IFIAD Launch Event Document. Global Climate Change, Farming and Food

Launch Event: Global Climate Change, Irish Forum for International Agricultural Development Farming and Food: How Ireland Can Help Address the Challenges sharing knowledge | enhancing research | informing policy | enabling collaboration Cover image:2 Malidadi Chilonga grows rice on her land in a remote part of northern Malawi. Gorta-Self Help Africa. 2015. Launch of the Irish Forum for International Agricultural Development (IFIAD) Global Climate Change, Farming and Food: How Ireland Can Help Address the Challenges 13 October 2016, RDS, Minerva Suite 09.00-13.45 Agenda Official launch Chaired by Fergal Keane – RTE 08.30–09.00 Registration 09.00–09.15 Welcome and Introductory Remarks Forum Chair, Lance O’Brien, Head of Strategy and International Relations, Teagasc 09.15–10.00: Facilitating Evidence Based Agricultural Sector Policy Planning and Implementation for Improved Growth and Food Security Outcomes in Africa Ousmane Badiane, Co-Chair of the Montpellier-Malabo Panel of Experts and Africa Director for the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) 10.00–10.20 Launch of the Forum Mr Joe McHugh TD, Minister of State for the Diaspora and Overseas Development Aid 10.20–10.30 IFAD’s Rural Development Report 2016 Paul Winters, Director, Research and Impact Assessment Division, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) 10.30–10.40 The Experience of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) Boaz Keizire, Head of Policy, AGRA 10.40–10.50 Observations from the Floor and Q&A 10.50–11.10 Coffee Break Workshop — roundtable format Chaired by Olive Moore — Trocaire 11.10–11.20 Information on Working Group Discussion 11.20–12.10 Working Groups Discussion on Thematic Priorities for the Forum 12.10–12.40 Reports of Roundtables to Plenary 12.40–13.00 Sector Perspectives: NGOs (Isabella Rae, Head of Policy and Research, Gorta-Self Help Africa), Private Sector (Hazel Chu, Head of Corporate and Trade Communications, DIAGEO), Teagasc (Prof Gerry Boyle, Director), Academia (Prof. Charles Spillane, Plant & AgriBiosciences Research Centre, NUI Galway) 13.00–13.15 Commentary by Irish Aid, Nicola Brennan (Head of Policy) 13.15–13.30 Strengthening Household Resilience: An Eritrean-Irish Model of Partnership Ghebremeskel Tewolde Ghebreselassie, Director of Agricultural Infrastructure and Project Coordinator of Climate Change Adaptation, Ministry of local government, Anseba Regional Administration and Wenghelawit Asrat Tefera, Project Officer and Green Zone Coordinator, Vita Eritrea. 13.30–13.40 Observations from the Floor and Q&A 13.40–13.45 Close and Way Forward: Forum Chair 3 Working Groups Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) for improved CSA impact- and outcome- pathways Lead: Charles Spillane (NUI Galway) to be developed and achieved through multi- stakeholder partnerships involving IFIAD members Area of Interest and partners in developing countries. Climate smart agriculture (CSA) approaches aim to sustainably increase productivity, enhance Purpose of the Working Group resilience (adaptation), reduce/remove GHGs The IFIAD CSA WG aims to develop and resource- (mitigation) while enhancing food security and mobilise for multi-stakeholder partnership development goals. To meet the climate change implementation, research and capacity building challenges facing agriculture and food systems, activities on climate smart agriculture with partner CSA will require a swathe of improvements and organisations in developing countries, particularly innovations in agricultural productivity, adaptation in Irish Aid partner countries. With partners in and mitigation to be rapidly developed and adopted developing countries, the IFIAD CSA WG will at scale by the world’s farmers and agri-food value develop workpackages/workplans that focus on: chains. 1. Supporting and strengthening existing national CSA planning, CSA portfolio assessment and Different farming and livelihood systems will CSA cost-benefit analyses for scale up/out. require different portfolios of CSA practices and 2. Strengthening CSA research, extension and approaches, that; (a) support commercially and innovation systems linkages. socially viable agriculture-based production 3. Generating robust in-country evidence of CSA systems; (b) ensure ecosystem services for practices that deliver both adaptation/mitigation sustainability, and (c) strengthen resilience of and development outcomes. farming systems and vulnerable households against 4. Development, identification, testing and the impact of climate-change related shocks. While deployment of CSA innovations to deliver some development stakeholders are promoting incremental or transformational adaptation CSA for mitigation and/or adaptation (including and/or mitigation