSA encourages the use of all available and applicable climate change solutions in a pragmatic and impact-focused manner (Farming First Coalition - http://www.farmingfirst.org/). While resilience is key, CSA is broader and calls for more innovation and pro-activeness in changing the way farming is done in order to adapt and mitigate while sustainably increasing productivity. CSA practices propose the transformation of agricultural policies and agricultural systems to increase food productivity and enhance food security while preserving the environment and ensuring resilience to a changing climate.

2. FANRPAN Climate Smart Agriculture initiatives:

The Evidence-based Policies for Climate Smart Agriculture (EPCSA);

Strengthening Evidence-Based Climate Change Adaptation Policies (SECCAP);

Strengthening Institutional Capacity on Climate Smart Agriculture (SICCSA);

Limpopo Basin Development Challenge (LBDC);

AfriCAN Climate; and

Southern African Agriculture and Climate Change - A Comprehensive Analysis. The FANRPAN CSA programme currently covers the following countries: Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The objectives of the programme are to: Conduct comprehensive analysis of CSA policies, programmes and institutional arrangements in focal

countries; Generate CSA research- based evidence; Strengthen CSA institutional capacity and support capacity building of young professionals on CSA and food

security research; Develop evidence-based institutional and substantive policy recommendations; Support advocacy campaigns for the development and implementation of responsive CSA policies; Support the uptake and up-scaling of CSA practices as best practice in Africa; Improve and support integrated water management.

FANRPAN Regional Secretariat 141 Cresswell Road, Weavind Park 0184,

Private Bag X2087, Silverton 014, Pretoria, South Africa Telephone: +27 12 804 2966. Facsimile: +27 12 804 0600. Email: policy@fanrpan.org. Website: www.fanrpan.org

The ultimate goal of the FANRPAN CSA programme is to contribute to a substantial increase in food production and improved food security in Africa and to build resilient communities that can withstand the impacts of climate change.

3. FANRPAN CSA framework

Undertake desktop case studies to generate evidence on CSA initiatives

Share best practices on CSA initiatives at national and regional multi-stakeholder platforms;

Support African countries to improve their knowledge base and capacity to facilitate climate resilient development;

Provide recommendations for domestic-level policies that are conducive to the development of climate-smart agriculture;

Provide training to various stakeholders on how to communicate climate change and CSA initiatives to influence policy; and

Enhance international – and, in particular, South-South – cooperation by identifying hot-spots, in terms of issues and assistance needs, where such cooperation may play a key role.

4. Expected Results

Key expected results include the following: Basis for a common African position on the

agriculture agenda in climate change negotiations;

A web-based knowledge platform for up-to-date of climate-related research results, involving multiple stakeholders including researchers, local authorities, NGOs, SMEs, handicraftsmen, artists and educational partners;

A portfolio of good practice actions on climate change adaptation and mitigation in Africa identified and accessible, with approaches to “adapting to differing contexts” identified;

Researchers and journalists trained on how to communicate science to policy makers;

Platform for regular thematic discussion amongst decision-makers, researchers, farmers and journalists created;

National and Regional climate change policies influenced;

5. Target Beneficiaries The CSA programme engages small-scale farmers in 16 African countries, targeting women farmers, given their critical roles in agriculture and food security in Africa. Special emphasis is put on vulnerable, poor households that are vulnerable to food insecurity under a changing climate

Dry Dam as a result of Drought

http://www.fanrpan.org/themes/resources/