The case for agriculture as a strategic solution to climate change in rural areas.

Strategies for Combating Climate

Change in Drylands Agriculture
Reducing vulnerability and increasing productivity for rural communities
Climate smart solutions for smallholder farmers

Synthesis of dialogues and evidence presented at the

International Conference on Food Security in Dry Lands, Doha, Qatar

Changes in climate patterns are having their most acute effect on people living
in the worlds dry areas and marginal lands. As these rural communities are
largely dependent on agriculture for their livelihoods, it follows that
improvements in agricultural research and 'integrated agro-ecosystem'
approaches are probably the primary protection from climate related problems.
This is also why agricultural innovation, research, technology transfer and
capacity building should be strategic priorities of the UNFCCC.

RESEARCH PROGRAM ON
Climate Change,
Agriculture and
Food Security CCAFS
The CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) is a
strategic partnership of CGIAR and the Earth System Science Partnership (ESSP) led by the
International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). CCAFS brings together the worlds best
researchers in agricultural science, development research, climate science and Earth System
science, to identify and address the most important interactions, synergies and trade-offs
between climate change, agriculture and food security. www.ccafs.cgiar.org.

The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) is the global
agricultural research center working with countries in the worlds dry areas, supporting them for
the sustainable productivity of their agricultural production systems; increased income for
smallholder farmers living on dry lands and in fragile ecosystems, and nutrition and national food
security strategies With partners in more than 40 countries, ICARDA produces science
based-solutions that include new crop varieties (barley, wheat, durum wheats, lentil, faba bean,
kabuli chickpea, pasture and forage legumes); improved practices for farming and natural
resources management; socio-economic and policy options to support countries to improve
their food security. ICARDA works closely with national agricultural research programs and other
partners worldwide in Central Asia, South Asia, West Asia, North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa.

The CGIAR Research Program on Dryland Systems brings together a wide range of partners,
icluding countries, research and development organzations to bring rural communities living in
the worlds dry areas practical solutions for improved livelihoods and food security. The goal of
Dryland Systems is to identify and develop resilient, diversied and more productive
combinations of crop, livestock, rangeland, aquatic and agroforestry systems that increase
productivity, reduce hunger and malnutrition, and improve quality of life among the rural poor.
To develop solutions, research teams - in partnership with rural communities and countries - will
validate the effectiveness of interventions in representative agro-ecosystems, and promote their
scaling-out in the dry areas of ve target regions: West Africa Sahel and the Dry Savannas; East
and Southern Africa; North Africa and West Asia; Central Asia and the Caucasus

CGIAR is a global agriculture research partnership for a food secure future. Its science is carried
out by the 15 research centers who are members of the CGIAR Consortium in collaboration with
hundreds of partner organizations. www.cgiar.org

Qatar National Food Security Programs mission is to develop a comprehensive and sustainable
long-term solution to the food security challenges faced by the State of Qatar. The objective is
to increase domestic agricultural production and strengthen the security of food imports to
alleviate the food supply decit that the country faces. The programme can also serve as a
model to other dry land countries in the region and globally. It will implement the use of solar
energy to desalinate seawater, for its agricultural production and develop Research &
Development centres, educational facilities, and introduce technologies that enable Qatar to
diversify its economy while preserving its natural resources to ultimately achieve Food Security.

Reporting and writing: Clare Pedrick. Compiled by Michael Devlin (ICARDA), Torben Timmermann
(CCAFS).

Copyright and Fair Use

Creative Commons License: This Report is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution
NonCommercialNoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. This publication may be freely quoted and
reproduced provided the source is acknowledged. No use of this publication may be made for
resale or other commercial purposes.

ISBN - 92-9127-291-4

Copyright ICARDA/CCAFS 2012.

Strategies for Combating Climate
Change in Drylands Agriculture

RESEARCH PROGRAM ON
Climate Change,
Agriculture and
Food Security CCAFS
 Contents

Executive Summary

1. Dryland Agriculture a core issue for climate change 1

2. Strategies and best practices Land and water, crops and livestock 5

2.1 Sustainable intensication for high potential land, more resilience for marginal

lands 5

2.2 Genetic improvement more productive crop varieties and livestock breeds 6

2.3 Diversication -- spreading the risk to earn higher revenues 8

2.4 Integrated crop-livestock systems. Crops or livestock. Why not both? 8

2.5 Conservation agriculture produces more for less 8

2.6 Getting innovations into farmers elds - examples of technology uptake in seven

drylands countries. 10

2.7 Better water management. The key to sustainable food production in dry lands 11

3. Climate change interventions.

3.1 New problems need new solutions. 15

3.2 Climate smart options 15

3.3 Capturing carbon 15

3.4 Climate initiatives 16

4. Agricultural research. Strengthening agricultural innovation systems through

research, education and extension 17

4.1 Technical solutions 17

4.2 Policy. The right environment 17

4.3 National and regional 17

4.4 Extension. Pass it on 17

4.5 Investment. Good returns 18

4.6 Working together 18

4.7 North-South, South-South 18

5. Reading list 20

6. Annexes 21

Strategies for combating climate change in drylands agriculture

About this report

The aim of this report is to examine the problem of changing climate

patterns in dry land areas and its effect on rural populations and offer some
practical solutions, as input the Conference of Conference of the Parties
(COP18) United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC)

It has been prepared to inform government policy makers and agricultural

planners in dryland countries, and development partners, of the issues at
stake and present options available to reducing risk and increasing
productivity of agriculture in drylands agricultural systems.

The information presented here comes from discussions at the International

Conference on Food Security in Dry Lands, held in Doha, Qatar, on Nov
14-15, 2012. It is informed by the body of agricultural research produced by
three authors of this report:
CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food
Security (CCAFS)
ICARDA The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry
Areas
CGIAR Research Program on Dryland Systems

The Doha conference brought together a large number of dryland

government ministers with researchers, policy makers, donors, NGOs,
farmers unions and private agribusiness enterprises to explore the
challenge of increasing agricultural production in dry countries, under
conditions of severe water scarcity and climate change.

The ministers recommendations, resulted in the Doha Declaration (see

Annexe), which is taken forward on behalf of the Dry Lands to the 18th
session of the Conference on Parties of the UN Conference of Parties of the
Convention on Climate Change (COP 18), which opened in Doha in
November 2012.

Strategies for combating climate change in drylands agriculture

 Executive Summary

Risks and opportunities for dry land agriculture. New solutions to

tackle climate change
The added-value that agriculture and agricultural research brings to the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Changes in climate patterns have the most acute effect on people living in
the worlds dry areas and marginal lands. As these rural communities are
largely dependent on agriculture for their livelihoods, it follows that research
innovations provided by agricultural research and improved 'integrated
agro-ecosystem' farming approaches are probably the primary protection
for these people from climate-related shifts. This is also why agricultural
innovation and research should be recognized as strategic priorities of the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

The evidence presented in this report shows that many of the most effective
climate change interventions have their roots in agriculture. Targeted
agricultural investment in spreading the technologies and practices
described here, and backed up by robust policies, can reduce the
vulnerability of farming communities to drought and climate change and
sustainably improve agricultural productivity.

Against a backdrop of increasing climate change, a primary challenge for

decision makers in the worlds dry lands will be helping rural communities to
earn a living and produce food securely in a situation where land is
degraded, water scarce, and rainfall and temperature patterns increasingly
unpredictable.

Viable options and interventions exist today. They include using: improved
crop varieties and livestock breeds; farming approaches to reduce risk and
improve nutrition; making farming for communities living in on marginal
lands more resilient; and methods for making the best possible use of the
scarce water available. Approaches such as diversication of cropping
systems, more efcient water management and conservation agriculture
can contribute to securing livelihoods for rural people and increasing food
security for the dry land countries.

Likewise, climate smart strategies and technologies will have an important

role to play in helping producers to adapt to changing weather patterns
and adopt more sustainable farming methods that protect fragile natural
resources. Given the importance of agriculture to dryland countries, where
farming is still the backbone of the economy, it is crucial that this sector
receives the investment and policy support it needs to move forward.

Strategies for combating climate change in drylands agriculture

If farmers are given the chance to seize the opportunities available, they
can increase food production to keep pace with the growing population
and reduce the need for costly food imports. To achieve this goal, they
must change some of their practices and embrace new methods, while
continuing to preserve some of the most effective systems handed down
through generations.

Projections from the recently launched CGIAR Research Program on

Dryland Systems suggest that planned interventions will result in higher and
more secure incomes for 87 million people in dryland systems, while
Agriculture holds the
improving the productive capacity of natural resources and reducing
environmental degradation in nearly 11 billion hectares of dry areas.
key to many dry land
problems. Urgent
Within six years, agriculture productivity and production can be increased action in favor of
by 20 to 30% in high potential areas and 10 to 20% in low potential areas or agriculture will help
marginal lands. Out-scaling of proven technologies will cover a far wider build food and water
area and improve the standard of living of a much larger population. security and mitigate
the negative effects of
Strong agricultural adaptation measures are the key to developing food climate change.
production in dry lands, but these are contingent on policy and nancial
support. Since agriculture holds so many of the answers to challenges
posed by changing weather patterns, it makes sense that this sector takes
center-stage in climate change negotiations.

