Strategic Work of Fao for Sustainable Food and Agriculture

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Strategic work of FAO for SUSTAINABLE FOOD AND STRATEGIC PROGRAMME TO MAKE AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES MORE PRODUCTIVE AGRICULTURE AND SUSTAINABLE CONTENTS

PAGES 4-5 A VORTEX OF PRESSURES CALLS FOR A NEW PARADIGM

PAGES 6-15 PATHWAYS TO SUSTAINABLE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

PAGES 16-27 ACHIEVING RESULTS AND SHOWING IMPACT

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE STRATEGIC WORK OF FAO FOR SUSTAINABLE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE www.fao.org/sustainability

CONTACT [email protected] SIERRA LEONE

Women farmers carrying bundles of harvested rice. 2 ©FAO/Caroline Thomas KEY MESSAGES ➨➨FAO promotes the ➨➨FAO facilitates evidence- ➨➨FAO works with public transition to sustainable and based decision-making and private institutions to climate-resilient agricultural by gathering and sharing enhance their capacities to policies and governance information and knowledge promote the adoption of mechanisms, working with needed to support the more integrated, sustainable countries on reviewing their transition to productive, and resilient production policies and investment sustainable and climate- systems. strategies and helping them resilient agriculture at all align their policies and levels. programmes in support of implementing the 2030 ➨➨FAO works with public Agenda for Sustainable and private institutions Development as well as the to strengthen capacities "IN MANY Paris Agreement on climate to collect data, analyze change. and produce evidence for COUNTRIES, informed decision making ➨➨FAO supports countries on the management ADAPTING TO to strengthen cross-sectoral of natural resources in CLIMATE CHANGE dialogue, promoting the agricultural systems across transition to sustainable production sectors. AND FINDING and climate-resilient agriculture and a stronger ➨➨FAO assists producers WAYS TO ENSURE role of agriculture, forestry in testing and adopting FOOD SECURITY and fisheries in national production systems that sustainable development. increase productivity and AND NUTRITION resilience while preserving ➨➨FAO helps countries natural resources through ARE PART OF THE in building capacities participatory approaches. SAME CHALLENGE to implement policies, instruments and AND ADOPTING partnerships that promote productive, sustainable and CLIMATE-SMART climate-resilient agriculture. PRACTICES WOULD BOOST PRODUCTIVITY AND FARMERS’ INCOMES AND LOWER FOOD PRICES."

José Graziano da Silva, FAO Director-General

3 STRATEGIC WORK OF FAO FOR SUSTAINABLE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE A VORTEX OF PRESSURES CALLS FOR A NEW PARADIGM

The world has seen huge increased use of fertilizer, water, This progress has also come progress in agricultural pesticides, drugs, new crop at a high cost to society and varieties and animal breeds and to the environment. Oceans development in the past innovative agriculture practices are now overexploited and decades. that contributed to the Livestock many rivers, lakes and seas are and Green Revolutions, the polluted with chemicals. Soils In the last 50 years, intensification latter boosting cereal yields in are degraded and have lost of agriculture has been the Asia by over 50 percent which much of their fertility. Pesticides driving force behind the rapid saved millions of people from are devastating people’s health growth of food supplies by starvation in the 1960s and and the environment, while more than threefold, in keeping 1970s. Since then, global food high levels of greenhouse gas up with a rapidly expanding production from crops, livestock, (GHG) emissions from input- population. The success of food fisheries and aquaculture has intensive agriculture aggravate production in reducing hunger grown to an estimated 8.4 billion the menace of climate change and improving nutrition globally tonnes per year, while forestry and contribute to global warming is also the result of a variety produces 3.5 billion cubic metres and volatile weather patterns. of factors. These include the of timber and fuelwood per year. Our agricultural systems are the result of unsustainable farming practices that have squandered our natural resources, leaving our current and future generations QUICK FACTS with the additional task of addressing land degradation, Agriculture produces an in 2050 will need to come from water scarcity and pollution, > average of 23.7 million tonnes land already under cultivation. eroded agro-biodiversity and of food every day. climate change. Today, there Seventy-five percent of the are still too many regions in To provide for a population > genetic diversity of crops has the world where agricultural > of 9.7 billion in 2050, food already been lost. productivity is extremely low, and production will need to increase where farmers, pastoralists, and from the current 8.4 billion tonnes Some 31.4 percent of the other rural dwellers struggle to to almost 13.5 billion tonnes a year. > commercial wild fish stocks survive and make a decent living. regularly monitored by FAO were Fifty percent of the additional overfished in 2013, a level that has The global development > food required to meet demand been stable since 2007. situation is changing rapidly, and no question is

