VIRTUAL EVENT: Climate Smart Agriculture Stakeholders Conference

1-2 December 2020. First Biennial Africa Climate Smart Agriculture Stakeholders Conference
CAADP-XP4 Organizations (FARA, AFAAS, CORAF, ASARECA, CCARDESA) and Partners (AUDA-NEPAD, FAO, CCAFS, AGNES, CSAYN).

See the recordings on the FARA Facebook page

The incidence of climate change in the last 2 decades has created another major threat to food production and food security on the continent. Scientific predictions of the effect of the various changes in climate is pointing at Africa as a continent that will experience large negative effects. 

• The rise in temperature, prolonged dry season, elongation of raining season and in most instances reduction in cropping season will have direct and severe indirect effects on agricultural productivity, and food and nutrition security. 
• Some of the ongoing known effects of climate change also include the incidence of new pest and diseases, vegetation succession and loss of suitable weather condition for cultivation of certain crops. 
• The speed of desertification in the dry savannah regions of Africa has increased in recent years leading to the eradication of certain crop and livestock production systems and reduction in the volume of arable land. 
• The traditional pastoral livestock systems in the dry savannah is also much affected by reduction in lush pasture leading to gradual move down the south. This has exacerbated the famers pastoralist conflict which can be characterised by armed conflict and terrorism in some part of Africa. 
• Apparently, climate change has triggered a huge change in the social, economic and cultural systems in most part of Africa.

The central objective of Biennial CSA Stakeholders Conferences to foster continental and national CSA readiness to avert the negative effects of climate change and ensure sustainability of agriculture, food and nutritional security.

Extracts of the programme:

01/12 Session 1: Opening

• Facilitator: Wole Fatunbi [FARA]
• Yemi Akinbamijo (FARA)
• Malu Ndavi (IFAD)
• Christophe Larose (EU)
• Manyewu Mutamba (AUDA-NEPAD)
• Robert Zougmore [CCAFS] - Lead paper 1: Transforming food systems in Africa under the pressure of climate change – what role for CSA 

Session 2: Presentation of the Commissioned studies 

• Facilitator: Dr. Podisi Baitsi [CCARDESA]
• Victor O. Abegunde University of Zululand, South Africa- Study 1: Situation analysis on CSA Africa: a scientific review 
• Albert Nikiema Natural Resources Officer (Climate Change), FAO Regional office for Africa - Study 2: Transforming agriculture in Africa’s Small Island Developing States: Building baseline information and identifying opportunities for Climate-Smart Agriculture investments in Cabo Verde, Guinea Bissau and Seychelles 
• Khalid Temsamani Université Abdelmalek Essaâdi - Faculté des Sciences de Tétouan - Morocco - Study 3: Challenges of Climate Change and Land Degradation in Africa.
  
  

Session 3: Presentation of research papers

• Dr. Mwamakamba, Lufingo [GACSA FAO] - Spate of CSA Technology Development 
• Dr. Caren Ouma [USU-A] - Foresight Projection and Futures of CSA in Africa 
• Dr Nora Berrahmouni [FAO] - Innovative CSA technologies and practices in smallholder’s system 
• Ms Sithembile Mwamakamba [FANRPAN] - Synergies and tradeoffs among CSA Pillars: Productivity, adaptation and Mitigation

02/12 Session 4

• Facilitator: Dr. Paolo Sarfatti [Lead Consultant]
• Manyewu Mutamba (AUDA-NEPAD) - Lead Paper 2: Prospective pathways to transform AFRICA food systems under the pressure of climate change.
• Amb. Hans Hoogeveen (Co-Chair Global Alliance on Climate-Smart Agriculture) - Lead Paper 3: Mobilization of financial resources for CSA  

Panel 1: Joint development of continental direction for action on CSA

• Facilitator: Dr. Irene Annor-Frempong [FARA]
• Dr. Linah Muhoja (KALRO, Kenya)
• Bongiwe Njobe (Chair GFAR/Global Forum for Agricultural Research, Executive Director of ZA NAC Consulting, South Africa)
• Dr. Majola Mabuza (Program officer, Policy Southern African - Confederation of Agricultural Unions)
• Dr. George Wamukoya (Team Leader – AGNES: Africa Group of Negotiators Experts Support. Currently, under the GIZ-CAADP Support Programme of the AU/NEPAD, Dr Wamukoya leads the team to support 12 African countries to access climate finance from the Green Climate Fund and other sources.
• Nassirou Ba (Africa Climate Policy Centre)

Panel 2: Priorities for knowledge sharing and capacity development for advancing CSA in Africa

• Facilitator: Ms. Karen Munoko [FARA]
• Patrick P. Kalas Natural Resources Officer (FAO)
• Dr. Robert Zougmore (CCAFS)
• Prof. Oladele Idowu (AFAAS)
• Prof. John Morton (AGRINATURA) Divine Ntiokam (CSAYN)

Panel 3: Implication of policy, advocacy and resource mobilization for advancing CSA in Africa

• Facilitator: Dr. Ade Freeman Regional program leader, FAO
  He called on FARA to lead the charge to drive the continental CSA agenda. Dr. Freeman also indicated FAO’s readiness to provide financial support to FARA and the continental institutions for the realization of the climate-smart agriculture agenda.
• Martins Fregene (Director Agric, AfDB, Abidjan, Cote’d Ivore )
• Nora (FAO)
• Christophe Larose (Unit Rural Development Food Security and Nutrition, EC, Brussels, Belgium)
  "Climate change is exerting pressure on the already stretched natural resource systems and policy alignment and support for institutions in addressing climate change."
    
• Yemi Akinbamijo (FARA)