Sam Ogallah Pan African Climate Justice Alliance

(PACJA) Email: ogallah@pacja.org Website: www.pacja.org

Climate Smart Agriculture: Building Resilience and Safeguards for Smallholder Farmers in Africa

A Presentation at COP21 African Pavilion –

ILRI/CGIAR/CCAFS –Side event Paris, 2015

A continental coalition of CSOs in the African continent

Founded in 2008, Johannesburg, South Africa

Brings together over 1000 organisations from diverse backgrounds across 45 countries in Africa

Membership derived from NGOs, Foundations, Trusts, CBOs, farmers groups, faith-based networks, national coalitions and regional Sectoral networks from 45 countries in Africa. Has evolved as a key actors in climate change processes in Africa & internationally

Observer Status with the UNFCCC, AU, AMCEN, GCF

Sits in the Steering Committee in ClimDev Africa Programme, AU, AfDB, UNECA

Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya

Works with Governments to drive African agenda at International level

Coordinating Major Groups under UNEA

Strong partnership with several int’l partners in North & South - CJN, EAG, DCJ

African CSO observer in FCPF of the World Bank and UN-REDD

ABOUT PACJA

CSA is the practice of agriculture which sustainably increases productivity and resilience (adaptation), reduces/removes greenhouse gases from the atmosphere (mitigation), and enhances achievement of national food security and development goals (FAO, 2005; ICRAF, 2011).

Important part of tackling climate change and promoting sustainable development.

With the appropriate safeguards, it can offer multiple advantages, such as mitigating further emissions, creating resource efficiencies and improving productivity and profitability of farms.

What is Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA)?

• A Poverty issue: it has exacerbated poverty in the world

• Equity issue: Disproportionately affects those poor countries and vulnerable sectors of the society

• A Justice issue: the problem was caused by rich people & the poor are mostly affected

• An Economic issue: It has stunted growth of some economies while big economies fear cutting emissions will affect them

• A Humanitarian issue: Many catastrophes and disasters are caused by climate events

• It is a food security issue, a water issue, forest issue, etc

WHY CLIMATE CHANGE in CSA -because it is………………

• Perception on climate change has changed over years

• Though we may differ on what action to take, the consensus across the world is that climate has changed, and that someone somewhere has caused the problem –need joint actions

• Climate change is no longer an isolated scientific & environmental issue

• It has dimensions in all human development indicators

CHANGING CONVERSATIONS ON CLIMATE CHANGE & CSA

• Around 13 million hectares of land are lost each year through deforestation (FAO, 2005)

• Much land is converted for agricultural use, with the stress on land in Africa much greater than that in other regions.

• Land tenure rights are unclear in many countries and communities.

• Farmers face practical challenges in continuing the raising of livestock and crops due to extreme weather conditions.

• The cost of producing agricultural outputs is rising, increasing prices for consumers

CSA & The challenges: A food security issue….

•Protect livelihoods

•Tackle root causes

•Promote inclusive values and processes

•Promote sustainable partnerships

•Promote gender equality

•Build on previous success

•Explore and expand new areas:

CSA Policy & interventions should…

THANK YOU

Website: www.pacja.org

Facebook: www.facebook.com/PACJA2008

Email: ogallah@pacja.org

Twitter: @pacja1