The impact of disasters and crises 2017 on agriculture and food security Photo credits: (from left to right, top to bottom) Front cover: South Sudan ©FAO/Marco de Gaetano Page VII: ©Reuters/Carlos Garcia Rawlins; ©FAO/IFAD/WFP/Michael Tewe; ©FAO/Tony Karumba Page VIII: ©Reuters/Erik de Castro; ©FAO/J. Thompson Page XI: ©FAO/Karel Prinsloo; ©FAO/Asim Hafeez Page XII: ©FAO/Giuseppe Bizzarri; ©FAO/Albert Gonzalez Farran Page 7: ©FAO/F. 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Art direction and design: Teikna Design Printed and bound in Italy 2017 The impact of disasters and crises on agriculture and food security Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Rome, 2018 inTroducTion pArT i Foreword xv Agriculture in an More disasters, more impact uncertain environment 1 on agriculture 13 Acknowledgements xvii chapter i Acronyms xix Natural disasters and food Disaster damage and loss – a hefty chain crises 2 share for agriculture and its Conflicts and protracted crises 5 subsectors 15 More disasters, but dearth of chapter ii information on damage and loss Impact of natural disasters on in agriculture 6 crop and livestock production in developing countries 23 Purpose and scope of this report 8 ©Reuters/Rodi Said pArT ii pArT iii conclusion Estimating damage and loss: covering new ground: food chain FAo’s 2017 report – Transforming getting it right 37 crises and conflict 91 damage and loss assessment 117 chapter iii chapter Vii The way forward – informing Applying the methodology – trials Food chain crises agricultural DRR policy 120 from the Philippines and Ethiopia 39 damage and loss – measuring the chapter iV impact of transboundary animal Nepal earthquakes: damage and loss diseases on livestock 93 AppEndicEs 123 in the agricultural crop sector 53 chapter Viii Annex 124 Applying FAO’s post-disaster damage chapter V Glossary 134 The impact of disasters on and loss assessment methodology Bibliography 136 fisheries and aquaculture 67 in a conflict situation – the Syrian Arab Republic 107 chapter Vi The impact of disasters on forest resources 77 Heavily reliant on weather, climate, land, and water for its ability to thrive, agriculture is particularly vulnerable to natural disasters ©FAO/Asim Hafeez One of the most direct ways in which natural disasters affect the sector is through reduced production. This results in direct economic loss to farmers, which can cascade along the entire value chain, affecting agricultural growth and rural livelihoods The rising incidence of weather extremes will have increasingly negative impacts on agriculture because critical thresholds are already being exceeded Disasters impact agriculture beyond the short-term. The sector often endures long-lasting and multi-pronged consequences such as loss of harvest and livestock, outbreaks of disease, and destruction of rural infrastructure and irrigation systems Natural disasters and protracted crises often overlap, aggravating impacts. More than 19 countries are currently affected by protracted crises, conflict and violence. Conflicts can devastate agriculture and rural livelihoods, causing significant economic loss, food insecurity and damage on all scales Foreword The second edition of FAO’s report on the Impact of Disasters and Crises on Agriculture arrives at a pivotal moment for the future of disaster risk reduction and climate change. In 2017, the fifth Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction and COP23 brought the international community together to reiterate commitments for achieving targets of the SDGs, Paris Agreement and Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. Global negotiations took place as the deadly trio of hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria wreaked havoc across developing and developed nations alike, a stark reminder that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development cannot be achieved by countries while constantly battling flood waters and rebuilding flattened infrastructure. Agriculture sectors face many risks, such as climate and market volatility, pests and diseases, extreme weather events, and an ever-increasing number of protracted crises and conflicts. Natural disasters have cost billions of dollars in lost agricultural production. The human food chain is under continuous threat from an alarming increase in the number of outbreaks of transboundary animal and plant pests and diseases. Conflict and protracted crises are forcing more and more people into conditions of poverty, food insecurity and displacement. This has become the “new normal,” and the impact of climate change will further exacerbate these threats and challenges. Disaster risk reduction (DRR) and management must therefore become an integral part of modern agriculture. The ability of governments, international bodies and other partners to operate and cooperate in fragile and disaster-prone contexts will become a defining feature for achieving resilience and sustainability. FAO is fully committed to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and – beyond its duties as a custodian agency for monitoring global progress under 21 of the SDG indicators – has entered a key partnership with the UN Office for Disaster and Risk Reduction (UNISDR) on a resilience-related target. This entails FAO’s contribution, support and leadership in monitoring a composite global indicator on economic loss in agriculture caused by disasters, corresponding to SDG target 1.5.2 and Sendai Framework indicator C-2. As the 2030 Agenda sets our common vision for a transformed world and we progress towards global targets, it is crucial to understand and act on the messages of this report. Agriculture often bears a disproportionate share of disaster impacts, many of which are borne directly by smallholders. As resources become increasingly scarce, objective evidence is needed to effectively target our investments in resilience, preparedness and mitigation. This report provides the latest data on the impact of disasters and crises on agriculture sectors, combined with sound analysis of remaining gaps and challenges. Its attention is not limited to natural disasters alone, but includes the first-ever analysis of the effect on agriculture of conflict and food chain crises. The 2017 report also considers how the entire sector is impacted: not only crops and livestock, but also forestry, fisheries and aquaculture. Partnerships are needed to foster effective disaster risk management systems. Governments, international organizations, civil society and the private sector have the opportunity and obligation to work together in their commitment to a safer future for agriculture and rural livelihoods. A culture of disaster impact monitoring and assessment is an integral part of promoting effective DRR policy and action. Both national and local capacities must be strengthened to cope with increasing risks and recurring shocks. Building a more holistic and ambitious disaster-resilience framework for agriculture is crucial to ensuring sustainable development – which is a cornerstone for peace and the basis for adaptation to climate change. José Graziano da Silva Director-General FAO XV Acknowledgements This second report on the impact of disasters and crises