Key problems facing dryland countries:

Food production systems in dryland countries are highly fragile

Some 16% of the population of dry lands live in poverty
Food imports are untenably high
Water scarcity is a constant and growing problem
Adverse climate events (extreme heat and cold; drought and ooding) are
aggravating vulnerability

Proposed solutions:

Securing more resilience and reducing vulnerability of people living in marginal lands
Achieving sustainable intensication of higher-potential agricultural areas
Improved crop varieties and livestock breeds
Integrated crop-livestock systems
Conservation agriculture
Diversication of food production systems
Natural resource and especially water management
More agricultural research and investment
Climate smart agriculture initiatives
Greater focus on the potential of agriculture in climate change negotiations
Taking an integrated agro-ecosystem approach to these actions.

Strategies for combating climate change in drylands agriculture

Strategies for combating climate change in drylands agriculture
1. Dryland agriculture a core issue for climate change
Risks posed by degraded land and scarce water resources

Dry areas cover more than 40% of the worlds land surface and are home to 2.5
billion people one-third of the global population. Poverty, food insecurity,
biodiversity loss, frequent drought and environmental degradation are widespread.
In recent decades, food production has fallen signicantly in most dry areas, while
demand has increased due to high levels of population growth. These areas face
several demographic challenges rapid population growth, high urbanization, large
youth populations and among the worlds highest unemployment rate.

Climate change is already exacerbating these countries problems, and experts

predict that the situation is going to get worse.

The global food crisis of 2007/8 and subsequent price hikes have highlighted the
danger of policies based on food imports. The dryland areas have a strong reliance
on imported food, especially wheat, which is a staple product and which suffers
from substantially lower yields than those of many other regions up to 30% below
the global average.

Food Insecurity in Dry Areas of the World

Cereals imports of developing regions

1970-2030
The Near East and
chart
Historical Development here Projections North Africa is the
240 ??? world's highest food
East Asia
decit region.
South Asia
190
Near East/North Africa
million tonnes

Taking the example

Latin America
140
S.S.Africa
of cereals for current
and projected food
90 needs, the region
will continue to be
40 the planet's largest
cereals importer,
-10 following current
1970 1980 1990 2000 2015 2030 practices.
Source: FAO, 2002 World Agriculture: towards 2015/30, http://www.fao.org/es/ESD/gstudies.htm

Scarce water availability limits food production

Water scarcity is a constant and growing problem for dryland countries. The dry
lands have less than eight per cent of the worlds renewable water resources and
are challenged by extreme temperatures, frequent drought, land degradation and There is a strong link
desertication. between food
security, climate
Across all dryland areas, scarce water availability is the key limiting factor for food change, water
production. All these countries are suffering from severe groundwater depletion and
salinity, compounded by rapid natural resource degradation and desertication.
security and poverty.
The Middle East and North Africa is the most water scarce region in the world, and Agriculture
the problem is set to deteriorate. plays a key role in
this equation.
Famines and disasters have hit dry lands with increasing intensity and have, together
with spikes in food prices, led to political unrest in many countries. With climate
change, such events may become even more frequent.

Climate change takes a high toll on agriculture

There is a strong link between food security, climate change, water security and
poverty and agriculture plays a key role in the equation. Agriculture is highly
vulnerable to climate change. Unreliable precipitation patterns increase the
likelihood of crop failure and falls in production of both crops and livestock. In many
dryland countries, the effects can already be seen as climate change makes the
delicate ecosystem balance even more precarious.

1 Strategies for combating climate change in drylands agriculture

 Change in mean annual precipitation
(1980s to 2080s; IPCC A1B)
Under climate change, dry lands will increase signicantly in area, and conditions for
agriculture in dry lands will decline considerably, especially in regions already affected by
poverty and food insecurity.

Major decreases of rainfall are expected in MENA and southern African dry lands, Australian,
North America. Increases in rain are expected in the dry lands of East Asia dry lands.

This is IPCC scenario A1B average of 21 GCMs

Climate change is causing more frequent and intense periods of drought as overall
Farmers and other rainfall levels decline. Temperatures are more extreme both hot and cold - and
players in food climatic zones are shifting. This results in shorter growing seasons for farmers and in
production value prevalence of pests and diseases in areas where they were not previously a threat
chains can make key to crops. If temperatures rise by 4 degrees Celsius, as forecast by some climate
contributions to change models, vast areas of dry lands will have their growing seasons cut by more
than 20%.
sustainable food and
water security, Access to food is also threatened, and there are fears that this will be further
provided they have compromised in dryland areas due to lower incomes and the emergence of new
access to pests and diseases caused by a changing climate. In dryland countries that are
already geopolitically volatile, such developments could have a serious impact on
technologies and social and political stability.
support to help them
adjust their practices Climate initiatives and climate smart technologies.
to address changing Without vigorous adaptation measures, use of new practice and technologies and
weather patterns. policies and nancing to support them, there can be little hope of reaching poverty
alleviation and food security goals. Farmers and other players in food production
value chains can make key contributions to sustainable food and water security,
provided they have access to technologies and support to help them adjust their
practices to take account of changing weather patterns. Climate initiatives and
climate smart technologies can help increase food production for a growing
population, while safeguarding precious natural resources.

Adaptation measures not only improve food security. They can also contribute to
reducing the impact of climate change by lowering greenhouse gas emissions from
agriculture. Agriculture is a major contributor to climate change, through
deforestation for land cultivation, methane emissions from livestock production and
unsustainable practices in food production systems. The sector is also the biggest
user of the worlds freshwater resources up to 90% in some countries.

Many of the answers to the problems faced by people in drylands regions exist
today. But technologies and practices need scaling-up through technology
transfer and training, advocacy to decision makers in countries and development
agencies. But none of this can happen without an enabling policy environment,
that is created by affected countries to ensure that the most effective innovations
are put into action and that long term funding and investment is available.

Strategies for combating climate change in drylands agriculture 2

Agriculture and the climate change agenda
Experts involved in rural development increasingly agree that any strategies for
climate change must include agriculture. All the evidence points to the fact that the
impact of climate change on development in rural areas will be severe, especially in
dry lands. But though agriculture is a key issue for climate change, it risks being
sidelined in upcoming talks on climate change, as it has been in previous Conven-
tion on Climate Change (COP) negotiations.

In the run up to the 18th session of the UN Conference of Parties for the Convention
on Climate Change (COP 18), there were calls for more focus on agriculture in the
negotiations. A detailed treatment of agriculture has yet to enter any of the agree-
ments linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC).

UNFCCC and agriculture

The next round -- COP18
The COP 18 talks, in Doha, Qatar, from Nov 26 to Dec 7, represent an important
opportunity for countries with extensive dry lands to shape the global climate
agenda and ensure that food security receives attention in the negotiations.

Climate change adaptation is a costly process, and if dry areas are to maintain or
increase food production under these conditions, it is essential that they are able
to tap into any funding made available. The prospect of agriculture continuing to
be bypassed in negotiations carries the risk that the sector will lose out on substantial
funding for climate change. The Green Climate Fund has a target of US$100 billion
by 2020. The fund will be used to limit or reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to
adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Current state of play: Agricultures place in the UN Climate Change Framework

As things stand, agriculture has been all but excluded from international negotia-
tions on climate change. However, some progress has been made in achieving
more focus for agriculture in the UNFCCC agenda. At COP 17, held in Durban in
December 2011, with vigorous support from host country South Africa, agriculture
was specically mentioned in the UNFCCC text for the rst time. A small victory
perhaps, but a signicant step in the right direction.

Specically, at COP 17, there was:

High level support for inclusion of agriculture
Wide support, e.g. across Africa and in OECD countries, for agriculture (though
perspectives differed on how to deal with it in the negotiations).
Agriculture graduated from Long-term Co-operative Actions (LCAs) to the
Subsidiary Body for Scientic and Technical Advice (SBSTA)
A call for submissions on an agriculture work-plan under SBSTA.

The next stage will be establishing a SBSTA agenda for agriculture a work program
on agriculture. This should provide the evidence and methods to achieve develop-
ment goals of mitigation, improved food security and more resilient livelihoods and
where feasible, mitigation. SBSTA has been mandated to consider issues related to
agriculture and to prepare a decision to be adopted at COP18 in Qatar.

Although there have been divergent views of countries regarding adaptation and
mitigation approaches, submissions to date have shown a high degree of consensus
on the need for a programme of work to include:
Better information on agriculture and climate change - knowledge on both
adaptation and mitigation, including lessons from the developing world
Dissemination and use of knowledge to improve farming practices: so as to:
increase outputs adapt to changing conditions and reduce emissions.

3 Strategies for combating climate change in dry lands agriculture

 Moving agriculture further up the climate change agenda
Interview:
Prof. Thomas Rosswall, chairman of the CGIAR Independent Science Panel for
the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change Agriculture and Food
Security (CCAFS).

How is agriculture linked to climate change?

Agriculture is part of the problem, but it is also part of the solution. Agriculture -
and its impact on deforestation - account for one-third of greenhouse gas
emissions. So better agricultural practices are very important for mitigating
climate change. Agriculture is also one of the sectors that will be hardest hit by
climate change. In the dry lands, additional decreases in rainfall and more
drought will exacerbate an already very difcult situation.

