Coping with Climate Change:How indigenous peoples and traditional agricultural

communities are using agrobiodiversity to adapt?

Sibonginkosi ‘Bongie’ Khumalo-Mungoni AfricaAdapt Symposium, Addis Ababa, 9-11 March 2011

Overview

• Introducing the PAR

• The project on climate change

• The synthesis report

• Lessons learnt

• Conclusions and recommendations

• Challenges and opportunities ahead

The Platform

Why Agrobiodiversity?

– Central to livelihoods and well being of millions of rural communities , IPs and farmers.

– The one resource upon which families , communities and future generations depend

– A subject overlooked in conservation and CC discussions, despite it’s importance for rural livelihoods and the development of adequate adaptation and mitigation strategies for agriculture,

Goal: Enhance the sustainable use and management of ABD in all its different aspects.

Purpose: is to help generate the knowledge required to support an alternative model for agriculture that more fully reflects ecosystem and social perspectives and ensures that agrobiodiversity contributes fully to sustainable improvements in production.

A global multi-stakeholder partnership which brings together researchers and other practitioners to share knowledge and experiences that can

improve the maintenance and use of agrobiodiversity

The Platform for Agrobiodiversity Research (PAR)contd

Website: http://agrobiodiversityplatform.org/

• Information and Knowledge Hub.• Raise the awareness on importance of agricultural

biodiversity– Example ABD and CC: http://climate-

agrobiodiversityplatform.org/

–ABD and pests: http://cropdiversity-agrobiodiversityplatform.org/

• Social networking tool for ABD practitioners• Build virtual relationships

The project on climate change

• supports the projects’ work

• implemented the project

• hosts the secretariat of “The Platform” and the project

“The use of agrobiodiversity to manage climate change – charting experiences from rural communities and indigenous peoples”

The synthesis report

• Chiang Mai

• Mapping the information

• Synthesis report

Charting AdaptationThe responses from indigenous and rural communities to change and

how diversity is supporting adaptation are being charted and represented on an interactive map

Lessons learntAdaptation dynamics

Conclusions

• Three general conclusions

1. Adapting involves a range of different actions at all three levels: Species, ecosystem or landscape and agricultural systems .

Species: Inter and intra species diversity is protected , used and redistributed to strengthen resilience and maintain production in stress prone environments.

Ecosystem: Activities here aim to mitigate and buffer the effects of CC through ecosystem protection and restoration, landscape rehabilitation and sustainable use of natural resources.

Agricultural systems: The resilience of local food systems is enhanced through diversification and the sustainable management of water and soil.

2. Innovation is based on both TK and new information; the social, cultural and political dimensions are key;

3. Use of traditional crop and livestock species/varieties/breeds, with new materials has been a common feature

Specific Conclusions and recommendations

– The resilience of local food systems and their adaptation to change can be enhanced through a strategy of diversification;

– Ecosystem protection and restoration can reduce the adverse effects of climate change on local food systems;

– Resilience and adaptability seem to be enhanced by the use of sustainable agricultural practices;

On diversity

Specific Conclusions and recommend.

– Adaptation involves maintenance of intra- and inter-species and access to new diversity;

– The need to adapt to climate change has often led to the revival of traditional practices;

– The continuous process of innovation required involves the use of traditional knowledge combined with access to new knowledge;

Materials, Knowledge, Access

Conclusions and

recomm.

– Adaptation solutions are local;

– Adaptation activities are undertaken at community level;

– Local agrobiodiversity-based solutions create opportunities for integration of adaptation and protection of indigenous peoples’ rights;

Social networks

Challenges andopportunities

• Develop indicators of adaptation, adaptability and resilience;

• Support for, and maintenance of, local social and cultural institutions;

• Ensure continuous and easy access to a range of diverse crop varieties, Agroforestry species and livestock types– Combined with further development of such materials through

locally based selection or breeding activities.

• Support the maintenance of TK combined with access to new information and materials;

• Support the development and adoption of locally appropriate improved agronomic practices;

To recap

• ABD has a key role to play in adaptation to climate change and to improving adaptability and resilience in agro-ecosystems

Join the Platform , visit www.agrobiodiversityplat

form.org

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