climate smart agriculture youth curriculum · 2018-11-30 · assignment prompt (continued) write...
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Photo by W.Carter via, Wikimdeia Commons
Climate Smart AgricultureYouth Curriculum
Introduction to Climate Change
Module 1
Weather vs. Climate
● Weather is what we feel when we are outside on a given day. Weather events are the atmospheric fluctuations in variables that last hours, days, or up to two weeks.
● Climate is a “symphony of weather,” or the ranges of weather conditions in a region. This could be the average rainfall or temperature, including the extremes, which are “normal” over a long period of time.
● Weather tells you what clothing to wear on a certain day, while climate tells you what clothing to own in general.
What is the Greenhouse Effect?● Greenhouse gases (GHGs) control the
Earth’s climate system by making the atmosphere warmer. Without greenhouse gases, the earth would be in an eternal ice age!
● These GHGs form a blanket over the Earth -- they retain heat that comes from the Earth’s surface. This heat originally comes from the sun in the form of visible light and is re-radiated from the Earth’s surface in the form of infrared radiation. Otherwise, this heat would pass through the atmosphere and be lost to space!
Meet the Greenhouse Gases!(Ordered from most impactful to least impactful)
● Carbon Dioxide (CO2)○ A gas that contains carbon and oxygen and part of the Carbon
Cycle. Carbon is found in all living things, the air, oceans, and land. CO2 is used by aerobic organisms - absorbed by plants for photosynthesis, exhaled by animals in respiration.
● Methane (CH4)○ A gas that forms from fermenting organic matter by bacteria that
doesn’t need oxygen under heat and pressure. Methane is 100x more potent than CO2 in heating the atmosphere, but only lasts for about 10 years before breaking down
● Ozone (O3)○ A gas in the Stratosphere (one layer above the atmospheric layer
we use to breathe and where weather happens, the troposphere!). It is a pollutant when it’s close to the Earth because it can cause “smog” (smoke and fog) and irritate our lungs.
● Water Vapor○ The oceans contain about 97% of the water found on the Earth and
water holds a higher amount of heat compared to land. This is not a negative pollutant, but still is important in warming the Earth!
What’s the issue with Carbon?● Carbon is found almost every living thing, so when that
living thing dies and decomposes into the soil, its carbon is stored deep in the Earth’s crust in the form of oil, natural gas, and coal. These are called fossil fuels.
● Humans decided to dig up these fuels, put them into engines, and burn them to produce fire, which creates heat and electricity for homes, factories, and cars.
● Unfortunately, fossil fuels are a non-renewable energy, so we will run out of them one day.
● The Keeling Curve, recorded at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii measured atmospheric CO2 concentrations over time and compared it with data from air bubbles trapped in Ice Cores from the Arctic. This data shows that CO2 has exponential increased since the Industrial Revolution of the 1800’s, where fossil fuels became popular sources of energy.
What is Climate Change?● We talked about the Greenhouse Effect, but
why is a natural process such a big concern?● Looking back into the history of the Earth, CO2
is part of the natural cycles of the Earth. However, when we take carbon out of the ground and burn it, we produce too much of a greenhouse gas...Carbon Dioxide!
● Remember what we said about GHGs? They heat up the atmosphere like a blanket would warm you up. If there’s too much GHGs, then we have a very thick blanket that makes the Earth too hot.
What are the effects of Climate Change?● If the Earth is too hot, what happens?
○ Melting Ice■ The Arctic land ice has been steadily shrinking each summer and
leading to sea-level rise○ Sea-level Rise
■ The water from ice melt flows into the ocean to make the ocean bigger, but over time it becomes even warmer, causing “thermal expansion,” since warmer water expands in volume.
○ Ocean Temperatures and Acidity Increase■ The Ocean is a “carbon sink” and holds about half of the carbon
in the air in the form of carbonic acid, which makes the marine environment too acidic for aquatic wildlife, such as Coral Reefs.