So what needs to be done?

Agriculture can contribute to mitigation, by intensifying current land to avoid
deforestation and other land use changes. By increasing storage of carbon in
vegetation and soil, and by reducing methane and nitrous oxide emissions.
These factors also contribute to adaptation and create a win-win situation.

What about adaptation for dryland farmers?

Small-scale farmers have so far had very little opportunity to adapt. Climate
change adaptation will be very costly for agriculture. It is absolutely essential
that the agriculture sectors receives a share of funding available.

How can funding be channeled to the agriculture sector?

Climate nancing is essential and 10% of national budgets must go to
agriculture and food security. Countries driving greenhouse gas emissions must
also pay. The Green Climate Fund must reach its US$100bn target by 2020. COP
18 offers a unique opportunity for governments to ensure that food security gets
attention in the negotiations.

How do you see agricultures position in the current climate change

negotiations?
We made some progress at Durban when, for the rst time, agriculture was
specically mentioned in the text. South Africa pushed very hard. Dryland
countries should ensure that agriculture is part of the UNFCCC discussions. A
work programme on agriculture should be established. Without agriculture,
there should be no deal.

Strategies for combating climate change in dry lands agriculture 4

2. Strategies, technologies and best practices
Land and water, crops and livestock

The situation is serious, but certainly not hopeless. With more targeted research and
investment, there are good prospects for reducing risk and even improving
agricultural output, despite climate change. A number of practical approaches
tested in recent agricultural research initiatives can improve prospects for farmers
and rural communities.

2.1 Sustainable intensication for high potential land, more resilience for marginal
lands
Iproved crop varieties that can resist temperature extremes, drought and disease,
different land and water management practices, diverse cropping and mixed
crop-livestock systems can all bolster food security and increase incomes for rural
communities. The challenge in dry areas is how to produce more with very little. To
do that, it is crucial to favor crop varieties and livestock breeds that make efcient
use of the natural resources available.

Improving efciency, without using more land

There are two key strategies for the worlds dry lands. In high potential rural areas,
where there is relatively high rainfall, the target must be sustainable intensication of
food production with the accent on sustainable. Egypt is an example of this type
of ecosystem. In high potential areas, 72% of increased food production is expected
to come from agricultural intensication. 21% is expected to come from cropping
intensity. And only 7% will come from an increase in arable land.

For the low potential marginal lands, it will be important to make the natural

Sources of Increase in Food Production & The Trend

Towards Intensification of Production Systems
Cropping Intesity Increase in Arable Land Agriculture Intensication
The case for
'sustainable
intensication': an
21% increase in the area of
arable land may only
7% result in a 7% increase
in food production. Yet
this might be an
72% optimistic gure, as the
combination of
unsustainable land use,
over-exploitation of
resources, and climate
change can potentially
Source FAO desertify millions of
hectares of arable land.

resource base more resilient to climate change, reducing risk and vulnerability for
the worst affected rural communities. Food production here is likely to center around
the rearing of sheep and goats, though this may be coupled with production of
hardy drought resistant fodder crops. A good example is the Awasi sheep, a sturdy
native breed that gives resilience to rural communities in the Middle East. Awasi offer
considerable potential for use across marginal lands in many dryland countries
(Central and West Asia, East and North Africa) bringing nutrition and new income
streams to rural communities from milk products, wool or meat.

A three-pronged approach should target:

Sustainable natural resource management, especially water
Genetic improvement of crops and livestock
Socio-economic policy and institutional support

5 Strategies for combating climate change in drylands agriculture

 More agricultural modernization, driven by science and technology, is key to
increasing food production in dry areas.

In seven countries across North and sub-Saharan Africa, new approaches tested by
national research and extension systems, with ICARDA, have produced a 22%
increase in wheat yields for Egypt and a 58% increase in Sudan based not just on
trials, but on actual farmer experiences. Techniques include the use of different
planting methods, high yielding varieties, improved water management and
integrated pest management.

Climate change problem or opportunity?

With sustainable intensication, climate change can actually become an
opportunity to increase yields.
Climate change brings with it higher levels of carbon dioxide (CO2). If water levels
are adequate, a plant can convert this CO2 into a form of natural fertilizer. The plant
uses the carbon for photosynthesis, and grows bigger and better as a result.

2.2 Genetic improvement more productive crop varieties and livestock breeds
Advances in crop science to produce improved and higher-performing crops and
livestock hold exciting prospects for making dryland food production systems more
efcient, and more resistant to pressure from drought, extremes of cold and heat,
unpredictable rainfall and new pests and diseases. For optimal performance,
varieties can be targeted to specic farming systems, depending on local
conditions and stresses

Crop Improvement: varieties released using ICARDA germplasm worldwide, 1977 to 2011

1977 - 2011 Last 2 years

New varieties
Developing Industrialized All released:
Crop
Countries Countries Countries More than 900
Barley 175 31 6 improved cereal
Durum Wheat 102 14 1 and legume
Bread Wheat 224 6 9 varieties have been
Chickpea 108 31 9 released by national
programs in
Faba Bean 51 6 1
partnership with
Lentil 96 16 9 ICARDA, and
Forages 30 2 2 adopted by farmers
Peas 9 0 0 worldwide.
Sub-Total 761 120
Total 881 37
Estimated Net Benet = about US $850 m / year

Releases of plant genetic materials from ICARDAs gene banks, which host wild
relatives of barley, wheat and legumes, has led to the development of crops with
higher yields and greater resistance to a range of biotic stresses. Some varieties also
offer large improvements in bread-making quality, nutritional value and other traits.

Strategies for combating climate change in drylands agriculture 6

Tapping the potential of drylands agriculture in the face of
climate change

Interview:
Dr. Mahmoud Solh, Director General of the International Center for
Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA).

What are some of the main challenges currently facing dry lands?
Key biophysical constraints include natural resource limitations and
degradation, particularly water scarcity and encroaching desertication, in
addition to salinity problems in irrigated areas. Livelihoods are also constrained
by non-biophysical limitations such as inadequate and unequal access to
land, water, markets and inputs and limited access to information about
alternative production technologies.

Given these difculties, what should the approach be?

The challenges are complex, to the point where there is no silver bullet for
solving these problems. But there are practical solutions available today that
will increase food security. These practical solutions follow an integrated
approach involving sustainable natural resource management and inputs;
crop and livestock genetic improvement; socio-economic considerations -
and require an enabling policy environment. Partnerships are also critical
success factors, considering the complexity of the challenges facing drylands
and the need for an integrated approach. Countries now need more precise
action plans to follow an integrated approach and develop strategic
partnerships to nd solutions to increase the productivity agriculture in the dry
drylands.

How much real potential is there, given the serious threat posed by climate
change?
The possibilities for improving food security in dry lands are tremendous.
The two major target areas are sustainable intensication and it is crucial to
underline sustainability, without excessive use of water and increasing
resilience for marginal lands. For example, the use of raised bed farming for
wheat in parts of Egypt during the past two seasons has resulted in a yield
increase of 20%, using 20% less water. In rangeland areas, herders are being
encouraged to diversify, and to produce value-added products such as
yoghurt and cheese.

How important is it to invest in scientic research for agriculture?

Science-based agricultural technologies are a real force for increasing food
security in dry areas. Unfortunately, in the developing world, many countries
have not invested in science and technology for agriculture. Those countries
who have invested - such as China, India and Argentina - have grown very
well, but in most parts of the developing world there is the feeling that
investment in agriculture does not contribute to the national economy we
need to help change this thinking.

So what can be done to mobilize more investment in agricultural research

and technology?
I think we as scientists have a very important role to play. It is important that
we demonstrate the benets and impact of agricultural research to decision
makers to ministries of agriculture but also to ministries of planning and
nance. A study we have done on investment in a wheat initiative in Upper
Egypt demonstrates returns of 37%. This shows what is possible, and what can
be spread to others countries and regions, in a real-life farming situation."

