Climate-Smart Agriculture : Need of the Hour

Abstract

To address present food security and climate change issues, agricultural sector must become climate-smart. Agriculture which includes forests and fisheries, is critical for food security, rural income, and other necessary items including energy, fiber and feed. Working at the landscape level with an ecosystem approach, including forests, fisheries, crops, and livestock systems, is critical for responding to and mitigating the effects of climate change. Farmers, fishermen, and forest-dependent people will need institutional and financial support to make shift to climate-smart agriculture. Agriculture is one of the most vulnerable sectors to climate change effects, it also accounts for 14 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, agriculture is a major contributor to deforestation and land degradation, which account for another 17% of emissions. Management and governance strategies based on ecosystem concepts will be required for sustainable use of natural resources. Climate-smart agriculture is based on sustainable agricultural and rural development goals, if met will help to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of hunger reduction and better environmental management. Policies at the regional, national, and international level must be evaluated to better reflect the need for consistent and comprehensive approaches to agricultural development, climate change and food security protection. The main goal of developing nations should be to achieve the four elements of food security (availability and access to food, food with nutrition, and food supply stability). Climate financing is required to ensure that investments are sufficient to enable the transition to climate-smart agriculture. Climate-smart agriculture tools and information must be improved and shared at a greater extent.