The inaugural meeting of the Global Alliance for Climate Smart Agriculture

22 September 2014. The inaugural meeting of the Global Alliance for Climate Smart Agriculture was held this week in conjunction with the UN Climate Summit in New York City.

“I am glad to see action that will increase agricultural productivity, build resilience for farmers and reduce carbon emissions,” said United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. “These efforts will improve food and nutrition security for billions of people.”

“Farmers are on the front line of the climate change agenda. Farmers are not only directly impacted by climate change, but are also vital in implementing solutions we need to in order to adapt and mitigate,” said Peter Kendall, president of the World Farmers Organisation (WFO). “We must reposition farmers at the centre of the agriculture sector to become more resilient to climate risks.”

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack represented the United States at the meeting.”Farmers, ranchers and other producers in the U.S. and around the world are feeling the impact of climate change now,” said Vilsack.”The Global Alliance for Climate Smart Agriculture offers the opportunity to collaboratively share knowledge, make investments and develop policies that will empower all producers to adapt to climate change and to mitigate its consequences. Long term global food security depends on us acting together now.”

Welcoming remarks

• Ms Sharon Dijksma, Minister for Agriculture, the Netherlands
• Dr Cao Duc Phat, Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, VietNam
• Mr Tom Vilsack Secretary of Agriculture, United States Department of Agriculture
• Dr José Graziano da Silva, Director-General, FAO / Ms Maria-Helena Semedo, Deputy Director-General, Coordinator, Natural Resources, FAO
• Dr Juergen Voegele, Senior Director of the World Bank’s Agriculture Global Practice
• Dr Frank Rijsberman, Chief Executive Officer, CGIAR

Reactions from High Level representatives

Voices from all stakeholders ” Interactive panel dialogue
Inception Year - Way Forward

• Presenting the Road Map
• Outlining arrangements
• Formalizing the action groups

Next Steps, Initiatives and Actions in support of the Alliance

• Developing Program of Work for Inception Year
• Planning of next meeting and evolutionary elements

Related PAEPARD blogpost:

• Africa Agriculture Status report

Related videos

Published on 25 Sep 2014
Why do we need climate-smart agriculture? And what do climate-smart farming practices look like? Meet some of the farmers who are leading the way!

Published on 24 Sep 2014 CCAFS webinar Exploring the GHG mitigation potential in rice production on 18 September 2014. Presenters: Dr Reiner Wassmann, IRRI and Dr Sultan Ahmed, Government of Bangladesh. Read more about the webinar and download related research materials.