7 Strategies for combating climate change in drylands agriculture

 Already, scientists have produced some convincing results:
Genetic improvement
boosts livestock productivity More than 880 new varieties have been released for cultivation, generating annual
benets worth US$850 million.
An initiative to improved
genetic stock is boosting
Dryland researchers have developed synthetic wheat varieties that can
animal productivity and
protability in dry areas. Part produce 2.5 tonnes per ha with just 220 mm of water.
of an integrated livestock
technology package Between 2005 and 2007, Syria turned from being a wheat importer to a wheat
developed by dryland exporting country with the help of new improved plant varieties, and supplemen
scientists, other components tal irrigation which targets the critical period in crop growth and inputs.
include animal nutrition,
feed and fodder In Sudan south of Khartoum, an irrigated heat-tolerant variety is enabling farmers
production and preventive
to grow wheat in an area where temperatures were too high and the season too
veterinary care.
Good results have been short for growing traditional varieties.
obtained for sheep and
goat herders using this In Bangladesh, new lentil varieties combine high protein levels with micronutri
approach in Afghanistan ents such as zinc and iron.
and Pakistan. With some
adjustments for local A drought tolerant variety of chick pea introduced in Turkey had such strong
conditions, the strategy can resistance that it was able to withstand the searing temperatures and rainfall
be applied to other dry
scarcity of the 2007 drought. The Gokce variety is now used for about 80% of
countries.
the countrys chickpea production. With a yield advantage of 300 kg/ha over
Documented results in these other varieties and world prices of over US$1000/t, this variety brought in an
two countries reveal: additional US$165 million for Turkish farmers in 2007 alone.
80% to 200% increases in
meat and milk produc 2.3 Diversication -- spreading the risk to earn higher revenues
tion and animal growth Diversication of agricultural systems can be an effective means of mitigating risk
rate. and increasing income. In both high potential areas and marginal lands, this
Benet: cost ratios of 3:1.
approach is proving an important strategy.
A dramatic fall in animal
mortality rates.
In Afghanistan, the Herders in rangeland areas are being encouraged to produce value-added
technology package products such as yoghurt and cheese from their sheep and goats. Plans to develop
generated benets crops with low water requirements are another option. In Tunisia, pastoralists are
worth over US$650,000, growing spineless cactus as fodder for their ruminants. The Awasi sheep, a hardy
with a 71% rate of return native breed brings resilience to rural communities in the Middle East. With good
on investment resistance to high temperatures and low rainfall, this is one of several indigenous
breeds that have considerable potential for use across marginal lands in many dry
land countries, providing meat, milk and wool for farmers.

2.4 Integrated crop-livestock systems

Crops or livestock. Why not both?
Farmers do not always have to choose between crop or livestock systems. New
methods are needed to cope with a changing situation and integrating
crop-livestock systems can be a highly effective way of cushioning each sector from
external pressure and getting maximum effects from a symbiosis of both. Successful
technologies that combine crop and livestock systems include:
On-farm feed production
Rotation of barley with forage legumes
Growing cactus and fodder shrubs
Making feed blocks from crop residues and agro industrial by-products

2.5 Conservation agriculture produces more for less

Conservation agriculture (CA) also known as zero till and no till -- is particularly well
suited to dryland farming, especially in rainfed conditions. The technique involves
avoiding tilling soil, conserving nutrients and water in the undisturbed soil, and
retaining crop stubble. Crop rotation is an important part of the approach, which
produces signicant benets through lower production costs, higher yields and
better soil health and nutrient recycling. Under conservation agriculture soil carbon is
retained and increased, contributing to climate change mitigation.

Field trials on wheat, barley, lentil and chickpea have produced documented
evidence. By using conservation agriculture together with good crop management,
farmers can increase net revenues by about US$120 per hectare. The extra revenue
comes from higher yields (12% increase) and lower production costs (saving of $40
per hectare for each eliminated plowing).

Strategies for combating climate change in drylands agriculture 8

In four years, adoption has grown from zero to almost 27,000 hectares in Iraq and
Syria. To encourage mechanization, specially designed zero-tillage seeders have
been developed. These are manufactured locally by small-scale entrepreneurs.
Small-scale animal
They cost $1,500 to $5,000, compared with $50,000 to $60,000 for imported machines breeding produces big
results
Conservation agriculture: higher yield, lower cost
25,000 1000 Community-based
Overview of farmer breeding programs are
Area of zero-tillage wintr crops (ha)

Syria Farmers
20,000 Iraq Farmers 800 uptake of conservation proving a valuable
agriculture practices in approach for small-scale

Number of farmers
Syria Area
Syria and Iraq. Keys to
Iraq Area livestock farmers in
15,000 600 adoption are farmers
illustrating results to
remote dryland areas.
colleagues and Focusing on indigenous
breeds of mainly sheep
10,000 400
availability of locally
made (and locally and goats, this
5,000 200 repairable) seeders sustainable alternative to
more modern breeding
0 0 programs has already
2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11
proved highly successful
in Bolivia, Ethiopia,
Mexico and Peru.

In Ethiopia, more than

Water productivity 500 households in remote
Increasing yields at any price? communities have used
Dr. Theib Oweis, Director, Water and Land Management Program, ICARDA the approach since 2008.
They have been
Why must farmers manage with less water? rewarded with improved
Food security is very closely associated with water security. Increasingly, ock genetic quality,
animal health and
agricultures share of water is going to other sectors: industry, the environment
productivity, and income
and increasing urban growth. But at the same time, everyone wants more from lamb sales.
food.

So what are the options?

Most countries are relying on increasing the efciency of irrigation systems to
save water. My argument is that this will not solve the problem they will not
have enough water to increase productivity sufciently to achieve food
security. Part of the solution should come from increasing water productivity
the return for a cubic meter of water.

Could you explain this concept?

Currently, the strategy is to increase the return on cubic production unit of
land. But our research shows that increasing yields requires more water. The
same goes for expanding land area under cultivation. So this approach is not
valid for water scarce areas facing climate change.

What do you propose in its place?

Instead of focusing on land and yield we should shift the focus to water
productivity. The total return of m3 of water consumed. With less water, you
can produce more food.

Can you give examples of some techniques?

Using decit irrigation, you irrigate less than the full requirement. You may
reduce the yield by 10%, but you will save 50% of water. You can use this
water on other land.
With supplemental irrigation to rainfed crops in dry lands, you apply a little
irrigation selectively, during shortages. That saves the crop and improves
quality. This is especially important for climate change.

What other options are available to farmers?

Water harvesting can be very effective, concentrating water into, for
example, small basins where you can grow crops. Farmers can also space
crops in strips, leaving a fallow strip in between. The water ows into the
planted area, with help from channelling if necessary. Contour inltration
ditches stop runoff and soil erosion. Interventions such as these will be very
important under climate change, when rainfall will become more erratic and
intense.

9 Strategies for combating climate change in drylands agriculture

 2.6 Getting innovations into farmers elds - examples of technology uptake in seven
drylands countries.
A massive surge in wheat prices and availability in the wake of the 2007/8 global
Conservation agriculture
Bigger harvests for lower food price crisis prompted scientists at ICARDA and partner organizations to devise
costs a strategy to help producers and consumers weather the shocks.

To date, four out of the Arab countries have been hard hit by the soaring cost of wheat since all, except
seven dryland countries Syria, are net importers. Wheat yields in these countries are an average 30% lower
involved in a project to than global levels, with the exception of Egypt.
increase wheat yields
have taken up
conservation agriculture
7000 Average Wheat Yield
(CA), with impressive
in Arab Countries
results. CA has helped 6000 (kg/ha) (2008-2010)
Jordan to increase wheat
yields by 20%, while Syria 5000
has seen wheat yields rise
4000
by 17%. Morocco
produced exceptional 3000
results in 2011, with a 50%
2000
rise in bread wheat yields,
a 100% rise in durum 1000
wheat yields and a 50%
rise in canola yields. 0
Conservation agriculture
produces even better
results in drought
conditions, since it allows
the soil to retain the Source: FAO, FAOSTAT- Agriculture
maximum amount of
precious water and
nutrients.
Focusing on wheat a staple in the region the project, launched in 2010/11,
targeted six countries: Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Sudan, Syria, and Tunisia. It was later
extended to include Jordan.

The challenge of increasing wheat yields was not exclusively one of producing
better technologies. It soon emerged that all countries had national research
programmes with improved technologies, but most had yet to pass these on to
farmers.

Dissemination of research results has therefore been a key component, using various
methods to transfer technology, including mass dissemination, farmer eld schools
and lead farmers coaching satellite farmers. A total of 7,500 farmers were reached
in the rst 2 years. The scheme used a tried and tested model that encouraged
farmers to explain why they did not adopt certain technologies. This was followed
up by measures to address the issues.

The package varied, but could contain:

Improved high producing varieties
Adjusted methods, calendars and rates for planting
Targeted fertilizer delivery, after soil analysis
Improved water management
Integrated pest management
Conservation agriculture (no till)

Results included a 22% yield increase in Egypt and a 58% rise in Sudan, under real
not trial -- conditions. The overall yield increase was 25%.

After the rst year, there was already substantial spillover. In Egypt the model has
been expanded, and the original 200 demonstration plots have become 1,300. The
model has attracted considerable government support.

Strategies for combating climate change in drylands agriculture 10

 Moroccos Green Plan links smallholder farmers to lucrative export markets

In Morocco, where 71% of farms are under 0.5 ha, agriculture is at a crossroads. In an effort to
drive the sector forward the government has drawn up an ambitious programme, which
focuses on private and public investment, added value for fruit, vegetables and other
sectors, as well as policy support for producer organizations, marketing and nance for
farmers.

Dubbed the Green Plan, the initiative aims to have a signicant impact on economic
growth, as well as on land management, sustainable water development and employment,
with a potential for creating a total 4 million new jobs.

The Green Plan is targeting new exports markets in Europe, the US, Russia and Asia, while also
servicing the growing domestic market, particularly in rapidly developing urban centers.

With its fragmented land surface, where the average farm is only 2.1 ha, there is an urgent
need to group producers together to increase their presence on markets and improve
quality and processing.

The scheme involves sustainable intensication, diversication and development for marginal
lands, cultivating olives, cactus and other suitable crops. The plan also includes measures to
overhaul an industry framework that is out of step with principles of deregulation.