benefits that strengthen rural resilience) goals, others emphasise social justice, livelihoods and food security. gender and empowerment dimensions of CSA 5. Capacity building (education and training) activities. Recognising that CSA practices in partnerships with individuals and institutions in one context may not be climate smart in another partner developing countries. context, participatory approaches involving 6. Identification and dissemination of policy farmers and rural communities will be necessary to and institutional options for generating more generate evidence of which CSA portfolios are most impactful CSA practices and innovations. transformative for different agro-ecosystems and 7. Critical analysis of CSA narratives, options and livelihood systems. The climate change challenges evidence for improved resource-allocation by facing agriculture, rural livelihoods and value-chains CSA implementers and funding agencies. will necessitate the development and deployment of 8. Fostering mutual learning and understanding evidence-based incremental and transformational between IFIAD members of differing positions, approaches to both adaptation and mitigation in interests, needs and value systems of different agri-food systems, particularly those of smallholder development stakeholders regarding CSA farmers and rural communities in developing activities focused on smallholder farming countries. systems and livelihoods. 9. Resource mobilisation for evidence-based CSA Relevance to IFIAD multi-partner projects and programmes with A range of IFIAD members are engaged in partners in developing countries. development, testing, deployment, capacity 10. Identify good practices, innovations and building, policy and planning in relation to research findings on CSA in Ireland that may be climate smart agriculture in developing countries applicable in developing countries. (and also in developed countries e.g. Ireland). 11. Provide inputs to the development and review Recognising that there may be both differences of national and international policies and plans and complementarities between the approach of related to CSA. different IFIAD members to CSA, there is potential 12. Bring case studies of CSA into focus in Ireland and present examples of successful CSA 4 approaches from developing countries that may In general terms, by shedding light on how disparate be applicable in Ireland. groups engage in agriculture and agri-business, 13. Identify how CSA practices, policies and plans this work provides valuable information on how in Irish agriculture and agrifood systems relate agricultural development impacts different people to CSA in other countries, particularly in relation in different ways. This kind of analysis can provide to poverty reduction and livelihood resilience in useful insight and contextual information on rural developing countries. markets, consumption and production, uptake of 14. Provide evidence-based talks and materials on innovative technologies, and use of inputs. It can also CSA to Irish academic institutions, development provide useful data on other agriculture-related areas organisations, government departments, including social protection. farming organisations, the private sector and schools A thorough understanding of these issues, and 15. Provide pre-service and in-service training and of the complex connections between agriculture briefings on CSA for the staff of government, development and inclusion, will be of benefit to all academic, private sector, farming bodies and those who are working in the agricultural sector, be non-government organisations. it in the private sector or on research, in programme planning or policy formulation and influencing. Membership Open to all IFIAD members, developing country Purpose of the Working Group partners and international agencies engaged in CSA The working group will be a space for Forum research, capacity building and/or development members to: activities. • Share and improve their understanding of the connections between agriculture and exclusion in developing countries, specifically links between agriculture and gender, poverty, ethnicity, age, Inclusion - Context Analysis for Pro-poor asset ownership, and political exclusion; and Empowering Agricultural Development • Discuss the analysis and research that Forum members currently undertake on agriculture; Lead: Kate Brady (Irish Aid) • Share evidence-based examples of ‘inclusion’ in the agriculture sector; Area of Interest • Outline further information/analysis that we feel Agricultural development has the potential to benefit we need for our work - on research, extension the millions of marginalized and vulnerable people work, development activities or commercial who depend on the sector for their livelihoods. projects; However,

Load more