Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management in Agriculture
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CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT IN AGRICULTURE PRIORITY FRAMEWORK FOR ACTION 2011 – 2020 Government of Nepal Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MOAC) April 2011 Priority Framework for Action iii CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT IN AGRICULTURE PRIORITY FRAMEWORK FOR ACTION 2011 – 2020 Government of Nepal Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MOAC) April 2011 Priority Framework for Action Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management in Agriculture Publisher: Government of Nepal Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives Kathmandu, Nepal Copyright: April 2011 Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives Government of Nepal All rights reserved. Reproduction and dissemination of material in this information product for educational or other non-commercial purposes are authorized without any prior written permission from the copyright holders provided the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of material in this information product for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without written permission of the copyright holders. Prepared under the FAO Technical Assistance to the Government of Nepal (TCP/NEP/3201 (D) and UNJP/NEP/OO5/UNJ) ii Priority Framework for Action FOREWORD ood production systems in Nepal are highly The Priority Framework for Action (PFA) is a begin- vulnerable to increasing climate variability and ning of a long journey to address the impacts of cli- Fchange. Agriculture production is constrained by mate change and extreme climate events in various altered frequency, timing and magnitude of climate sub sectors of agriculture in Nepal. This document variables such as precipitation and temperature. High explicitly integrates the priorities of NAPA and the rates of snow and glacial melting, frequent floods National Strategy for Disaster Risk Management, and droughts, heat waves, and increased incidence which opens a multiple avenues for technical cooper- of pests and diseases are already causing widespread ation to implement the immediate actions of climate damage and loss to agricultural sector in Nepal. change adaptation and disaster risk management. Systematic efforts are needed to improve sustain- The Framework considers integration of climate ability of the food production systems and ecosystem change adaptation and disaster preparedness into resilience under changing climatic conditions. Ad- Nepal’s agricultural policy, programs and plans as dressing climate related risks and uncertainties in one of the priorities. The Ministry of Agriculture and agriculture and food security require development Cooperatives is seriously considering these priorities of an integrated framework for the sector, and and committed to implement disaster preparedness identification of priorities in line with other national and adaptation actions to address the needs of the programs and strategies. country. Nandan Kumar Datta Minister Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives Priority Framework for Action iii iv Priority Framework for Action PREFACE epal has been frequently hit by climate variability the national level programs and strategies such as and natural disasters of hydro-meteorological National Adaptation Program of Action (NAPA) and Norigin. Floods, landslides, intense rains, hailstorms, the National Strategy for Disaster Risk Management droughts, cold and heat waves, pest and diseases are (NSDRM). In the framework, important lessons regular phenomenon in the country. Such climate-re- learnt in the field works are considered suggesting lated events have put fragile agricultural eco-systems core activities to support farming communities in at risk. Impacts of climate change and related extreme climate change and disaster risks management. Also events on agriculture often lead to a situation of food suggested is a fundamental shift in approach from re- insecurity affecting most the poor and marginalized active emergency response to pro-active climate risk peoples, including women and children, with its ulti- management and disaster preparedness approach. mate repercussion on the nation’s economic growth. Such shift in approach requires technical, logistic, The impacts are therefore a question of primary analytical and institutional strengthening as major concern, as they directly impinge upon the objec- areas of the sector’s interventions. The framework tives of sustainable development. The Government will be instrumental in enhancing coordination and of Nepal, in particular the Ministry of Agriculture collaboration among the Government Departments, and Cooperatives (MOAC), is dedicating the strong non-governmental organizations and development efforts to counterbalance the impacts. partners. Strengthening climate change and disaster risk management units in the Ministry of Agriculture Recent studies relate increasing frequency and in- and Cooperatives (MOAC), Department of Agricul- tensity of climate related disasters to global warming ture (DOA), Department of Livestock Services (DLS) and climate change. Projections and future scenarios and Nepal Agriculture Research Council are some of of climate seem to be harboring a worsening of cli- the notable priorities. matic conditions in the Himalayan region, which may imply an even more frequent occurrence of climate On behalf of the Project Steering Committee, I would related extremes and detrimental impacts on food like to express my appreciation to Food and Agricul- production. However, by adopting right measures ture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for and changing the type of interventions, it is possible technical assistance through the Technical Coopera- to adapt effectively to the challenges posed by climate tion Program (TCP) and United Nation Development change. This warrants a comprehensive strategy Program (UNDP) for their contribution through a and priority actions for the Ministry of Agriculture FAO-UNDP joint program. My appreciations are and Cooperatives (MOAC) to devise the access to also due to Dr. Hari Dahal in the Gender Equity and resources and to deliver need-based services to farm- Environment Division of the Ministry of Agriculture ing communities. The needs and solutions proposed and Cooperative having the project(s) coordinated in this priority framework are clearly in line with effectively. Nathu Prasad Chaudhary Secretary Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives Priority Framework for Action v vi Priority Framework for Action ACKNOWLEDGEMENT he Priority Framework for Action (PFA) to feedback during the initial consultation as well as strengthen capacities for climate change adapta- validation meetings making consolidation of the PFA Ttion and disaster risk management in agriculture sec- in its present form possible. The stakeholders’ coop- tor was prepared through wider consultations among eration and contributions were indispensable and stakeholders and development partners. Formula- fundamental to ensure the quality of the product. tion of the framework was coordinated by Gender Equity and Environment Division in the Ministry of My special thanks are due to Mr. Bishnu Aryal and Agriculture and Cooperatives with active participa- Lilaram Poudel (the then DDGs, Planning of DOA) tion by DOA, DOLS, NARC, FAO, UNDP, Practical who as the Project Manager(s) implemented the Action and other partners. The FAO office in Nepal project smoothly in their tenure. Dr. D. M. Pokhrel administered its development under the project and Bidya Pandey, Senior Horticulturist in the ‘Strengthening capacities for disaster preparedness Gender Equity and Environment Division of MOAC and climate risk management in the agriculture and Mr. Kanchan Raj Pandey in the Department of sector” (TCP/NEP/3201 (D). UNDP under UN Joint Agriculture are acknowledged for their contribution Program sponsored the project’s extension to two in the preparation of the framework. Also acknowl- additional districts. edged are Dr. Stephen Bass, Dr. J. D. Nayava and Dr. Krishna Raj Regmi, National Experts in FAO (N) for In fact, several components and activities outlined their facilitations in steering committee meetings, in the document have been built on the commu- brain storming/ consultative meetings and work- nity-level pilot activities. Therefore, contributions of shops. Messer Shrawan Adhikay and Arjun Thapa, district level officials and community representatives Program Officers in FAO (N) deserve due apprecia- from the pilot districts are highly creditable in the tion for their logistic supports. prioritization. At the national level, the staffs from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and its My sincere thanks go to Dr. Selvaraju Ramasamy in departments and representatives from the ministry Climate, Energy and Tenure Division of FAO (Rome) of Environment, Department of Hydrology and for overall technical guidance and supervision to the Meteorology, Nepal Agriculture Research Council, project and final compilation of the framework. Practical Action, UNDP and FAO provided valuable Dr. Hari Dahal Joint Secretary and National Project Director Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives Priority Framework for Action vii CONTENTS Foreword iii Preface v Acknowledgement vii Contents viii Executive Summary ix Acronyms x Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION 1 Climate of Nepal 1 Extreme climate events 1 Trends in climate 2 Future climate change projections3 2 Vulnerability of the agriculture sector to climate variability and change 3 Impacts of climate variability and change on agriculture and food security 3 Chapter 2: