#cpaf15 ws7: simpson improving the climate resilience of the regional agriculture (leslie a. simpson...

byLeslie A. Simpson PhD

Natural Resources Management Specialist

Caribbean and Pacific Agrifood Forum Workshop: Building partnerships

and alliances to scale up climate-smart and adaptation solutions in

the Caribbean Improving the Climate Resilience

of the Regional Agriculture Sector: The CTA/CARDI Strategic

Alliance 2010 - 2015

The CTA/CARDI Strategic Alliance

• The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) has been a key partner in CARDI’s work in Climate Change and agriculture, particularly in developing the technical strategies and accompanying policies to achieve the needed climate resilience in various aspects of the agricultural portfolio.

• Over the past 5Years CARDI/CTA have hosted five CC workshops at the Annual Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA)

Improving Lives Through Agricultural Research

Adaptation Strategies• In 2010, CTA supported a Workshop

entitled “Climate change and agriculture in the Caribbean: Protected Agriculture – An adaptation option.”

• This workshop articulated the various adaptation strategies needed to ensure that the agriculture sector can withstand the challenges of climate change.

• It also pinpointed Protected agriculture as a viable adaptation strategy to be considered.

World Bank Risk Management Training Modules

• Small holder agricultural producers have a comprehensive on-line training manual on Agricultural Practices to Mitigate Risks to their production, including climate risks.

• See: https://www.agriskmanagementforum.org/content/world-banks-caribbean-smallholder-farmer-course

Improving Lives through Agricultural Research

This material has been uploaded since 2012, but there is has been limited uptake from stakeholders in the Caribbean.There is the feeling from some stakeholders that there is too much information and it needed to be presented in a more “bite size” bits e.g. in catechetical (question and answer) format

https://www.agriskmanagementforum.org/content/world-banks-caribbean-smallholder-farmer-course





Protected Agriculture TechnologyTropical Greenhouse

Growers Manual for the Caribbean

Topics covered include:• Greenhouse structures and

equipment• Tropical greenhouse production

systems and plant troubles • General pests, diseases and

physiological disorders of tropical greenhouse vegetables and their management

• Crop culture of tomato, sweet pepper, cucumber and lettuce

• Marketing considerations • Economic considerations


http://www.cardi.org/cfc-pa/files/downloads/2014/01/TROPICAL-GREENHOUSE-GROWERS-MANUAL.pdf





Enhancing Water Resources Management

• In 2011, CTA supported a second workshop on Climate Change adaptation in Caribbean agriculture - Enhancing water resources management.

• This workshop took a holistic look at water management in the Caribbean, while emphasizing the importance of water to the agricultural sector.

• The workshop emphasised that there was a need to enhance current farming operations to improve the efficiency of collection, storage and use of water.

• From the technical strategies articulated for the efficient management of the region’s water resources, important policy briefs were developed to guide policymakers in the needed support required by the stakeholders in the agricultural sector related to water management.

Enhanced Soil Water Management• In the area of managing

scarce water resources in agriculture, stakeholders have been given a tremendous amount of information on:• rainfall harvesting and

storage, • efficient water transport,• drip irrigation and • soil water enhancement

methods. • Use of these systems is

increasing in Jamaica and across the Region.


Innovative Water Adaptation Measures in

Jamaica1. Under the GOJ/Adaptation Fund (AF) Programme:• 75 small scale drip irrigation schemes

established across 7 parishes -Trelawny, St Ann, St Mary, St Thomas, St Catherine, Clarendon and Manchester

• 14 Rain Water Harvesting systems across 3 parishes

• 8 Water Users’ Groups established to help with the efficient management of water used for farming

2. Under the Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience (PPCR) • To install 250 communal water

harvesting systems and to rehabilitate a number of systems currently in disrepair.


Management of key Agro-biodiversity Resources

• In 2012 a third workshop was hosted in collaboration with CTA on “Development of climate smart agriculture policies that focus on the conservation, sharing and utilization of key agro-biodiversity resources.

• It looked at the key constraints and challenges in developing climate resilient crops and made recommendations for the alleviation of them.

• Two important recommendations were:• The establishment of strong national systems to take stock of

and safeguard our region’s existing rich diversity of plant genetic resources for food and non food crops, which underpin our agricultural sector.

• The promotion of mechanisms to share germplasm regionally and internationally in order to improve the robustness and resilience of each country’s systems and support other national and regional strategies.

Agricultural Biodiversity Management

• This CARDI programme addresses the need to conserve, share and sustainably utilise plant genetic resources.