4 RWANDA

Growing vegetables and agroforestry plants in the Yanze watershed of the Rulindo District. © FAO/Teopista Mutesi

more contested among the a paradigm shift is sorely Sustainable agriculture lies at international community than needed if, collectively, we are to the core of the 2030 Agenda. what will lay the foundations transform our food systems for Six out of the 17 Sustainable for future agricultural growth the better. Development Goals concentrate that is sustainable. How can we on sustainable agriculture, produce more on land already Achieving the transition namely SDG 2 on hunger, cultivated without encroaching to sustainable agricultural nutrition and sustainable on our forests? How can we development requires agriculture, SDG 6 on water use avoid further depleting our a vision that radically efficiency, SDG 12 on responsible already fragile ecosystems rethinks the status quo. production and consumption, on land and water? How can This is especially the case as SDG 13 on combating climate we enable our food systems our population continues to change, SDG 14 on conserving and natural resources to cope expand, requiring production marine resources, and SDG 15 with feeding a growing global systems to increase by more on terrestrial ecosystems, land population if dietary patterns than 60 percent by 2050. This restoration and biodiversity. change and if we lose or waste vision, encapsulated in the Sustainable agriculture a third of our food today? How 2030 Agenda for Sustainable contributes to other goals as well, can we mitigate and adapt to Development, comprises a set for instance, agriculture plays a changing climatic patterns that of 17 goals with timeframes, critical role in reducing poverty wreak havoc on our fragile food committing the international through pro-poor approaches systems and the livelihoods of community to end poverty and that encompass family farming, our poorest citizens? Fueling hunger, and achieve sustainable women and youth empowerment, these questions and more is development in the next 15 value chain, market access and a growing awareness that years. social protection schemes.

5 STRATEGIC WORK OF FAO FOR SUSTAINABLE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE PATHWAYS TO SUSTAINABLE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

The vision of FAO for environmental issues. It is a process Such practices include, for sustainable food and with overarching frameworks example, agroforestry systems, that range from technical to crop–livestock integration and agriculture is one where governance and to financing crop–aquaculture production, to food is nutritious and aspects. Sustainable production promote the conservation and accessible for everyone practices and technologies also use of ecosystem services and imply a synergistic approach of biodiversity, for the benefit of and one where natural the production value chain in producers and rural communities. resources are managed connection with natural resources. In this way, crop and livestock in a way that maintain production, forestry, capture fisheries and aquaculture no ecosystem functions to longer need to compete for support current as well SUSTAINABLE political support, space and natural resources. as future human needs. AGRICULTURAL With a holistic approach to Farmers, pastoralists, fisher folks, DEVELOPMENT agriculture, wise choices can be foresters and other rural dwellers REQUIRES made for inclusive and sustainable have their voices heard, benefit practices. Since 2014, FAO from economic development and INTEGRATION AND has supported 245 initiatives have decent employment. Food in 89 countries in sustainable security has been attained, climate SYNERGIES agricultural production practices change is a thing of the past and BETWEEN SECTORS using participatory approaches, women have the same rights to including over 80 initiatives in access and buy land as men. AS WELL AS A Africa alone. Out of 89 countries, 41 percent were able to reduce the The Organization’s second strategic COMBINATION OF gap in crop yields and over half of objective calls on everyone’s efforts SOCIAL, the countries had reduced the area to move towards sustainable of natural vegetation and protected agriculture. But this endeavour ECONOMIC AND ecosystems lost to agriculture. entails more than just protecting our natural resources. Sustainable ENVIRONMENTAL FAO is continuously exploring agricultural development requires ISSUES. ways to assess the impact integration and synergies between of integrated approaches to sectors as well as combination production and adapting of social, economic and future plans. By addressing

6 VIET NAM

Girl from the northern highlands working in a rice paddy. ©FAO/NG Quang Toan 7 STRATEGIC WORK OF FAO FOR SUSTAINABLE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE THE 5 KEY PRINCIPLES FOR SUSTAINABILITY IN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

FAO has developed This unified perspective – valid across all a common vision and agricultural sectors and taking into account social, economic and environmental considerations – an integrated approach ensures the effectiveness of action on the ground to sustainability across and is underpinned by knowledge based on the best available science, and adaptation at community agriculture, forestry and country levels to ensure local relevance and and fisheries. applicability.

PRINCIPLE PRINCIPLE PRINCIPLE 1 Improving efficiency in 2 Sustainability requires 3 Agriculture that fails to the use of resources is direct action to conserve, protect and improve rural crucial to sustainable protect and enhance livelihoods, equity and agriculture natural resources social well-being is unsustainable PRINCIPLE 5 PRINCIPLE 4 Enhanced resilience of Sustainable food and people, communities and agriculture requires ecosystems is key to responsible and effective sustainable agriculture governance mechanisms

8 A VORTEX OF PRESSURES CALLS FOR A NEW PARADIGM

TAJIKISTAN

Rural women selling fruits and vegetables on the roadside in Dushanbe. ©FAO/Mustafa Coskun

economic, institutional and of these instruments, and of and sustainable through three financing barriers, FAO works those accessing and using data intertwined pillars: to create enabling conditions for to support policy and planning sustainable production systems. decisions. In 2014 and 2015, FAO 1. EFFICIENT RESOURCE USE: In this way, resources are used supported 74 countries with 215 changing towards sustainable more efficiently and we create initiatives that adopted integrated intensification of agriculture to an environment that supports approaches across different produce more with less impact diversification and natural sectors with notable results from on our resources. resources conservation. Farmers the way natural resources are can also better adapt to and managed, to exploring ecosystem- 2. PROTECTING AND CONSERVING mitigate climate change. based approaches in fisheries THE ENVIRONMENT: and aquaculture, to sustainable providing better care for our In strengthening many land and water management, resources so that we protect the international and national biodiversity conservation, and to biodiversity of our ecosystem, agricultural governance better planning and managing water, soil fertility and reduce mechanisms and instruments, of agricultural landscapes and pollution. FAO continues to push for the territories. sustainable use of resources, 3. MAKING AGRICULTURE RESILIENT: which includes building capacity FAO has developed a coordinated adopting new approach, namely of key stakeholders in the approach aiming at making sustainable agriculture, to adapt negotiation and implementation agriculture more productive and mitigate climate change.

