More holistic approaches to agriculture needed: An analysis of party submissions to SBSTA 44 on adaptation and agriculture

Abstract

CIFOR and partners will be holding a side event at the Bonn Climate Change Conference on 11 May 2017, with a focus on Re-discovering the magnificent carbon storage potential of wetlands and peatlands . Find out more here. Key points We analyzed the 25 available submissions on agriculture and adaptation as requested by SBSTA 40, and submitted to SBSTA 44. Major emerging findings are summarized. Previous in-session agriculture workshops did not place enough emphasis on critical stakeholders such as smallscale food producers, food-insecure households and women. Separating the social and environmental aspects of adaptation measures from those that pertain to productivity, food security and resilience creates risks. Effective adaptation approaches look at multiple elements at once and seek to achieve multiple objectives. Gender relations and inequalities play a crucial role in structuring and differentiating vulnerabilities among women and men in the face of climate change. Women's agency should be recognized and supported through gender-responsive strategies. Platforms for sharing knowledge, information and experiences can serve as channels for collaboration, capacity building and innovation, and as repositories for adaptation options. SBSTA should establish a work program for determining how agriculture will fit into the new climate regime.