Adopting a market-based value chain approach has already brought success for the
tomato sector in the Souss region, and the strawberry sector in the north. This latter has seen
spectacular growth, exporting fresh but also frozen fruit for processing into products such as
yoghurt, mainly to Europe. The model is now being duplicated using other soft fruit.

Producers in the dairy, sugar and sheep and goat sectors have all beneted by being
grouped together and receiving help with modernizing production practices through transfer
of skills and technology. The keystone to all these successes has been an entrepreneurial
management approach by farmers, with encouragement and backing from the policy
sector. Producers now have access to private investment and the plan is working to facilitate
these channels, from national and international sources

Components of the strategy to modernize the industry framework include accelerating land
privatization, giving incentives for a water pricing policy, improving access to wholesale
markets and abattoirs and providing support for farmers, including access to credit and
subsidies.

With its private, free trade approach and strong government backing, the Green Plan is
widely seen as a policy model that could be adapted for other dryland countries.

The Green Plan has the potential to achieve greenhouse gas gains of 63.5 million tCO2e over
20 years. These gains are expected largely from the sequestration of soil carbon through
improved agronomic practices.

2.7 Better water management

The key to sustainable food production in dry lands
Water is the common denominator for problems affecting farmers in dry land
It takes one liter of water
countries. Depletion and mismanagement of groundwater reserves is being to produce 1 kilocalorie
exacerbated by the effects of climate change, with less rainfall, and more erratic of food. This means that
distribution. Population growth, pollution and increased salinity compound the each person consumes
problem, placing growing pressure on smallholder farmers in their quest for stable 3 to 4000 liters per day,
food production. The difculties are becoming even more acute due to competing just while eating. For that
demands from rapidly increasing urban areas. reason, it is crucial to
invest in water efciency
for food security. Better
Dry areas have witnessed a steady decline in groundwater reserves in recent
water management,
decades, mainly due to unregulated borehole drilling. Typically, water tables in planning, technology
semi-arid areas have dropped by between 0.5 and 2m per year, with serious and pricing mechanisms
impacts for both public supplies and ecosystems. are some of the
measures open to policy
Farmers are the hardest hit, but they are also the biggest users of water. Globally, makers.
agriculture uses 70% of all water extracted from rivers, lakes and aquifers. In some
low income countries, fresh water use for food production is has high as 90% or all
available water resources.

However, while water issues are recognized by national leaders as a strategic

priority, very few countries have a master plan for managing water in their
agricultural sector and for dealing with the uncertainties that lie ahead.

11 Strategies for combating climate change in drylands agriculture

 How is water used?
As far as consumption is concerned, water use is embedded in different products.
Beef has a much higher level of water use than beans on a per unit basis. In most
Using water wisely --
supplemental irrigation
Middle East and North African countries, a large share of water is imported as virtual
water, in the form of imported grain. There is also an energy component, since
Research and experience virtual water, in the form of imported food, requires transport. Limiting imports, and
in the eld show that expanding domestic food production through climate smart technologies, is a far
supplemental irrigation, more efcient means of using water and energy.
which allows
farmers to plant and Challenges of water security must be addressed with sustainability in mind. It is
manage crops at the
important that even wealthy arid countries, that can afford costly desalinization
optimal time, regardless of
climate vagaries,
schemes, pursue water resource management options that do not exact too high a
can signicantly increase cost either in nancial terms, or social or environmental terms.
water productivity.
For poorer dry countries, what are the options?
Here are some results from
Ethiopia, Iran, Jordan, Some solutions for water scarce dry lands
Lebanon, Pakistan, Irrigation efciency, crop rotation and biotechnology enhancing efcient water
Morocco, Syria, Tunisia
use in crops, are all options for making maximum use of scarce water reserves. Most
and Turkey.
of these approaches require advanced technology, such as using ground sensors to
On-farm water measure soil moisture.
productivity is 2.5 kg/m3
under supplemental Adapting crop varieties to use less water is a promising approach that is already
irrigation, compared with producing impressive results in some dry countries. Investments in water technolo-
0.3 to 1 kg/m3 under gies, such as drip irrigation, hydroponics, vertical agriculture and water harvesting
rainfed conditions and techniques must go hand-in-hand with improved soil and crop management
0.75 kg/m3 under full
techniques. Conservation agriculture (zero tillage) retains precious moisture in soil
irrigation.
that would otherwise be lost through plowing also trapping nutrients and maintain-
Field trials in several ing soil fertility.
countries showed massive
increases in wheat and Harvesting water in a dry lands context is markedly different from the conventional
barley yields with small view of rainwater harvesting. In dry lands, new strategies are emerging for locating
quantities of supplemental micro-catchments in areas where, apparently, there is no water. A combination of
irrigation: yield increased satellite remote sensing and observation on the ground can identify new water
from 1.25 t/ha to 3 t/ha in
sources. Using this approach, countries can pinpoint where new sources exist and
Syria, from 4.6 to 5.8 t/ha
in Morocco, and from 2.2
install appropriate structures to capture the water for home use, animals or
to 3.4 t/ha in Iran. irrigation. This strategy has been tested in dry areas such as Jordan and Libya.

Supplemental irrigation Involving rural communities

allows farmers to plant Rural communities may have more opportunities for developing water security than
their crops early, urban dwellers. Strategies open to them include careful conservation and
increasing yields and management of renewable groundwater, rainfall harvesting and underground
preventing exposure to
storage (in cisterns or aquifers). But the success of these initiatives will to some extent
terminal heat and drought
stress in hot areas and frost
depend on improved weather forecasting, combined with education and training
in cold areas. initiatives. It is important that farmers and other members of rural communities are
involved from the outset in any changes in water use that will affect them.

Better tracking by government agencies will help to identify where water is being
lost, in the environment and along the food production chain. A policy shift is also
key, so that users have better incentives to adopt more sustainable water
management practices. In dry land areas in particular, there is an urgent need for
more data on groundwater reserves and water quality, and for improved monitoring
strategies.

The resilience and adaptability of rural communities should be harnessed and

developed. But there is also a need for more scientic know-how on water
efciency, especially for agriculture.

Sustainable water management options for the dry countries include:

Modernizing irrigating systems and improving efciency
Modifying cropping patterns to enhance water productivity
Supplemental (targeted) irrigation
Macro and micro water catchments
Watershed management
Decit irrigation.

Strategies for combating climate change in drylands agriculture 12

Traditional systems for water harvesting and conservation
Water harvesting can be an effective, low-cost technology to conserve every last
drop of available moisture. In the dry lands, there is scope for harnessing traditional
knowledge developed over generations by rural communities. Examples include
underground cisterns, ood harvesting systems and basins for collecting water and
channelling it for household use and horticulture.

Many dryland countries, have a strong tradition of water storage. Buiding on these
technologies, the resilience and adaptability of rural communities can be
developed further.

Systems developed over generations in dry land areas include ood water
spreading, plowing and terracing techniques, bunds, modied streambeds, cisterns,
leaky dams and check dams.
Qanats, an ancient Iranian water management system.
In Rajasthan, India, small-scale water harvesting systems have succeeded in
raising water tables and making dry rivers run again. These community-led
schemes also have job creation potential and often provide one, two or three
crops a year.
In Sudan, the Har system involves ood spreading, storage and aquifer
recharge, with a ltration
component before water is distributed to local communities.
Massive underground cisterns are used In Syria, to collect and conserve precious
water.
More recently, scientists have designed affordable water harvesting technolo
gies for testing in
several countries including Syria, Jordan and Libya three of the worlds driest
regions. They
combine the latest technology, such as as GIS analysis to identify areas best
suited for construct
ing water harvesting systems, with time honored techniques.
In Eritrea, ICARDA and partners used a GIS model to map the Zoba Debub area
in order to assess
the different water harvesting techniques. Results showed that water harvesting
potential was
much higher than thought.
In Jordan, a technology package (water harvesting plus other innovations) has
helped rehabili
tate degraded rangeland areas, reduce erosion, and improve the production of
fodder for livestock.
Examples presented by Prof. Mike Edmunds, Oxford University.

13 Strategies for combating climate change in drylands agriculture

 Addressing Climate Change: Adaptation? Mitigation? Or both?
Interview: Dr Bruce Campbell, Director, CCAFS.

What is the priority for agriculture in the global climate change negotiations:
adaptation or mitigation?
In the countries where we work, adaptation is the priority. If you look at the
prognosis for Africa, you can see that climate change can potentially
devastate agricultural production, through rising temperatures, more frequent
and severe extremes, and increased aridity. But fortunately, for many of the
options that are needed to build adaptive capacity, they also provide what
we call a mitigation co-benets.

Can you give an example of a mitigation co-benet?

A great example comes from Niger, for farmer-assisted tree regeneration.
Farmers have added trees in the landscape over an area of ve million
hectares. This is essentially rehabilitating degraded farmland. Through this
practice, crop yields have increased and there is more fodder for livestock.
Some 2.5 million households have benetted.

This practice contributes to both climate change adaptation and mitigation.