9 STRATEGIC WORK OF FAO FOR SUSTAINABLE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

EFFICIENT RESOURCE USE PRODUCING MORE WITH LESS

The world’s landscape is that takes into account the developed two flagship products changing and we cannot complex linkages and competition in this regard. The first is a global that exist among the users Farmer Field School network that rely on our past successes of resources and the natural encapsulates over 500 farmer for future gains. environment. More integrated field modules and a roster of approaches ensure that trade-offs profiles of trainers, enabling If we are to feed a population and synergies of the impacts of new projects to leverage on the of about 10 billion in 50 year decisions in one sector are looked skills and experience of similar time, a substantial part of the at in conjunction with other projects elsewhere in the world. increase in food production must sectors, while taking food and The network also contains group come from current agriculture nutritional security aspects into discussions that are moderated production areas with enhanced account. by FAO on high-level policies and food systems, ones that are more strategies. Non-formal education productive and efficient. This FAO also believes in an approach and learning processes need to means we must learn to produce that combines organizational go hand-in-hand with cross- more food with less resources strengthening at local level with sectoral approaches at a landscape and do so under much harsher policy and regulatory support at scale. When they are considered conditions. As volatile climatic national or provincial level and in together, results have been patterns increase, competition involving multiple stakeholders. promising, as the success of the will inevitably intensify over In other words, FAO develops the pilot programmes Farmer Field natural resources. Our crops and capacities of rural communities, Schools in Burundi and Niger are livestock will need to become farmer organizations, and now being scaled up nationally. more resistant to new weeds, government institutions to pests, fungus, and other diseases. work together in formulating The second FAO product, Considering the growing scarcity better policies, strategies and Technologies and practices for of land and water resources governance that are integrated small agricultural producers today in many parts of the into sustainable agricultural and (TECA) is a repository of world, the logical first step for the natural resource sector. sustainable practices in FAO and its partners is to work agricultural technologies in crop together on using all resources Farmers are the primary agents production, forestry, livestock and more efficiently. Only through of change. For innovative and fisheries, including adaptation these efforts can we increase sustainable practices to become to climate change. Designed for agricultural productivity with customary, they need to acquire small producers, the platform minimum environmental impacts new knowledge and skills, and allows them to interact with on land, water, energy and they need to be able to see the people with similar interests and biodiversity. immediate returns of agricultural discuss sustainable solutions productivity while ensuring for their work in online forums Against this backdrop, the that their soil, water and other or exchange groups that are Organization’s programmes natural resources are sustainably facilitated by agricultural experts reflect an integrated approach managed in the long run. FAO has of FAO.

10 CHINA

Farmers harvesting fish from a rice field near Qingtian. 11 ©FAO STRATEGIC WORK OF FAO FOR SUSTAINABLE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

KENYA

East African Hypotrigona bee and a honey bee collaborating to pollinate eggplant flowers. ©FAO/Dino Martins

PROTECTING AND CONSERVING THE ENVIRONMENT USING NATURAL RESOURCES IN A SUSTAINABLE MANNER

A sustainable approach sector that consumes the most scale commercial agriculture and to agriculture requires water, with on average 70 percent local subsistence agriculture are of all water uses. This figure applies responsible for about 40 percent an accurate stock-taking to more than 90 percent in many and 33 percent of forest conversion, and a much better countries, and is a driver of intense respectively. The remaining stewardship of the competition and conflicts in many 27 percent of deforestation happens places. Nearly 100 livestock breeds due to urban growth, infrastructure world’s natural resources. became extinct between 2000 expansion and mining. Almost and 2014, and today, 17 percent a third of commercial fish stocks The picture is grim. Today, (1 458) of the world’s farm animal are now fished at biologically 33 percent of land is moderately breeds risk extinction, largely due unsustainable levels, triple the level to highly degraded due to soil to indiscriminate cross-breeding. of 1974. erosion, salinization, compaction, Agriculture also accounts for the acidification and chemical lion's share of deforestation. In The world’s natural resources, pollution. Agriculture is by far the the tropics and subtropics, large- including genetic resources, as