○ Extreme Weather Events■ Heat Waves - human health, diseases■ Droughts - lack of rainfall for crops, dust storms■ Forest Fires - soil is not wet enough, too much leaf litter■ Floods - rainfall is too heavy and too infrequent■ Higher Storm Surges and Increased Frequency of Hurricanes
Carbon Sources vs Carbon SinksSources
● Natural○ Forest Fires○ Volcanoes○ Animal/Plant Respiration (Breathing out)
● Human-Caused (Anthropogenic)○ Deforestation/Cutting Down Trees○ Agriculture (Slash and Burn - cutting
down trees and burning the land, tillage - opening up the soil)
○ Transportation (cars/trucks)○ Factories and House Energy Usage from
Fossil Fuels○ Land development○ Cement production
Sinks - places carbon is stored
● Forests/Trees● Grasslands● Oceans● Soils
How do we reduce our Ecological Footprint?Ecological Footprint is a measurement of the natural resources that an individual uses and how much waste is produced after consumption.
It is broken down into Carbon Footprint, Built-Up Land, Forest Products, Cropland, Grazing land, and Fishing grounds.
● Use Renewable Energy instead of Fossil Fuels● Use Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices to grow food● Eat less meat, and more plant-based foods by being a Vegetarian
or Vegan● Use less electricity and heat
○ Turn off lights when not in use○ Use transportation less or drive less
● Recycle plastic, paper, glass, and metal!● Assignment: Find out your Ecological Footprint!
○ https://www.footprintcalculator.org
International Climate ActionUNEP: United Nations Environment Program
UNFCCC: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
COP: Conference of the Parties
IPCC: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
SPM: Summary for Policymakers, written by the IPCC
Paris Agreement: The Protocol that arose from COP21 in Paris, France in 2015
NDCs: Nationally Determined Contributions
Links and Further Reading● https://www.footprintnetwork.org/our-work/ecological-footprint/
● Ch. 3, "What is Climate?" in Teacher Friendly Guide to Climate Change by Don Duggan-Haas and Ingrid Zabel
Excerpt from pp. 27-41
● https://www.drawdown.org
● "Climate Change: Causes, Impacts, and What Humans are Doing About it" from Climate Change Communication: A
Guide for Educators by Armstrong, Krasny, and Schuldt. In publication.
● https://ww2.kqed.org/quest/2014/12/12/the-keeling-curve-explained/
● https://cop23.com.fj/talanoa-dialogue/
Introduction toClimate Smart Agriculture
Module 2
Module 2 Goals
This module will introduce students to the goals of Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA), as well as the global challenges that drive the need for CSA. Much of the learning content has been adapted from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations’ Climate-Smart Agriculture Sourcebook.
Photo by Hansueli Krapf via Wikimedia Commons [1].
What is Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA)?● CSA has three central goals:
○ To sustainably increase agricultural productivity and incomes
○ To adapt and build resilience to climate change
○ To reduce and/or remove greenhouse gas emissions
Source: FAO Climate-Smart Agriculture Sourcebook and CSA Guide (CGIAR, CCAFS)
Photo by Elina Mark, via Wikimedia Commons [2].
Why is CSA important? The Challenges:● Implementing climate smart agriculture is a necessity because of the following
conditions and challenges:○ Addressing food security. By 2050, the Earth will be home to 9 billion
people. The FAO estimates that agriculture productivity will have to increase 60% to accommodate this change in population.
○ Climate Change will have adverse effects on agriculture yields and productivity.
○ Agriculture and land use, as practiced now, are major contributors to Climate Change.
Source: FAO CSA Sourcebook: pp. ix, 5-8.
Why is CSA important? The goal:● To address the challenges listed on the previous
slide as well as others, we need agriculture “to address simultaneously three intertwined challenges: ensuring food security through increased productivity and income, adapting to climate change and contributing to climate change mitigation” (FAO CSA Sourcebook)
● In other words: increase agricultural yields, adapt to the impacts of climate change, increase community resilience, and mitigate as much CO2 emissions as possible.