The enhanced and more diverse livelihood portfolios that families in this area
have different production and income streams allow them to cope better
with current and future climate-induced risks. These approaches also bring
large-scale sequestration of atmospheric carbon created by the 200 million
new trees and also reduced carbon loss from soils - reducing loss of topsoil
through wind and water erosion.

Is this achievement the result of agricultural or climate change research or a

development project?
Partly. This grew out of a traditional woodland management approach,
pioneered by farmers in Niger over many years, and. It involves selecting,
protecting and pruning re-growth from living tree rootstock. It became known
as Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR). Research has helped
better understand this and to identify opportunities for scaling-up in other
locations. A new feature furthered by intermediary organizations that assisted
the farmers was to incorporate FMNR into agricultural crop lands so that trees
are managed as part of a farm enterprise. In the 1980s FMNR became a
component of a development project and by 1985, 500,000 trees in 95 villages
had been regenerated and protected.

Strategies for combating climate change in drylands agriculture 14

3. Climate change interventions
Changing climate patterns will affect people in all ecosystems. But those living in dry
areas will face more acute challenges. Countries already suffering from high poverty
levels due to poor land and water availability are being hard hit by climate change,
with erratic rainfall, more frequent droughts, extreme temperatures, shifting climatic
zones and the arrival of new crop pests and diseases.

3.1 New problems need new solutions.

Approaches to help buffer the effects of climate change on farmers range from
simple solutions to high-tech options, and from insurance mechanisms to safety nets
for vulnerable communities. Climate smart technologies can raise agricultural
productivity, reduce rural communities vulnerability to weather extremes and
cushion people from the impacts of food price volatility. This approach holds out
special hope for dry lands.

When carefully managed, climate smart initiatives can produce tangible benets to
rural communities and the land they depend on, making it more resilient when
faced with climate swings. Promising technologies to combat this unpredictable
situation include crop varieties adapted to perform well under climate change
factors, technology tools, devices for farmers and systems for delivering targeted
timing and doses of fertilizer and irrigation.

Lesson from Nigers farming communities farming trees for income and land regeneration
Farmer-managed natural regeneration (FMNR) is a simple, low-cost practice pioneered by
farmers in Southern Niger and encouraged by development projects to become a
component of farming practices.

It encourages natural tree re-growth by selecting, pruning and protecting naturally

regenerating trees, and uses living rootstock it makes tree planting easier. This approach has
potential for the regeneration of degraded lands.
The method is exible, adapting to farmers situations and needs.
FMNR increases the farmers supply of a range of products that farming households can
either consume or sell - fuel, food, medicine and fodder, and specically benets
women.
Research has shown that adopting FMNR increases access to market and levels of
farmer education. The approach is also associated with increased household income,
crop and tree diversity and lower migration rates, but in the survey area did not result in
increased crop yields.
Advocacy for a change in policy were important to the spread of the FMNR practice in
the region. Uptake was further stimulated after the Nigerien Government eased
restrictive national forestry regulations in the 1990s and again in 2004. This allowed the
farmers rights to the trees that they protected that had previously belonged to the
Government.
Summarized from paper on Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration in Niger - Sidsel F. Cappiello and Peter Cooper (see reading list).

3.2 Climate smart options

Climate smart technologies currently being developed and trialed by CGIAR
research centers and other organizations include work on shade agriculture, soil
carbon sequestration, early warning systems, livestock insurance schemes, rotational
grazing and exible water storage options. Research shows it is important that
techniques are tailored to local conditions and backed up by policy, technical and
nancial support.

As well as measures taken at farm level, such as the introduction of climate

adapted crops, it will be important to make adjustments at institutional and policy
level, promoting systems that can protect livelihoods and the environment. These
may include changing the way that agricultural extension is delivered, how weather
forecasts are given or through new safety nets, such as insurance for farmers and
cash transfers in times of need.

3.3 Capturing carbon

Increased carbon sequestration for example by planting trees -- can make an
important contribution to mitigating climate change, and dry areas have signicant
potential here. It has been calculated (Lal 2000) that drylands can sequester 0.9-1.9
Gt C per year. This compares with tropical deforestation releasing 0.6-0.9 Gt C per
year. However, to achieve even a fraction of this potential requires a co-ordinated
effort at national and international levels. Landscape restoration can have both
adaptation and mitigation benets.

15 Strategies for combating climate change in drylands agriculture

 3.4 Climate initiatives
Carbon and climate Some of the most effective climate initiatives launched to help rural communities
change mitigation funds weather shocks caused by climate change include:
benet farmers
Ethiopias Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP). Launched as an alternative
Climate funds for
reducing greenhouse gas approach to food aid, this program reaches some 7 million people. It includes a
emissions can benet public works component that involves landscape and watershed rehabilitation,
small farmers and help at the same time providing jobs for rural communities and increasing food
achieve development security.
objectives, according to
a report from the CGIAR Weather-based insurance schemes can offer valuable protection to farmers
Research Program on faced with erratic climate conditions. Such initiatives encourage producers to
Climate Change
continue investing in farming, safe in the knowledge that they will be protected if
Agriculture and Food
Security (CCAFS) and natural events prevent them from reaping the prots they deserve. In Kenya, a
partners. livestock insurance system has started paying out dividends to herders who have
lost animals to drought, and is now being rolled out to other dry areas.
In a study of six African
agricultural carbon There is also interest in linking micro insurance initiatives such as this to micronance
projects, researchers schemes, providing a one-stop affordable nance package for smallholder farmers.
found that communities Indias Weather-based Crop Insurance Scheme (WBCIS) covered over 9 million
are beneting from a
farmers in the 2010-11 agricultural year. The policies covered more than 40 different
range of activities related
to planting and crops and 9.5 million hectares. The volume of paid claims in 2011 amounted to
managing trees on farms. US$125 million.
The carbon projects
include the Humbo Climate information services can be valuable tools, especially if adapted to
Ethiopia Assisted Natural local farmers needs. One example is a 5-day forecast sent via SMS on mobile
Regeneration Project, phones, with advice given to farmers on what they should be doing, based on
which was the rst African the weather.
forestry project to be
registered under the
Kyoto Protocol, and the In Niger, the planting of 200 million nitrogen-xing trees such as Acacia senegal
Cocoa Carbon Initiative and Acacia seyal has resulted in the transformation of ve million hectares of
in Ghana, which is once infertile land. The initiative has increased crop yields and fodder
working to improve tree availability, beneting 2.5 million farmers. Trees increase the carbon stored in the
cover while enhancing landscape, mitigating climate change. Each farmer involved in the initiative has
sustainability of cocoa
beneted by an annual average of US$56 per hectare. There are prospects of
production.
higher revenues if carbon credits are introduced. Trees increase the carbon
The study found that stored in the landscape and more diverse and sustainable livelihoods increase
while direct carbon adaptive capacity
payments to farmers
were low, projects Groups of lead farmers in Tunisia are being linked by mobile phone to crop and
established systems for weather monitoring systems that issue alerts when irrigation is needed. The
nancial management, information can then be relayed to other producers. Public and private funding
agricultural extension,
will be key to the rapid implementation of climate smart agriculture in drylands.
and carbon monitoring
involving a complex set More attention must be devoted to quantifying benets from climate-smart
of partnerships. The study agriculture, providing the evidence for scaling up.
demonstrates the
different channels
through which
communities could
benet from mitigation
funds for agricultural
development.

Strategies for combating climate change in drylands agriculture 16

4. Agricultural research
Strengthening agricultural innovation systems through
research, education and extension
4.1 Technical solutions
Agricultural research offers practical solutions to many of the constraints posed by
climate change. A range of practical techniques can be highly effective, especially
if supported by an enabling policy environment. In Egypt, for example, sowing
wheat on raised beds increased yields by 25% in one season. Planting early varieties
of rice, that can be harvested 20-30 days earlier, can make signicant savings in
water consumption. Experience is showing that an integrated 'agro-ecosystems'
approach is required - to apply technical options in a 'holistic' way, to deliver real
benets to people's livelihoods.

4.2 Policy
The right environment
An enabling national policy environment is essential to support investment in
agricultural development, drive sustainable productivity growth and encourage
better farming practices, including natural resource management. In many dryland
countries, there is a strong need for more capacity development and institutional
support. Agriculture, which is the backbone of most dry land economies, needs to
be a national priority. This is especially important given the inexorable onset of
climate change. Real advances can be made in adapting to its impact, but only if
there is the right backing in terms of science, technology and research, so that
farmers have real help in adjusting to new conditions. In the UNFCCC the
technology transfer mechanisms and the work around capacity building can, if
agriculture receives deserved attention, help in getting technologies to farmers and
building capacity around climate smart agriculture.

4.3 National and regional

While the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will
cover the international policy framework for how agriculture is incorporated into
future climate agreements, developing regional and national policy is an urgent
priority. Farmers need policies that support the introduction of climate smart farming
techniques. Policies and strategies should recognize proven technologies for carbon
sequestration, such as mulching, intercropping and agroforestry. Experts have also
called for more backing for climate risk management, including insurance and
productive safety nets and better access to weather information adapted to
farmers needs.

