Options for support to agriculture and food security under climate change

Abstract

► Agriculture must adapt both to progressive climate change over periods of decades and to increasing climate variability. ► Adaptation to progressive climate change needs multi-pronged strategies that include new farming systems, targeted technologies and institutional change. ► Options for better management of climate risks include seasonal weather forecasts, index insurance, local diversification and innovations in food systems. ► Agriculture has considerable potential to contribute to mitigation without compromising food security, through careful deployment of appropriate technologies, incentives and regulation. Agriculture and food security are key sectors for intervention under climate change. Agricultural production is highly vulnerable even to 2C (low-end) predictions for global mean temperatures in 2100, with major implications for rural poverty and for both rural and urban food security. Agriculture also presents untapped opportunities for mitigation, given the large land area under crops and rangeland, and the additional mitigation potential of aquaculture. This paper presents a summary of current knowledge on options to support farmers, particularly smallholder farmers, in achieving food security through agriculture under climate change. Actions towards adaptation fall into two broad overlapping areas: (1) accelerated adaptation to progressive climate change over decadal time scales, for example integrated packages of technology, agronomy and policy options for farmers and food systems, and (2) better management of agricultural risks associated with increasing climate variability and extreme events, for example improved climate information services and safety nets. Maximization of agriculture's mitigation potential will require investments in technological innovation and agricultural intensification linked to increased efficiency of inputs, and creation of incentives and monitoring systems that are inclusive of smallholder farmers. Food systems faced with climate change need urgent, broad-based action in spite of uncertainties.