Source: FAO CSA Sourcebook: pp. ix-8.
Photo by NASA [3].
A wider view of CSA
● Watch the following video from the World Bank to learn more about how CSA is a triple-win and to view some examples of CSA.
● Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0V2xzEw44Y
In-class Activity● Explore the CSA Guide, particularly
the examples of CSA (listed under “View case studies of CSA interventions”)
● https://csa.guide/csa/what-is-climate-smart-agriculture
● Discuss your findings.
Screenshot of CSA Guide example section.
Assignment (in class or at home)
● Learn about the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by going to their website. ○ https://sustainabledevelopment.u
n.org/?menu=1300 ● Choose one and research it further. ● (Prompt continued on next slide)
The Sustainable Development Goals. Photo by the United Nations [4].
Assignment prompt (continued)● Write 2-3 paragraphs on how the
SDGs impact your community.○ Which SDGs are you excited about?○ Do you see any of the SDGs being
implemented now?○ What are the SDGs your community seeks
to address more/better?○ What are some of the strategies/policies
that can be put into place to try to achieve those SDGs?
The Sustainable Development Goals. Photo by the United Nations [4].
Outside resources / Interesting Links● The FAO Climate-Smart Agriculture Sourcebook
○ http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3325e.pdf○ In particular Module 1, which goes over the need for CSA.
● CSA Guide○ https://csa.guide/csa/what-is-climate-smart-agriculture
● UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)● https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/?menu=1300
● Climate Smart Agriculture Youth Network○ http://csayn.org/
● Cornell Institute for Climate Smart Solutions○ https://climatechange.cornell.edu/
Sources● FAO Climate-Smart Agriculture Sourcebook, pp. ix-8
○ http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3325e.pdf
● World Bank video○ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0V2xzEw44Y
● CSA Guide○ https://csa.guide/csa/what-is-climate-smart-agriculture
● Photos:○ [1] Hansueli Krapf, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2011-06-25_13-36-36_Mauritius_Grand_Port_Deux_Bras.jpg○ [2] Elina Mark, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ecologically_grown_vegetables.jpg ○ [3] NASA, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Blue_Marble.jpg○ [4] United Nations, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sustainable_Development_Goals.jpg ○ Last slide photo by Basile Morin, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blond_and_green_rice_fields.jpg
● Sources assembled by Matthew Ferraro, Rhea Lopes, Julie Kapuvari, and Tarannum Sahar for CSAYN and CICSS.
Selected CSA PracticesModule 3
Irrigation and water management
Strategies:• On farm water storage: water harvesting• Ground water development• Modernization of Irrigation infrastructure• Improved drainage• Improve soil moisture retention capacity• Alternate wet and dry rice production system• Supplementary irrigation• Deficit Irrigation
Goal:Improving resilience of farming to rainfall variability and extreme weather events like droughts and floods.
Water Harvesting
Water harvesting means capturing rain where it falls
Even small scale water harvesting systems like terraces, dams and ditches can hold the equivalent of a few rainy-season deluges, enough to bridge month-long dry spells.
Example: Fanya-juu terraces of Machakos, Kenya
Watch video
Source: http://b4fa.org/kenya-fanya-juu-terraces-restore-soils-yields-and-optimism/
Supplemental Irrigation
This is the addition of limited amounts of water to essentially rainfed crops to improve and stabilize yields when rainfall fails to provide sufficient moisture for normal plant growth
It is simple but highly effective technology that allows farmers to plant and manage crops at the optimal time, especially in dry areas.
Example: Kupulima Community in Ghana
• Seasonal shallow wells (1-5m) to store runoff water
• Water collected using ropes and buckets
• Water used for key periods of crop growth cycle: seeding, growing, flowering and grain filling
Maize and rice productivity under supplemental irrigation (SI) and rainfed production in Northern Savannah agro-ecological zone of Ghana (Year 2015).