4.4 Extension
Pass it on
Often, a major challenge is in getting results of agricultural research off the shelves
and out into the elds. Many scientists themselves now recognize the need for closer
links between researchers and farmers and the fundamental role played by
innovative extension approaches.
Effective technology transfer mechanisms are essential, not just between
researchers and farmers, but between farmers and other farmers. The best models
target farmer feedback, with follow up to nd out what works best, what does not
work, and why.
Rewarding successful farmers with certicates or small gifts can be an effective way
of raising awareness of better practices and generating support in the rural
community.

17 Strategies for combating climate change in drylands agriculture

 4.5 Investment
Good returns
Agriculture continues to be the main engine for economic growth in most dry land
countries, and experience has shown investment in research generally produces
excellent returns often better than those of the commercial sector. Yet spending
remains low in many dryland countries. In general terms, agricultural research is not
a high investment priority for governments of developing countries. Many dryland
countries spend between 0.2% and 0.5% of agricultural GDP on research. Decisions
to save money by failing to invest in technology to make food production more
efcient could cost countries very dearly in the long run.

Countries that have made investments in science and

technology and agricultural research have seen Research pays dividends.
impressive national growth as a result. Cases in point
include Brazil, China and India, and, more locally, Tunisia In Ethiopia, where the
and Morocco. The repercussions of investment in government has made
agricultural research a
agricultural research go way beyond the immediate
priority for much of the
farm sector, with a ripple effect that takes in transport, past decade, lentil
agro industries and the social dimension, helping to production tripled
create jobs, livelihoods and stability, so people can between 2000 and 2010,
realize their full potential. using the same amount of
land and smaller amounts
More funds are needed to promote adaptation. of fertilizer. Over the same
Potential sources include national budgets, donors and period, faba production
increased by
development agencies and more innovative sources,
(broadbean) 40% and
including the private sector and carbon markets. It will chick pea production
be important to develop a policy framework for rose by 30%. In 2010, the
public-private partnerships that can attract responsible country exported more
private investment in the agriculture sector, and dry pulses than coffee.
lands in particular.

4.6 Working together

Partnerships are an important mechanism for sharing knowledge and solutions.
Options for alliances that can help dryland countries improve agricultural
performance and adapt to climate change challenges include those between:
National agricultural research systems
International centers
Global and regional fora

4.7 North-South, South-South

Wealthy arid countries may have important lessons to share with poorer ones.
Australia, the driest continent on the planet, is helping dryland areas in the Middle
East and North Africa with technology adaptation and transfer. The initiatives,
supported by ICARDA, have all produced very high returns on investment. They
include:
Conservation agriculture in northern Iraq
Yield gaps in Egyptian irrigated farming systems
Conservation agriculture in Tunisia

In 2012 CCAFS supported South-South exchange between India and countries in

West Africa on climate information services. Thus South-South cooperation is also
key. Agreements between countries facing similar problems are needed to
capitalize on existing nancial and technical experience and expertise, including
the development of partnerships at sub-regional, regional and international levels.

Strategies for combating climate change in drylands agriculture 18

19 Strategies for combating climate change in drylands agriculture
 Reading List
CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security
(CCAFS)
http://ccafs.cgiar.org/

CCAFS Report 8: Institutional innovations in African smallholder carbon projects (PDF)

by Seth Shames, Eva Wollenberg, Louise E. Buck, Patti Kristjanson, Moses Masiga and
Byamukama Biryahwaho

CGIAR Research Program on Dryland Systems

www.icarda.org/dryland_systems

Food Security in Dry Lands Conference

www.fsdl.qa
Ministerial Dialogue: Policy Brief - Opportunities for Food Security
Downloadable from
http://www.fsdl.qa/en-us/program/ministerialdialogue/policybrief.aspx

International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA)

http://icarda.org/

UNESCO regional water centers

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/environment/water/ihp/water-ce
ntres/

Unesco Global Water and Development Network for Arid Lands

www.gwadi.org

School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford.

www.water.ox.ac.uk

Rainwater Harvesting for Agriculture in the Dry Areas

Theib Y. Oweis, Dieter Prinz & Ahmed Y. Hachum

Garrity, D.P., F.K. Akinnnifesti, O.C. Ajayi, S.G. Weldesemayat, J.G Mowo, A.
Kalingarine, M. larwanou and J. Balaya (2010). Evergreen Agriculture: a robust
approach to sustainable food security in Africa. Food Security. 2:197-214.

Haglund, E., Ndjeunga, J., Snook, L., Pasternak, D. (2011). Dry land tree
management for improved household livelihoods: Farmer managed natural
regeneration in Niger. Journal of Environmental Management. Vol 92 p. 1696-1705

Reij C,. Tappan G,. Smale M., (2009). Agroenvironmental Transformation in the Sahel
Another Kind of Green Revolution. IFPRI Discussion Paper 00914

Reij C,. Tappan G,. Smale M., Agroenvironmental Transformation in the Sahel
Another Kind of Green Revolution. (2010). In: Proven Successes in Agricultural
Development

A Technical Compendium to Millions Fed. Edited by David J. Spielman and Rajul

Pandya-Lorch

Rinaudo, T. (2008). The Development of Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration

Tougiani A, Guero C, Rinaudo T (2009). Community mobilisation for improved

livelihoods through tree crop management in Niger. GeoJournal 74:377389

UNDP, UNEP, World Bank, World Resources Institute (2008). World Resources 2008:
Roots of Resilience e Growing the Wealth of the Poor. July. Available from:

http://www.wri.org/publication/world-resources-2008-roots-of-resilience

Strategies for combating climate change in drylands agriculture 20

Annexes

Annex 1
DOHA DECLARATION ON FOOD SECURITY
International Conference on Food Security in Dry Lands
Doha, Qatar
14-15 November 2012

We, the Ministers and representatives of countries, together with the scientic community and international development
partners present at the International Conference on Food Security in Dry Lands, held in Doha, Qatar on 14-15 November 2012:

Reafrming the commitments of our countries to the goals of sustainable development and the millennium development
goals, especially those pertaining to ghting poverty and promoting food and nutritional security;

Recalling the commitments of the African and Arab Ministers and Head of States, contained in the 6th World Water Forum
Declaration of Marseille The Time for Solutions (2012), the 2nd Arab Water Forum Cairo Declaration on Living with Water
Scarcity (2011), the Johannesburg Communiqu on Climatesmart Agriculture (2011), the Sharm El Sheikh Declaration on
Agriculture Development and Food Security in Africa and the Arab Region (2010), the Abu Dhabi Declaration on Food Security
for Gulf Cooperation Council Countries (2010), the Kuwait Declaration at the Arab Economic, Development and Social Summit
(2009), the Declaration of the World Summit on Food Security (2009), the Sirte Declaration on Water for Agriculture and Energy
in Africa (2008), the Riyadh Declaration on Enhancing Arab Cooperation to Face World Food Crises (2008), the Maputo
Declaration on Agriculture and Food Security in Africa (2003), the Committee of Food Security and the decisions of the
Organization of the Islamic Conference on food security and agricultural development;

Concerned that over 40 percent of the world is dry lands, where about 2.3 billon people - one third of the global population -
live in nearly 100 countries and that in recent decades, the production of food and other goods and services have fallen
drastically in most dry lands;

Recognizing the crucial roles and responsibilities of women in subsistence and commercial crop and livestock production in
dry land countries and their contributions to helping meet food security at household, local and national levels;

Recognizing that, characterized by water scarcity, the dry lands have less than eight percent of the world's renewable water
resources and are challenged by extremes of temperature, frequent drought, land degradation and desertication. Poverty is
disproportionally concentrated in dry lands; population growth is high; and women, children and pastoralists are highly
vulnerable;

Recalling vulnerability of the food production systems in dry lands and the risks to food and nutritional security aggravated by
international food prices uctuations as well as adverse climatic events;

Underscoring that food security, poverty and climate change are closely linked and should not be considered separately;

Noting that without strong adaptation measures, and nancing to support them, poverty alleviation and food security goals
will not be attained;

Recalling that adaptation measures not only enhance food security but can potentially contribute to reducing greenhouse
gas emissions from agriculture;

Recognizing that water and desertication are the most limiting factors to foster economic, social, and environmental
development in dry lands and that the sustainable utilization of water resources is a priority at regional and national scales;

Stressing the need for the wise utilization of the available water in dry lands without compromising the ecological rights of the
ecosystem components to ensure continuous gains of the ecosystem services;

Recalling the targets recommended in the WWF6 held in Marseille in March 2012 for increasing water use efciency by 2020 for
improving irrigation efciency;

Recognizing the further efforts needed to develop an enabling policy environment and infrastructure to promote responsible
investments in land and water resources for agriculture, in the spirit of regional and international cooperation and agreeing on
the principles of the "Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of
Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security";

Recognizing the key contributions made by farmers, co-operatives and by other agents in private sector food supply chain
markets to global and local sustainable food and water security;

Recognizing that knowledge, data, processes and decision support tools for dry land systems need improvements;

on on-going programmes supportive to agriculture and food security in dry lands, including the Strategy for Sustainable Arab
Agricultural Development until the year 2025; the Strategy for Water Security in the Arab Region for the year 2010-2030
endorsed by the League of Arab States (LAS) in 2012; ICARDA's Strategy, 2007-2016: Improved Livelihoods in Dry Areas; the
Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP); and TerrAfrica Partnership on Sustainable Land and Water
Management