• The objective is to ensure that farmers have access to climate-ready planting material that will be sufficiently resilient and productive under future climate threats.

Cassava Germplasm Collection and Assessment in Guyana

• The National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) has collected cassava germplasm in Guyana, from which three important climate-resilient cultivars were identified.

Dasheen Germplasm Assessment

• CARDI obtained 50 Dasheen (Colocasia esculenta) accessions from the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) -Centre for Pacific Crops and Trees (CePaCT).

• These are now being evaluated for local climate tolerance in three CARICOM countries.

Dasheen: A moisture loving tuber-bearing crop.

Storage and Security of Plant Germplasm

Working with The Global Crop Diversity Trust (GCDT), CARDI and regional partners have collaborated in:

◦ upgrading germplasm collections of prioritized staple food crops,

◦ mass produced and distributed planting materials to farmers and

◦ prepared germplasm of unique accessions for security conservation in the safest international genebanks.

Management of Pest and Diseases

• In 2013, a fourth workshop, focussed on “Improving the Policy Framework for Developing Climate Change Resilient Agriculture Systems in the Caribbean: Combating the threat of pest outbreaks under climate variability and change.”

• This workshop found that agro-ecological systems may change more rapidly than in the past, requiring a strengthened plant protection and phytosanitary policy framework and greater farmer involvement in research and development, as well as:

• more research and policy attention for the Collection and archiving data on environmental and biological conditions and increasing monitoring activity;

• the development and application of robust tools and support systems for end-user (farmers, technicians, decision makers);

• Evaluation of short and long term adaptation strategies to improve crop protection managements under current and future climate conditions.


Activities in Pest and Disease Management

• In a programme with CIMH three (weather/crop) simulation models were developed based on selected pests of economic importance within the Region namely:• Pathogenic pests - Black Sigatoka (Mycospharella

fijiensis), Soyabean Rust (Phakopspora pachyrhizi) and • Arthropod vector - Asian Citrus Psyllid (Diaphorina citri)

which is the vector for the devastating citrus disease known as Huanlongbing (HLB) or citrus greening.

• These models have been developed to the stage of being ready for validation in the field.

• A proposal has been developed jointed by CIMH and CARDI to seek funding for the validation of these simulation models.

Management of the Small Ruminant and Fisheries sub-

sector• In 2014, a fifth workshop addressed “Improving Climate Change Resilience in the Small Ruminants and Fisheries Industries in the Caribbean.”

• This workshop emphasised the need for inter-sectoral networking to formulate and realize an integrated approach to terrestrial and marine adaptation and conservation; specifically:

• Livestock conservation programmes (ex-situ and in-situ), which include the characterization of genetic material;

• Continued support for the full operationalization of CAFSA, including Fisheries and Aquaculture;

• Support for the introduction of Insurance and Risk Management Systems; and

• The ecosystem approach to fisheries.• These recommendations have been or are in the process

of being developed into Policy brief for the guidance of policy makers.

Building resilience in Livestock Agriculture

Challenges• With increased drought and

under traditional graze management small ruminants will suffer from chronic and acute nutritional deficiency

• Increase temperatures in the absence of adequate water while grazing will cause chronic heat stress, leading to less grazing, poor reproductive capacity, lower birth weights of kids and lambs.

• Exotic breeds of sheep and goats being introduced for increased yields are less likely to survive under a more adverse climate


Building resilience in Livestock Agriculture

Some solutions• Feeding and Nutrition• Protein Banks• Byproduct feeds

• Modifying the Environment• Adequate water and shade in

pastures• Forecasting and monitoring

of THI• Conserving and improving

Indigenous genetic resource• breeding and improvement of

local indigenous breed types


Improved Housing for Farm Animals

Housing which combines good ventilation with sturdiness against hurricanes


Conclusion• Through the strategic alliance

between CARDI/CTA much has been achieved in the past five years. Important achievements to date include:• A comprehensive on-line training

manual on Agricultural Practices to Mitigate Risks including climate risks.

• A comprehensive manual for tropical greenhouse production

ConclusionNotable achievements to date:• Increased use of water resources

management tools such as: • rainfall harvesting and storage, • efficient water transport, • drip irrigation and • soil water enhancement methods• significant on-farm and community based water

systems development in Jamaica• Initiation of studies and activities to develop

climate resilient root crops: cassava and dasheen• Initiation of climate resilience studies and

activities in Livestock agriculture



Offices in 12 Member States

THANK YOU