Source: http://www.fao.org/3/I9022EN/i9022en.pdf
Minimizing Soil ErosionSoil erosion due too runoff• Planting cross slope vegetation• Soil and water conservation structures like terraces, earth bunds, tied
ridges• Creating grassed waterways to convey excess water off the slopes
Soil erosion due to wind• Cultivating drought resistant species• Rotational grazing to sustain rangeland vegetation quality• Planting wind breaks
Wind Breaks
A windbreak is a plantation usually made up of one or more rows of trees or shrubs planted perpendicular to the prevailing wind direction as to provide shelter from the wind and to protect soil from erosion
They are of particular interest in locations with low precipitation and more intense winds during the winter or dry environments, where it is necessary to conserve moisture and regulate climate conditions.
Example: Beefwood, eucalyptus & pine trees are historically very popular in South Africa
Source: https://www.treetrays.co.za/trees/windbreaks/
Soil ManagementStrategies:• Direct seeding• Integrated soil fertility management• Precise management of nitrogen• Herbicides and other weed management• Integrated pest management• Rotational grazing to sustain rangeland vegetation quality• Physical conservation structures (bunds, drains)• Controlled Grazing• Pasture cropping
Integrated Soil Water management
Soil and water are intrinsically linked to crop and livestock production. For this reason, an integrated approach to soil and water management is vital for increasing efficiency in the use of resources, adapting to climate change mitigating green house gases and sustaining productivity.
Many crop management practices like increasing water infiltration, reducing evaporation and increasing storage of rainwater in soils, will help land users in areas projected to receive lower levels of precipitation adapt to climate change.
Soil Water evaporation can be reduced through better management practices like maintaining crop residue, mulching, deficit irrigation and so on.
Example: Zaï practice in Burkina Faso
• Digging pits for water and fertilizer concentration combined with timely sowing and weeding.
• Select larger seeds and to treat them with a mix of pesticides and fungicides before sowing.
• An accurate distribution of fertilizer in the pits can double the production.
• The pits can hold water and prevent erosion if they are dug well before the sowing day.
Watch video
Source: http://thefieldstheyflow.blogspot.com/2013/08/zai-reversing-desertification.html
Energy ManagementStrategies:• Replacing synthetic fertilizers with biofertilizers like manure• Renewable energy sources like solar, wind, biofuels, biomass,
geothermal• Adopting fuel efficient engines• Heat management of greenhouses• Insulation of cool stores• Less input demanding crop species• Review of food storage strategies
Bioenergy
Bioenergy is energy from biofuels. Biofuel is fuel produced directly or indirectly from biomass. Biomass is material of biological origin, for example wood, dung or charcoal and it excludes material embedded in geological formations and transformed to fossils.
Watch video
Example: Prosopis biomass as energy source in Djibouti
• Prosopis tree species are fast-growing and very tolerant to drought and can grow in poor and saline soils but if left unmanaged are invasive and represent a challenge for the native vegetation.
• This project provides a source of energy to refugees and the prospect of income generating activities for host communities.
For further information, read article.
Source: http://www.fao.org/africa/news/detail-news/en/c/903653/
Climate Smart Crop Production SystemsStrategies:• Mulch cropping• Cover cropping• Alterations in cropping patterns and rotations• Crop diversification• Using high quality seeds and adapted varieties• Landscape level pollination management• Organic agriculture• Promotion of legumes• Crop insurance
Conservation Agriculture
Conservation Agriculture (CA) is a set of soil management practices that minimize the disruption of the soil's structure, composition and natural biodiversity. CA has proven potential to improve crop yields, while improving the long-term environmental and financial sustainability of farming.
- Minimum mechanical soil disturbance (i.e. no tillage) through direct seed and/or fertilizer placement.- Permanent soil organic cover (at least 30 percent) with crop residues and/or cover crops.- Species diversification through varied crop sequences and associations involving at least three different crops.