We, the ministers and representatives of countries, commit ourselves to:

Cooperation at the International/Regional Level

Support the United Nations Secretariat and specialised agencies in the efforts of enhancing food security;

Adopt sound agricultural and rural development plans at international, regional and national levels, including national and
trans-boundary priorities for water, land and agricultural development;

Promote South-South cooperation agreements to capitalise on existing nancial, technical and institutional expertise and
experience, including the development of effective partnerships at sub-regional, regional and international levels;

Encourage bilateral and regional agreements on shared bodies of water and strengthen existing river basin organizations to
promote regional cooperation, sustainable water resources development and management in accordance with international
law and agreements to reduce the risk of conict;

Foster the harmonization of legal standards of land tenure governance, in accordance with existing obligations under national
and international law and strengthen existing international measures to administer tenure rights that cross international
boundaries;

Welcome and support the launch of the CGIAR Dryland Systems Program, led by ICARDA, given its relevant, innovative and
integrated system approach to enhance the sustainable intensication of production systems and to increase systems and
livelihoods resilience in dry lands;

Welcome and support Qatar's initiative to establish a Global Dry Land Alliance (GDLA), a collaborative undertaking to create
new solutions to common food security problems and to provide mutual assistance in times of extraordinary need;

21 Strategies for combating climate change in drylands agriculture

 Financing and Investment

Call for the commitment of national governments, donors, development organizations, and national, regional and
international research institutions to give agriculture, in general, and dry lands, in particular, higher priority in the annual
budgets and nancing plans;

Mobilize additional funds to promote adaptation and disaster risk reduction within the agricultural sector from national
budgetary resources and available climate funds, including carbon markets;

Enhance access to rural nancial services to smallholder farmers, women and youth who are essential for sustainable farming
in the dry lands;

Call upon the Islamic Development Bank, the African Development Bank, the World Bank, IFAD and regional nancial
institutions to: (i) strengthen countries' capacities in project development and investment prioritization in order to effectively
accelerate investments in agriculture and food security; and (ii) scale-up landscape approaches which aim to reduce
poverty, build resilience, increase food security, mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and promote sustainable agricultural
intensication;

Highlight for investors the potential of sustainably intensifying rainfed and dryland farming and the dangers of developing
unsustainable use of surface and ground water resources;

Promote innovative nancing and innovative nancing solutions for agriculture, food security and nutrition;

Call on further investments to design effective safety net programmes, including crop insurance, in order to address risks,
vulnerability and help vulnerable small farmer households be protected against livelihoods risks and maintain an adequate
level of food security;

Promote inward investment projects in water and land that produce food for local markets and work on the development of
value chains;

Promote the development of international partnerships, involving countries investing abroad and recipients of investments: (i)
to monitor and coordinate cross-regional investments in land and water resources and, (ii) to facilitate the conclusion of
responsible investments that safeguard original tenure rights, livelihood of the population affected by the investment projects,
natural resources and equitable sharing of benets;

Research and Development

Increase investments in research and development, optimize the use of scarce water resources, scale-up sustainable land and
water management approaches and promote the sustainable use of common biological, water and land resources,
particularly rangelands;

Ensure the long term conservation and utilization of biodiversity, including crop wild relatives and landraces, before it is lost;

Revitalize, systematize, and scale-up existing local and traditional and improved knowledge, including heritage systems and
ecosystem services that can effectively support adaptation to climate change by rural communities and strengthen the
deployment of adequate new technologies;

Promote, with the support of UNESCO, FAO, ICARDA with the CGIAR and other specialised agencies, the establishment of
inter-disciplinary regional centres of excellence and networks for food and water security, climate change, clean energy,
water and land management, desertication, and environmental conservation in dry lands;

Ensure that development investments in the dry lands are designed around triple-win solutions: (i) increasing farm productivity
and income; (ii) making smallholders more competitive and resilient to climate variations to reduce their vulnerability and food
insecurity; (iii) helping to limit the ecological footprint of agriculture;

Promote the adoption of policy, legal and organizational frameworks in dry lands, with inputs from the civil society and the
support of research and academic institutes, that promote responsible investments in foreign land and water resources in line
with the "Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of
National Food Security", in the respect of international law and of the needs and rights of the local population;

Promote water and food security partnership networks to harmonize, at regional levels, efforts to enhance food security,
coordinate investment in agriculture, develop decision support tools for adaptation at national and regional levels, facilitate
the exchange of information on the status of food reserves, promote the adoption of water-saving technologies and
appropriate land conservation practices, and organize farmers' capacity building programmes;

Climate Change and Food Security

Call on developed countries and other partners to support the implementation and scaling up of early action programmes,
including best practice and technologies in climate-smart agriculture and food security through regional, sub-regional and
national programmes and institutions as a matter of priority;

Promote early action to improve the viability, scope and accessibility of agricultural options for climate change adaptation
and mitigation;

Call upon the parties to COP18/CMP8 in Doha to decide to establish a SBSTA agenda for agriculture, particularly in dry lands;

In order to accomplish these goals, we commit to

Promote sound policies for agricultural and rural development, and call upon respective governments for the allocation of 10
percent of national budgetary resources for the implementation of this declaration;

Support Qatar's initiative at national, regional and international levels to establish a Global Dry Land Alliance (GDLA) and
explore possible dedicated nancial mechanisms;

Establish a permanent secretariat for the FSDL under the Qatar National Food Security Programme to promote the
implementation of this declaration and to support and enhance food security in dry lands, in partnership with governments,
multilateral organizations, business, research and academic institutions;

Create a mechanism using reliable indicators to monitor and evaluate the implementation of this declaration, in close
collaboration with FAO and AWC;

Establish, with the support of national and international organizations, an information system in the eld of agricultural
production for food security and the trading of commodities between markets and countries in dry lands;

Establish and enhance Early Warning Systems at national and regional levels to minimize the negative impacts of droughts,
oods, desertication, and pests.

Strategies for combating climate change in drylands agriculture 22

Annex 2

23 Strategies for combating climate change in drylands agriculture

 Annex 3

Speakers and Authors at the International Conference on Food Security in Dry Lands
Doha, Qatar, November 15, 15 2012

Prof. Dr. Ir. Bart Schultz

Emeritus Professor of Land and Water Development, UNESCO-IHE, Delft, the
Netherlands Dr. Rachael

McDonnell
Water Policy and Governance Scientist, ICBA
Dr. Theib Y. Oweis
Director of the Integrated Water and Land Management Program of ICARDA

Prof. Jad Chabban

Assistant Dean, American University of Beirut

Prof. Jane Harrigan

Professor, University of London

Prof. Martha Mundy

Professor, London School of Economics

Prof. Ray Bush

Professor at the University of Leeds

Dr. Anil Mishra

Programme Specialist, UNESCO

Prof. Mike Edmunds

Professor, University of Oxford

Prof. Waleed K Al-Zubari

Professor, Arabian Gulf University

Dr. Maurice Saade

Senior Agriculture Economist, The World Bank

Dr. Rabi Mohtar

Executive Director of Qatar Energy and Environment Research Institute (QEERI)

Dr Mahmoud Solh
Director General
ICARDA

Dr. Kamil H. Shideed

Assistant Director General for International Cooperation and Communications,
ICARDA

Dr. Tony Allan

Head of the London Water Research Group, King's College London and SOAS

Dr. Turki Faisal Al Rasheed

Chairman of Golden Grass, Inc. (GGI)

Dr. Madiodio Niasse

Director, International Land Coalition

Dr. Lowenberg-DeBoer
Associate Dean and Director of International Programs in Agriculture (IPIA), Purdue
University

Dr. Timothy O. Williams

Director for Africa at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI)

Strategies for combating climate change in drylands agriculture 24

Dr. Eckart Woertz
Senior Researcher, Barcelona Centre for International Affairs (CIDOB)

Dr. Mark Mulligan

Reader in Physical Geography at Kings College London.

Dr. Brian Chatterton

Former Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forests - the Commonwealth of Australia

Dr. Lynne Chatterton

Political Science and History, Adelaide University

Dr. Maria Cristina Rulli

Assistant Professor, Polytechnic of Milan

Dr. Clemens Breisinger

Research Fellow, IFPRI

Dr. Yaya Olaniran

Dr. Thomas Rosswall

Chair, CIAT-CCAFS

Mr. Martin Keulertz

PhD Researcher at Kings College London

Mr. Dominic Waughray

Senior Director and Head of Environment and Sustainability Initiatives for the World
Economic Forum

Dr. Mahmoud Abu-Zeid

Former Minister of Water Resources & Irrigation of Egypt (12 years, 1997-2009).

Rami Abu Salman

Climate and Environment Advisor at IFAD

Dr. Pasquale Steduto

H.E. Dr. Hussein I. El-Atfy

Former Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation of Egypt (2011)

David B Roberts,
Deputy Director, Qatar ofce of the Royal United Services Institute for Security and
Defence Studies (RUSI)

25 Strategies for combating climate change in drylands agriculture

Strategies for combating climate change in drylands agriculture 26
27 Strategies for combating climate change in drylands agriculture