12 PATHWAYS TO SUSTAINABLE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

well as ecosystem services such as breeds) that are most suited to tailored to local needs and which pollination, provisioning of clean the local agro-ecology and cater target the various components of drinking water, natural biological to the needs of producers and the value chain. Empirical evidence control of insect-pests and diseases consumers. However, the needs of from development programmes and the nutrient cycling in soils, producers are driven by financial show how to attain increased underpin all food and agricultural benefits accruing from improved total agricultural productivity, systems. Ecosystem services in productivity, savings from including policy and institutional agriculture are the benefits society reduced use of external inputs and reforms, in tandem with the gets from the environment thanks opportunities arising from gains in maintenance of the ecosystem and to farmers' interventions. Nutritious time. While it is understandable, the accruing services that include food, clean water, healthy soils, this line of thinking too often traps water retention, replenishment of pest and disease control and producers in the vicious cycle of soil nutrients, the control of pests, biodiversity are just a few examples sub-optimal yields and precarious reduction of erosion, the provision of these benefits. But these essential livelihoods particularly as the of pollinators, and maintenance of ecosystem services cannot exist natural resources base, including water quality. if the ecosystem functions are agrobiodiversity, is depleted. A new not supported, sustained, and approach, one that protects and For instance, farmers engaging in biodiversity is not protected. conserves the biodiversity of the Conservation Agriculture (CA) use Unsustainable land-use practices, environment is required to develop a combination of technologies that land expansion and deforestation, technical, policy, governance and imply low or no tillage, cover crops illegal, unregulated and unreported financing approaches that are both and crop rotation. In so doing, they (IUU) fishing, inadequate producer and gender sensitive, minimize soil disturbance and management of coastal areas, promote healthy soils that result in and over-exploitation of natural higher and more sustainable yields. resources including overfishing This increase of organic matter and over-exploitation of freshwater, A MULTI- content or carbon sequestration in present major challenges to the soils gives farmers immediate environmental sustainability of DISCIPLINARY as well as long term benefits in agriculture, forestry and fisheries terms of enhancing productivity and require strong governance APPROACH IS KEY while conserving the soil and mechanisms and instruments. TO SUCCESSFULLY mitigating climate change. These issues, among others, pose serious threats to food security MANAGING A multi-disciplinary approach and nutrition that may result in is key to successfully managing ecosystems degradation, including ECOSYSTEM ecosystem services and protecting desertification, degradation of SERVICES AND and conserving biodiversity. grasslands and forests, loss of The critical fisheries resources of arable land, habitats, species and PROTECTING AND the Amazon Basin, for instance, genetic diversity, all of which can also depend on the health of have negative ripple effects through CONSERVING the adjacent forests. The forests the global food production system BIODIVERSITY. provide habitats for fish within and human health and well-being. the ecosystem, they also provide food as many fish eat the fruits Sustainable agricultural practices that fall on the water, they regulate improve the availability, access the water delivery and the water and use of genetic material quality, and they are the areas that (crop varieties, fish and animal take on seasonal floods.

13 STRATEGIC WORK OF FAO FOR SUSTAINABLE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

MAKING AGRICULTURE RESILIENT ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE THROUGH CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE

Climate change is a agriculture, the Paris Agreement defining challenge of goals cannot be reached. QUICK FACTS our age. With the adoption of the Paris Agreement, the international Agriculture accounts for Climate change is a defining community has shifted its > 70 percent of water use. challenge of our age. Heavy attention to implementation rainfall, flooding, storms, of climate commitments. By Agriculture also accounts for heat waves and droughts are submitting their Nationally > 24 percent of anthropogenic increasing in frequency and Determined Contributions GHG emissions while food loss intensity, and the effects are felt (NDCs), countries committed to and waste is responsible for about far and wide. These extreme climate action. The vast majority 8 percent of global GHG emissions. weather events, combined with of countries refer to climate slow-onset changes such as action in the agricultural sector, Agriculture is highly sensitive temperature and sea-level rise, are and about a third specifically > to climate change. Even a 2º C increasingly affecting ecosystems refer to the beneficial linkage rise in global mean temperatures and natural resources on which between mitigation and adaption will destabilize current production millions of people depend for in agriculture. More than thirty systems. their livelihoods and well-being. countries specifically refer to Climate-Smart Agriculture. Agriculture (comprising crops, The majority of the world’s > livestock, fisheries and forestry) poor live in rural areas, and FAO promotes Climate-Smart absorbs a fifth of the economic agriculture is at times their only Agriculture (CSA) as an approach impact caused by natural hazards income source. Developing that can transform and reorient and disasters in developing the potential to increase the agricultural systems to effectively countries, including landslides, productivity and incomes from support development and ensure avalanches or the increase of smallholder crop, livestock, food security in a changing climate. varieties of weeds, pests and fish and forest production microorganisms. systems will be the key to The approach, in practice, pursues achieving global food security the triple objectives of: Emissions will have to be and ending poverty over the > drastically reduced in order next twenty years. Agriculture ■■ Sustainably increasing to keep climate change in check (including forestry and fisheries) productivity and incomes, and keep the global temperature is particularly vulnerable to increase no higher than 1.5º C or climate change, but it is also a ■■ Adapting to climate change; and 2º C, compared with pre-industrial significant contributor to climate levels. change. Without containing ■■ Reducing GHG emissions, where GHG emissions growth from possible.