Watch video
Source: http://www.fao.org/in-action/sustaining-future-agriculture-in-rwanda/en/
Example: Intensification of Agriculture in Rwanda
Read article
Climate Smart LivestockStrategies:• Grazing management• Pasture management and nutrition• Animal breeding• Disease control and feeding strategies• Vaccines• Early warning systems and insurance• Agroforestry practices• Feed management• Manure management• Improved feed conversion• Sourcing low emission feed
Climate Smart Fisheries and AquacultureStrategies:• Increase fishing capacity of targeted species• Improved weather warning systems• Improved farm siting and design• Use indigenous or non-reproducing stocks to minimize biodiversity
impacts• Introduce marine species (wide salinity tolerance)• Regular monitoring• Genetic improvement for higher resistance
Assignment
Do a case study of a successful example of CSA practice.
The case study should cover the following points:1. Name of the technique and definition2. Place used- brief climate history, challenges in agriculture3. Description of the practice4. Systemic benefits5. Limitations (if any)
No two students should select the same case study. All case studies must be presented to the class and compiled for future reference.
Economic Impacts of Climate Smart Agriculture
Module 4
Module 4 Goals
This module will focus on the agricultural productivity and economic benefits of Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices and technologies. We will explore general topics on entrepreneurship and the avenues via which new jobs can be created.
Photo by Joachim Huber via wikimedia commons
Economic Analysis of CSAThe economic analysis indicates that all the CSA practices have a cost-benefit ratio greater than 1, that is, the benefits outweigh the costs.
Main economic benefits:
● Sustainable and equitable increases in agricultural productivity and income
● Increased resilience to negative and uncertain economic impacts
● Greater availability of food resources for family and community members
Source: The Economist
Profitability of CSA Unlike traditional farming, smallholdersadopting CSA are utilizing agricultural practices that:• Have been carefully studied• Have demonstrable productivity increases• Lead to reduced crop losses due to climate impacts
The figure shows how farmers who adopt CSA practices are significantly more profitable under adverse weather conditions, compared to those using traditional farming methods.
Challenges faced by youth in CSA
● Lack of access to appropriate skills training programs or opportunities
● Limited availability of information such as market and pricing data
● Inadequate supply of inputs such as seeds, fertilizer and water
● Minimal access to technologies such as irrigation, planting methods and mobile services
● Lack of access to arable land and financial services
Source: African Entrepreneurship Startup Project
Types of intervention to make CSA viable1) Policy changes: Governments may consider policy shifts to encourage
greater production, more-resilient agriculture, or lower emissions 2) Direct farmer support programs: Programs aimed at improving farmer
productivity, income, resilience, or emission reductions through interventions such as farmer education, training, technological transfer, agricultural extension on new management practices, or crop and livestock insurance.
3) Infrastructure investments: This includes traditional infrastructure investments such as building a dam, an irrigation system, or micro-hydro infrastructure to increase access to water; improving storage or warehousing; building infrastructure to reduce post-harvest waste.
Watch this video about the importance of policies to support CSA.
AgribusinessAgribusiness is the application of business principles to agricultural production. It is the farming, management, production, and marketing of agricultural commodities and is made up of three components:
● the agricultural input sector ● the production sector● the processing-manufacturing sector.
Through its various value chains, agribusiness boosts employment and poverty reduction. It further enhances diversification of production to broaden the economy, transforming the agricultural sector towards an agro-industrial development and leading to increase in economic growth.
Innovative Financing MechanismMobilizing private adaptation finance: The private sector offers a huge opportunity for mobilizing adaptation finance and implementing priority actions, including in the agricultural sector.
Impact investment: Impact investors fund projects with social and environmental benefits, and can be an important source of funding for projects in the agriculture sector, considering the multiple benefits that investments in this sector can realize.
