March 2021 CGRFA/WG-AqGR-3/21/Inf.15 E COMMISSION ON GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE Item 8 of the Provisional Agenda INTERGOVERNMENTAL TECHNICAL WORKING GROUP ON AQUATIC GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE Third Session 1 - 3 June 2021 THE ROLE OF GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE IN CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION TABLE OF CONTENTS Paragraphs I. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 1 – 2 II. SCOPING STUDY ON THE ROLE OF GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE IN ADAPTATION TO AND MITIGATION OF CLIMATE CHANGE ....................................................................................................................... 3 Appendix: Scoping study on the role of genetic resources for food and agriculture in adaptation to and mitigation of climate change NF847 2 CGRFA/WG-AqGR-3/21/Inf.15 I. INTRODUCTION 1. The Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (Commission), at its last session, requested FAO to prepare a scoping study on the role of genetic resources for food and agriculture (GRFA) in adaptation to and mitigation of climate change, including knowledge gaps, taking into account the forthcoming special reports on terrestrial and marine systems by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and other available relevant sources, including examples from different regions and subsectors.1 2. The Commission further requested its Intergovernmental Technical Working Groups to review the study. II. SCOPING STUDY ON THE ROLE OF GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE IN ADAPTATION TO AND MITIGATION OF CLIMATE CHANGE 3. The draft text of the scoping study on the role of genetic resources for food and agriculture in adaptation to and mitigation of climate change is presented in Appendix to this document. 1 CGRFA-17/19/Report, paragraph 29. CGRFA/WG-AqGR-3/21/Inf.15 3 APPENDIX SCOPING STUDY ON THE ROLE OF GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE IN ADAPTATION TO AND MITIGATION OF CLIMATE CHANGE TABLE OF CONTENTS Pages Abbreviations .......................................................................................................................................... 5 I. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 8 II. ANIMAL GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ............................ 11 2.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 11 2.1.1 The impact of climate change on animal genetic resources for food and agriculture ............. 11 2.2.2 Characterization and conservation of animal genetic resources for food and agriculture ..... 12 2.2 Adaptation ................................................................................................................................ 13 2.2.1 The use of animal genetic resources for food and agriculture for climate change adaptaion in the nationally determined contributions ............................................................. 14 2.3 Mitigation ................................................................................................................................. 16 2.3.1 The use of animal genetic resources for food and agriculture for climate change mitigation in the nationally determined contributions ............................................................. 17 2.4 Conclusions and recommendations .......................................................................................... 18 III. AQUATIC GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE .......................... 19 3.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 19 3.1.1 The impact of climate change on aquatic ecosystems and fisheries ........................................ 19 3.1.2 The impact of climate change on aquaculture ......................................................................... 21 3.2 Adaptation ................................................................................................................................ 23 3.2.1 The role of aquatic genetic resources for food and agriculture in the adaptation of fisheries and aquatic ecosystems to climate change ................................................................ 23 3.2.2 The role of aquatic genetic resources for food and agriculture in the adaptation of aquaculture to climate change ................................................................................................. 25 3.3 Mitigation ................................................................................................................................. 26 3.3.1 The role of aquatic genetic resources for food and agriculture in mitigating the effects of climate change in aquatic ecosystems ..................................................................................... 26 3.3.2 The role of aquatic genetic resources for food and agriculture in mitigating the effects of climate change in aquaculture ................................................................................................. 27 3.4 Conclusions and recommendations .......................................................................................... 29 IV. FOREST GENETIC RESOURCES ....................................................................................... 31 4.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 31 4.1.1 The impact of climate change on forest genetic resources ...................................................... 31 4.1.2 Characterization, evaluation, monitoring and conservation of forest genetic resources ........ 33 4 CGRFA/WG-AqGR-3/21/Inf.15 4.2 Adaptation ................................................................................................................................ 35 4.2.1 Management of forest genetic resources for climate change adaptation ................................ 36 4.2.2 The use of forest genetic resources for climate change adaptation in the nationally determined contributions ......................................................................................................... 36 4.2.3 Tree breeding programmes ...................................................................................................... 37 4.3 Mitigation ................................................................................................................................. 37 4.3.1 Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries (REDD+) .................................................................................................................. 38 4.3.2 The use of forest genetic resources for climate change mitigation in the nationally determined contributions ............................................................................................................................ 39 4.3.3 Restoration and sustainable forest management ..................................................................... 39 4.3.4 Agroforestry ............................................................................................................................. 40 4.4 Conclusions and recommendations .......................................................................................... 41 V. PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ............................... 42 5.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 42 5.1.1 The impact of climate change on plant genetic resources for food and agriculture................ 42 5.1.2 Conservation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture ........................................... 45 5.1.3 Characterization and evaluation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture............. 46 5.2 Adaptation ................................................................................................................................. 48 5.2.1 Management of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture in the nationally determined contributions .......................................................................................................... 50 5.2.2 Breeding .................................................................................................................................... 50 5.2.3 Access to and adoption of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture ........................... 56 5.2.4 Diversified cropping systems ..................................................................................................... 58 5.3. Mitigation ................................................................................................................................... 59 5.4 Conclusions and recommendations ............................................................................................ 60 VI. MICRO-ORGANISM AND INVERTEBRATE GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE .............................................................................................................. 62 6.1 The impact of climate change on micro-organism and invertebrate genetic resources for food