14 MYANMAR

Girl running through a deserted farmland devastated by Cyclone Komen, near Manywa. ©FAO/Hkun Lat

Depending upon agro-climatic or applied in isolation, but it is for the adoption of Climate- and socio-economic country rather an approach that involves Smart Agriculture at the farm, and local circumstances, the different elements embedded in landscape and national level. At importance of these objectives will local contexts. The work of FAO field level, FAO works on capacity differ. CSA pursues synergies but to make agriculture, forestry and development with producers also recognises that there may be fisheries more productive and adopting CSA practices through trade-offs between these objectives sustainable recognizes that the Farmer Field Schools and other and promotes decisions based on challenge of climate requires a advisory services. As an active evidence to select options that are climate-smart approach to achieve member of the Global Alliance best suited to meet national and sustainability. of Climate-Smart Agriculture local development goals. and regional CSA alliances, FAO FAO supports countries to fosters knowledge and supports CSA is not a set of practices enhance the evidence base and collaboration to enhance the scale that can be universally applied strengthen policies and planning of CSA implementation.

15 STRATEGIC WORK OF FAO FOR SUSTAINABLE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ACHIEVING RESULTS AND SHOWING IMPACT

Kazakistan

Uzbekistan Tajikistan Tunisia Regional Initiative Morocco China “Near East and North Pakistan Nepal Africa’s Water Scarcity Egypt Bangladesh Initiative” Algeria India Lao PDR Regional Initiative Honduras “Asia and the Paciﬁc’s Thailand Blue Growth Initiative” Viet Nam

Uganda Cambodia

Kenya Indonesia Ecuador Rwanda Burundi Tanzania Regional Initiative Zambia “Sustainable production Regional Initiative intensiﬁcation and value “Asia and the Paciﬁc’s chain development in Regional Rice initiative” Africa” In close collaboration with its partners, FAO works to make agriculture, forestry and fisheries more productive and sustainable in countries and regions around the world as illustrated in the following examples.

Kazakistan

Uganda Cambodia

REGIONAL INITIATIVES

The Regional Initiatives of FAO are tailored to regional and country needs.

They promote sustainable agricultural development as a way to increase the production and productivity of agriculture, provide for better conservation and enhancement of natural resources and ecosystem services, as well as reduce climate change in different regions.

NEAR EAST AND NORTH AFRICA’S SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION INTENSIFICATION WATER SCARCITY INITIATIVE AND VALUE CHAIN DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA

In the Near East and North Africa, fresh water FAO takes a holistic approach to enhanced resources are among the lowest in the world. Through agricultural diversification, productivity and this Regional Initiative, FAO and its partners advise competitiveness in Africa, within a value chain governments and the private sector on the adoption of context. It supports the development of value chains modern technologies and institutional solutions that of agri-livestock, including reduced post-harvest loss best increase the efficiency and productivity of water and waste and land tenure arrangements. use in agriculture for the benefit of millions of farmers and rural communities in the region. In Africa, FAO facilitates knowledge exchanges on small-scale irrigation, climate smart agriculture/ Options to save water and increase water productivity conservation agriculture, crop and livestock value all along the food value chain will be shared with the chain development, diversification, access to private sector, while governments will be encouraged markets and competitiveness. Furthermore, special to promote incentive frameworks that reposition consideration is given to gender mainstreaming, farmers at the center of the sustainable management youth, governance and the design of the activities. of land and water resources. In going forward, this Regional Initiative will focus on sustainable intensification of production and the associated measures needed to address post- production issues.

18 ASIA AND THE PACIFIC’S BLUE GROWTH INITIATIVE ASIA AND THE PACIFIC’S The Blue Growth Initiative harnesses the potential REGIONAL RICE INITIATIVE of the agricultural and maritime sectors for sustainable growth. An array of rice-fish, and rice-vegetables The havoc that the 2008 rice price crisis and changing systems have been put in place and integrated climatic patterns caused on traditional rice-based through Farmer Field Schools for sustainable farming systems gave rise to new rice policies and intensification of rice production (SIRP). FAO has strategies for more sustainable ways of rice farming. also been working on sustainable intensification of The Organization’s Regional Rice Initiative Phase II aquaculture for blue growth – improving production aims to apply innovative and sustainable rice farming efficiency, sustainability and resilience for food and practices to bring about food-secure, better nourished nutrition. This has led to increases in livelihood and prosperous rice farmers and consumers in the opportunities and contributes to a sustainable blue region. growth of the economy.

19 STRATEGIC WORK OF FAO FOR SUSTAINABLE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

FROM THE FIELD

CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE hunger. The FAO Mitigation of and improve the overall GHG IN SMALLHOLDER FARMING Climate Change in Agriculture balance of farming systems. In (MICCA) programme has Tanzania’s Uluguru mountains, SYSTEMS been assisting countries in the 4 948 households were trained (Kenya & Tanzania) region to reduce the climate to ingrate soil and water footprint of agricultural sectors conservation practices into farm with high GHG emissions. Two management. Farmers reported MICCA pilot projects were first higher yields and income as well implemented in Kenya and as increased food availability, Tanzania from 2010-2014. Almost proving that smallholder farmers 10 000 smallholders improved can play a part in the fight their skills to integrate Climate- against climate change while Smart Agriculture (CSA) into increasing their productivity and Climate change is a fundamental their farming systems and local maintaining their livelihoods. threat to food security in landscapes. These successes and lessons are East Africa, with its impacts now up-scaled to the national exacerbating the vulnerability In Kenya, FAO supported over level to shape policies, plans and of small-scale farmers, already 4 500 smallholder dairy farmers programmes that support CSA in on the brink of poverty and to raise climate-smart cattle Kenya and Tanzania.