Blended finance: Involves the strategic use of development finance and philanthropic funds to mobilize private sector capital that can accelerate investments in climate-resilient agriculture. Source: Express Tribune
Current Energy Use in Farming SystemThe relationship between energy and food production have evolved and grown stronger over time with fossil fuels becoming a major input in modern agricultural production. Biomass also plays a role as an important traditional source of energy as it can be exported outside the agrifood chain through the sale of biogas produced on farms to local households, or through the generation of electricity from agricultural residues to feed into the national energy grid.
Source: http://www.fao.org/
Energy Efficient Farming SystemAs the climate changes, some agricultural practices may no longer be able to provide a reliable source of income. Increases in productivity achieved through feed and/or pasture management, irrigation and the increased use of fertilizers and pesticides imply an increase in the use of energy. Energy-smart strategies can involve making trade-offs but are none-the-less important because:
● Improve access to modern energy services ● Increase energy diversity ● Contribute to energy security● Strengthen resilience Source: FAO Source Book
Possible Energy Solutions for CSA
In farming communities, a mix of appropriate energy technologies, equipment and facilities is necessary to make the gradual shift to food chains that are both energy-smart and climate-smart. The nature of this mix will depend on biophysical conditions, infrastructure and the capacities of the labour force. There are many technologies that can be part of energy-smart food chains. This includes:
● Windmills and solar collectors ● Photovoltaic panels ● Biogas production units● Power generators ● Equipment for bio-oil purification ● Fermentation and distillation facilities
● Hydrothermal conversion equipment ● Solar, wind or bioenergy-operated water pumps ● Renewable energy-powered vehicles● Monitoring information and communication tech● Fuel-efficient cooking stoves● Efficient equipment for water distribution
The Story of Allan AhimbisibweCEO of Allan Spark Initiative, Allan Ahimbisibwe is from Uganda and only 24 years old. He graduated with a Bachelor’s’ Degree of Science in Business Statistics from Makerere University.
He started farming out of passion from his mother’s compound and later developed the concept of urban farming which led to the birth of Spark Agro-Initiatives in early 2017. Through his venture, he start up over 60 backyard gardens for corporate and high end customers.
Now that his business is functioning smoothly, on an average day, over 10 people pass by to get farming knowledge from him and his five employees. They offer advisory services for optimum utilization of land, draw business plans for production, management and marketing, applying best agronomic practices, feeding soils with fertilizers and adopting mixed farming.
Allan displaying sukumawiki in his backyard farm.Source: Daily Monitor
AssignmentFind methods for successfully financing Climate Smart Agriculture in your community. Interview 1 agripreneur in your area to:
● Learn about their business model● Analyze sustainable practices ● Understand the financing mechanisms ● Recognize the successes of the agribusiness● Study the challenges they are facing ● Think about possible solutions
Write a two-page paper on your findings.
Environmental & Social Benefits of CSA
Module 5
Environmental Benefits of CSAProtecting the environment and conserving natural ecosystems is a crucial part of saving humanity, so we must do our part for Mother Nature.
Climate Smart Agriculture can...
● Improve Soil Health● Preserve Biodiversity and Forests● Reduce Water Pollution● Reduce Air Pollution & Greenhouse
Gases
Improving Soil HealthSoil health is a measure of the quality and capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that can sustain plants with nutrients and minerals, animals with habitat, and humans with food.
We can improve soil health by...
● Reducing tillage and mechanization that disrupts the structure of the soil layers
● Reducing wind and water erosion using agroforestry methods (as mentioned in Module 3) to provide barriers
● Increasing microbial diversity○ Bacteria and worms allow for decomposition○ Nutrient Cycling of Carbon, Nitrogen, and
Phosphorous● Improve Soil Organic Matter and fertility by planting
legumes and refraining from synthetic fertilizers
Preserving Biodiversity and Forests
● Diversify your crop species instead of planting a monoculture
● Don’t use “Slash and Burn” agriculture, cultivate crops among the trees using agroforestry
● Build an Apiary and become a beekeeper for native bee species to increase pollination
● Refrain from using pesticides that reduces the microbiota in the soil
We are currently facing the Earth’s Sixth Mass Extinction, which is attributed to human interference and appropriately called the “Anthropocene.” Deforestation and land development have significantly damaged the world’s biodiversity, but humans use the instrumental value of about 40,000 species every day.