EMPOWERING FEMALE because women, often a crucial is helping to mainstream gender SMALLHOLDERS THROUGH resource in agriculture and the in all of its activities. Potential rural economy, face discrimination female agro-entrepreneurs THE PROMOTION OF that reduces their productivity. are given access to productive CONSERVATIVE AGRICULTURE In partnership with the EU, resources, such as credit and (Zambia) FAO is supporting the Zambian financing; while female farmers Ministry of Agriculture and are provided with agricultural Livestock to increase agricultural inputs and herbicides, a key productivity and empower female labour-saving technology in smallholders. These interventions conservative agriculture. To are helping farmers in 31 districts date, 49 percent of project to use agricultural inputs more beneficiaries are women. These efficiently and produce higher efforts are effectively promoting yields, with a particular emphasis the sustainable intensification on addressing the socio-economic of agricultural production Agriculture has been an important barriers that rural women to the benefit of all farmers, engine of growth and poverty confront. particularly female smallholders, reduction in Zambia. But the strengthening their resilience sector is underperforming largely The project’s Gender Equality and and capacities to adapt to climate due to the effects El Niño and also Women’s Empowerment Strategy change.

20 TUNISIA A VORTEX OF PRESSURES CALLS FOR A NEW PARADIGM

USING NON-CONVENTIONAL growth and rapid urbanization ferti-irrigation schemes in these WATERS TO SUSTAIN are intensifying pressures on countries but is also ensuring already scarce, fresh water long-term sustainability through LIVELIHOODS resources. In addressing these capacity building. Stakeholders (Algeria, Egypt, Morocco challenges, FAO has joined are equipped with skills which and Tunisia) forces with Italian partner enable them to properly manage universities and corporations and replicate these systems, in to launch a project on urban order to fully reap the benefits wastewater use for irrigation. Safe, of the innovative techniques environmentally sound and cost- applied. Building upon the efficient techniques on treating experiences of the Regional Water wastewater are now employed Scarcity Initiative, this endeavor in municipalities throughout demonstrates the sustainability Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and and economic viability of low-cost Tunisia. The project has also wastewater treatments to improve In the dry areas of North Africa supported the construction of the livelihoods of populations in and the Near East, population water treatment facilities and the region.

21 STRATEGIC WORK OF FAO FOR SUSTAINABLE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

ECUADOR

SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT vegetation composed mainly In response, FAO is cooperating OF NATURAL RESOURCES of giant rosette plants, shrubs with the Ministry of Environment and grasses – in the country. and the provincial government IN CHIMBORAZO This mountainous ecosystem is of Chimborazo, to support the (Ecuador) characterized by rich, sponge- sustainable management of the like soils that capture and biodiversity and water sources in retain water that is critical to the region. A community-based the region for irrigation, human watershed management planning consumption and hydropower scheme has been established purposes. Over time, farmers to prioritize conservation and have been obliged to expand their sustainable production projects crop and pasture areas to higher involving more than 100 altitudes, at the expense of the communities. Three years since The Ecuadorian province of páramos. These practices have its inception, the project resulted Chimborazo has the largest resulted in the loss of habitats, in more sustainable farming and best-conserved expanse biodiversity and inappropriate practices, which are enhancing the of páramos – neotropical management of these natural conservation of páramo biodiversity high mountain biome with a resources. and scarce water resources.

22 ACHIEVING RESULTS AND SHOWING IMPACT

FARMER FIELD SCHOOL land under cultivation. Through crops have not been destroyed IMPROVES FOOD SECURITY projects implemented by FAO by floods. This has encouraged and its partners, 300 hectares farmers to first invest in better AND NUTRITION of a watershed have been seed varieties for horticulture (Burundi) stabilized through sustainable production, then diversifying and integrated land management to include apiculture and (SLM). The Farmer Field Schools mushroom cultivation, which use SLM practices to reduce helped to increase their access deforestation and control soil to foods rich in vitamins and erosion through farming, adopting micronutrients, which also agroforestry and contour planting contributed to generating more - planting bamboo along the river income. The soils were fortified banks to hold soil. The cultivation through mineral fertilizers and With an expanding population of over 49 000 fruit trees across then planted with better quality living off limited land, often field crops also contributed to seeds of crops, including maize, divided into small plots, increasing improve soil fertility and human whose yields tripled in one of the food production in Burundi will nutrition. fields. Varieties of crops, including mean focusing on integration bananas and fruit trees, were and efficiency in farming systems Reduced erosion in the fields has chosen based upon resistance, rather than simply bringing more resulted in higher production, as yield and nutrition value.

PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE the 2011 launch of FAO’s ‘Save the rice sector into a dynamic and RICE INTENSIFICATION AND and Grow’ campaign, South competitive one using sustainable and South East Asian countries practices. Farmers found they LIVESTOCK OR FISH-CROP – where much of the world’s rice is could produce rice with better and SYSTEMS produced – have endorsed System of fewer inputs such as certified seeds (Lao PDR, Cambodia, China, Rice Intensification (SRI) methods which resulted in higher yields in their national food security and profits. In promoting rice-fish Indonesia, Pakistan, Thailand, programmes. Today, millions of systems, farmers learned of the Viet Nam) rice farmers have adopted these importance of goods and services practices, which have addressed produced by rice ecosystems while many of their challenges. engaging in sustainable rice-fish farming practices. Rice paddies are SRI also allows farmers to cultivate rich ecosystems with abundant rice in rainfed areas, such as fish, crabs and other species that northeast Thailand, which are are essential for food security and increasingly affected by drought, nutrition of rice farmers. and in major irrigated rice areas of China, Pakistan and India, To formulate policies that support where, by 2025, water supply is rice production, policy makers forecasted to be insufficient to meet need to be informed of innovative demand. In Lao PDR, FAO projects methods and technologies. Since supported farmers in transforming

23 STRATEGIC WORK OF FAO FOR SUSTAINABLE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

MORE MAIZE, LESS EROSION deforestation and environmental the productivity of their lands. ON TROPICAL HILLSIDES degradation. Recognizing that Increased productivity has slash-and-burn cultivation improved food security and (Honduras) was unsustainable, farmers in allowed farmers to set aside the Honduran department of space in their fields to explore Lempira developed a low-cost, different options for producing resource-conserving system for food. Almost half of all farmers growing their crops. FAO has who have adopted Qsmas use been working with local farmers some part of their land, and their and farmers’ groups to develop additional income, to diversify and disseminate those practices, production. Farmers have which have become known as embraced the system because it is On the steep hillsides of south- the Quezungual Agroforestry founded on familiar, indigenous western Honduras, the traditional System, or Qsmas. farming practices, but is more ‘slash-and-burn’ cultivation of productive and profitable than maize, beans and other food Using Qsmas, farmers in the slash-and-burn agriculture, and crops has led to widespread region have been able to double delivers many other benefits.

PILOTING SUSTAINABLE natural resources. In 2014, Rwanda and natural resources guided AGRICULTURE partnered with FAO to pilot the development of a strategy sustainable food and agriculture. on agro-forestry. At the local (Rwanda) This involved integrating level, FAO works in Rwanda’s the three dimensions of northern province at the Yanze sustainability (economic, social river catchment. There, FAO and environmental) and giving facilitates dialogue to further people a central role in addressing an integrated approach to sustainability issues through agriculture that integrates the multi-stakeholder, cross-sectoral five principles of Sustainable dialogues so that, together, they Food and Agriculture. While it is could find solutions across sectors still early days, Rwanda is taking that traditionally have been in key steps with its many projects. Agriculture is the economic competition with each other. FAO Examples include participatory backbone of Rwanda, providing 90 has been working at both national landscape assessment and percent of the country’s food needs and local levels. planning, participatory learning and employing almost 80 percent through farmer field schools for of the active population. However, In close collaboration with vegetables agroforestry, soil and the ‘land of a thousand hills,’ with the FIRST Programme (Food water conservation, integrated over 11.7 million citizens, is the and Nutrition Security Impact, soil fertility management, crop- second most densely populated in Resilience, Sustainability and livestock integration, and helping Africa and under severe pressure to Transformation), FAO facilitates farmers increase their incomes increase productivity of agriculture cross-sectoral policy dialogue at with diversification and reach and incomes of smallholder farmers, a national level. A cross-sectoral the market by building vegetable while conserving the country’s working group for agriculture collecting points.

24 ACHIEVING RESULTS AND SHOWING IMPACT

CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE stagnate, with yields well below and GHG emissions. In India and THE KEY TO FOOD SECURITY the expected levels. The decline is Pakistan, the rate of adoption a result of ‘soil fatigue’ caused by of zero and reduced tillage for (Bangladesh, India, decades of intensive cultivation, wheat and rice production has Nepal, Pakistan) the depletion of groundwater, been exponential. These systems and rising temperatures. In are proving to be fundamental response, the Rice-Wheat to the food security, incomes Consortium, together with FAO and employment of hundreds of and the Consultative Group millions of rural and urban poor on International Agricultural in South Asia. Research (CGIAR), launched a concerted effort to promote resource-conserving technologies Stretching across South Asia, for cereal production. from Bangladesh, through India and Nepal to Pakistan, the The most widely adopted among Indo-Gangetic Plains are both these technologies being zero- the rice bowl and breadbasket tillage, which has led to urgently of 1.8 billion people. However, needed, reductions in the use of in recent years, rice and wheat irrigation water and is helping productivity had begun to farmers to reduce production costs

FARMERS STOP PLOUGHING and flour, the crop relies entirely considered highly suitable for all ON KAZAKHSTANI STEPPE on precipitation and is, therefore, of Central Asia’s major cropping very vulnerable to the loss of soil systems, from north Kazakhstan’s (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, moisture the region has recently wheat belt down to the irrigated Tajikistan) experienced. The International wheat, rice and cotton fields of Maize and Wheat Improvement Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Other Center (CIMMYT) and FAO, countries in the region could learn together with Kazakhstani from the Kazakhstani example, scientists and farmers, launched where state policy promotes CA, a programme to introduce CA in and the top priority in agricultural rainfed areas. The programme research is the development and trials demonstrated that CA dissemination of water-saving practices including zero-tillage and technologies. crop rotation had the potential to The widespread adoption of produce higher wheat yields and to Conservation Agriculture (CA) in reduce labour and fuel costs. northern Kazakhstan’s wheat belt has been driven by necessity. While Applying these principles, some the country has vast land resources farmers in Kostanay province for wheat production, and is one of achieved yields of two tonnes the world’s leading producers and per hectare, almost double the exporters of high-quality wheat national average previously. CA is

25 STRATEGIC WORK OF FAO FOR SUSTAINABLE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

INTEGRATING AGRICULTURE for a country that is reliant on its to aid its work plan activities, in IN NATIONAL natural resources. In response, FAO addition to global expertise on and the UNDP have collaborated mainstreaming climate change ADAPTATION PLANS with the Ugandan Government into planning and budgeting. A (Uganda) to integrate its agricultural sectors significant milestone thus far was – including livestock, forestry, the construction of the National fisheries and aquaculture – in the Resource Centre for Climate National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Change in June 2015, affording process. The aim is to strengthen the department a dedicated space the resilience of rural populations and the material resources to and agricultural production systems work on climate change issues. in the central Cattle Corridor Implementation of the project, and build both the capacities of supported by FAO and UNDP Changing temperature patterns communities and commercial teams, has also resulted in the in Uganda have been linked to farmers to cope with the effects of integration of adaptation needs more frequent and longer lasting climate change. into field programmes, including droughts and, consequently, the using various crop varieties, increased death of cattle. These By 2018, Uganda is expected to and adopting sustainable land impacts are economically significant benefit from technical assistance management.

INTEGRATED RICE-FISH- 105 Farmer Field School farmers gross income from integrated AQUATIC BIODIVERSITY (55 women) with adjacent fields rice-fish-aquatic production was on an area of 34 hectares were US$7 751, four times the income INCREASES GROSS INCOME selected. Rice farmers applied the (US$1 892) from producing only (Viet Nam) efficient management principles rice. In general, it was found they learned to grow healthy, that these practices increased well-yielding crops with fewer incomes by 210 percent to 550 and more sustainable production percent. Farmers’ experience inputs. They explored ways and the aquatic biodiversity to make optimal use of the species and numbers – especially multiple goods and services fish – accounted for the large that paddy-based farming difference in benefits. Informed systems offered. Farmers learned decision-making, based on Rice production in Viet Nam is conservation and management of agro-ecosystem analysis, led important to the food supply aquatic biodiversity techniques to more effective, natural and in the country and national (including both captured sustainable pest management. economy. In an effort to reduce and cultured fish species) in For example, the fish ate insect the use of pesticides and improve combination with improved pests found at the stem and base both the rice ecosystem health agronomic practices such as of rice plants as well as those and farmers’ incomes, FAO wider plant spacing/reduced that fell into the water, which worked with farmers to integrate seeding rates, improved water avoided unnecessary use of rice-fish-aquatic biodiversity into management, and reduced chemical pesticides and the use the production system. A total of chemical pesticides. The average of biological control agents.

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FAO information products are available on the FAO website (www.fao.org/publications) and can be purchased through [email protected]. UGANDA Cover photo: ©FAO Member of the Buffda and Byfita group feeding Printed on ecological paper. caged fish at the Butyaba landing site. ©FAO/Isaac Kasamani 27 2030 Agenda. countries in the implementing We supporting to are committed impacts in all aspects of our work. nutrition and climate change integrating gender, governance, technical leadership, while fully Programmes, leveraging our FAO works through five Strategic To accomplish these objectives, malnutrition and poverty. achieving aworld without hunger, states inmember sustainably main areas of our work support to Objectives of FAO represent the The five key priorities or Strategic FAO OF WORK THE STRATEGIC and food systems and food agricultural efficient and inclusive Enable Reduce rural poverty Make agriculture, and sustainable and more productive fisheries and forestry malnutrition and insecurity food hunger, eliminate Help and crises and livelihoods threats of to resilience the Increase

in the 2030 Agenda. the latest developments in relation and agriculture food to in the SDGs. This is page continuously with updated all To learn more, consult our onthe work webpage of FAO implementing monitoring and SDGs. the qualify FAO as avaluable ally countries for in development (social, economic and environmental) unique skills in the three dimensions of sustainable experience working with development and partners Our wide-range of technical expertise, length of SDGs. work FAO of strategic the aligned with is broadly of natural resources and leaving no one behind, the andcauses hunger, of poverty sustainable management With an integrated approach aimed at tackling the root of the 2030 heart the very Agenda. Food and agriculture cut across all the SDGs and lie at resources and ensure prosperity all. for hunger, and poverty end to sustain planet’s the natural global priorities by adopted countries in2015 September 2030 Agenda Sustainable for Development are aset of The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the