Reducing Water Need and Pollution
Cultural Eutrophication: when too many nutrients enter a body of water and causes an algae bloom. When those algae die, a “hypoxic” low dissolved oxygen zone is created, causing the death of aquatic plants and fish in the area.
● Create buffer strips and protection zones around the field to block run off
● Use drip irrigation to reduce water use, erosion, and the risk of fertilizer and pesticide migration.
● Adopt more organic principles and reduce general use of synthetic fertilizers by planting legumes to rotate and fix biological nitrogen
Water pollution is created when agriculture that has livestock manure or uses an excess of fertilizer is not contained and “runs off” into local bodies of water or into the groundwater aquifers.
Reducing Air Pollution/Greenhouse Gas MitigationIn Module 1, we discussed how Greenhouse Gases cause climate change. Through CSA, we can not only adapt to these impacts, but also reduce our contribution to them!The agricultural sector is the 2nd largest contributor to GHGs globally due to its use of energy, industry, and land use, according to the IPCC.
We can mitigate GHGs and other pollutants such as NO2 and Particulate Matter by…
● Sequestering Carbon in the soil by reducing tillage, soil disruption, and refraining from deforestation
● Using renewable energy on-site instead of gas, oil, or diesel that produces particulate matter
● Recycling nutrients instead of industrially producing nitrogen fertilizers that cause NO2
Social Benefits of CSAClimate Smart Agriculture provides social benefits to vulnerable and marginalized groups that do not have the best access to financial resources and government support.
Adopting CSA can…
● Strengthen adaptive capacity● Improve food security● Build a sense of community and
increase youth participation
Stronger Adaptive CapacityAdaptive Capacity is the potential and resiliency of a system to bounce back and change in the face of the various climatic impacts that we discussed in Module 1.
To reducing vulnerability to extreme weather events and improve resiliency after a disaster, farmers can diversify their crops, use more drought or flood tolerant species,
But more importantly, we need institutional change to increase access to education for women in particular, global markets for food export, and technologies that assist in conservation agriculture.
Learn how farmers in Malawi are adapting to flooding: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJegLmWQ4uA
Improved Food Security
Food Security is guaranteeing equitable access to a healthy and stable food supply.
We can increase this access by…
1. Closing the Yield Gap between land potential and crop yield
2. Using farm resources more efficiently3. Grow food crops used for direct
consumption, rather than for animals or biofuels
4. Reduce Food Waste
The first two United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are eliminating poverty and hunger. When 836 million people live in extreme poverty and over one third of the world’s food is wasted, we must globally redistribute wealth and resource access by challenging our socio-economic, racial, and gender power structures.
Build Communities and Engage YouthIn Africa, over 200 million people are between the ages of 15 and 24 due to the continent’s demographic stage and will continue to grow exponentially.
Climate Smart Agriculture has the potential to build a sense of community and allow any person of any age to participate, especially younger people who will be the most affected by climate change impacts in the future.
We can engage younger generations by... ● Creating agriculture networks on social
media for information sharing and community connections
● Including youth in advisory groups and policy discussions
● Add agriculture to school curricula● Increasing the profitability of agriculture
Assignment: Organize a Talanoa DialogueA Talanoa Dialogue is a roundtable discussion where each person in the group aims to answer these three questions:
1. Where are we?2. Where do we want to go?3. How do we get there?
Developed and introduced by the Fiji government during COP23, these dialogues have been conducted throughout the world to put a story to climate change impacts and provide qualitative data to influence climate policy.
Any local municipality, NGO, or institution can submit Talanoa Dialogues to the UNFCCC to be reviewed before the next annual COP.
Photo by Basile Morin, via Wikimedia Commons