This document discusses climate-smart agriculture and whether it can help combat climate change while ensuring food security and farmer prosperity. It notes that agriculture is both a driver and victim of climate change, and business as usual emissions from agriculture could account for around 50% of allowable emissions by 2050 to limit warming to 2°C. Climate variability will also impact food production, with some crop yields projected to drop by over 40% by 2050 under a business as usual scenario. The document defines climate-smart agriculture as not just a concept but an approach to feed the world and enhance ecosystems through sustainable practices. It argues for public-private science dialogue and solutions to reconsider supply chains and help reconnect with policymakers to address "wicked problems

1. Climate-Smart Agriculture:
Feeding the World or Greenwashing?
Alain Vidal
Director of Strategic Partnerships, CGIAR System Organization
G-20Y Summit 2016, St Moritz, Switzerland

2. www.cgiar.org
Actors and thinkers of globalization
Who invented the concept of…
Globalization : who acts, who thinks ?
How can we, leaders of G20 industries and leaders in
science, design a sustainable pathway leading to a healthy
planet, humanity and economy ?
Food security : can Climate-Smart Agriculture become a
way to combat climate change while ensuring the
prosperity of farmers and the agribusiness ?

3. Our food system:
driver and victim of climate change

4. Tomorrow:
50% of emissions to feed ourselves ?
“Business as usual” (BAU)
agriculture emissions
would comprise ~50% of
allowable emissions to
achieve a 2°C world
Gt CO2e per year
9 11
40
74
2010 2050
(Business as usual)
2050
(2°C target)
Non-agricultural
emissions
Agricultural and
agriculture-driven
land-use change
emissions
~50%
49
85
22

5. www.cgiar.org
Climate variability will impact
on food production
Source: Socioeconomic Data and
Applications Center (SEDAC)
Crop yields drop by
2050 under BAU
 5% per °C
 Maize 16%
 Rice 21%
 Wheat 42%
 Coffee 50%

6. What is Climate-Smart Agriculture ?

7. www.cgiar.org
Climate-smart agriculture :
Not a chocolate box !

8. www.cgiar.org
Climate-smart agriculture :
Feed the world & enhance ecosystems
Dietary habits
Consumption patterns
‘Zero carbon’
Agriculture
Climate-smart
Agriculture
http://ccafs.cgiar.org/commission

9. From greenwashing
to science-based solutions

10. www.cgiar.org
Wicked problems
can’t be washed away
Climate change and food security impose wicked
problems, that hit industries in all their supply chains
“Good communication” (eg imposing a tax on palm
oil) diverts from the real issues
Time wasted whereas the Earth will reach +1.5°C in
7 years from now !

11. www.cgiar.org
Public-private science dialogue
Palm oil vs. deforestation (TFT)
 50% of palm oil from smallholders
 Cut more trees but produce at
only 20% of potential
 Engaging with smallholders and
policy makers > certification
Reconsidering supply chains and
supplying landscapes helps reconnect
with national and local governments,
and re-establish dialogue
Get people to sit together around a map !

12. www.cgiar.org
Climate-smart agriculture:
rediscovering insurance
Horn of Africa – insuring the never-before-insured
against catastrophic drought
 IBLI (index-based livestock insurance) contract holders
receive payouts when forage conditions deteriorate
 14,000 pastoralists in
 200,000 US$ paid out
 33% reduction in food aid

13. A few messages

14. www.cgiar.org
Science for sustainable supply chains
Candid and transparent approaches help
reconsidering the real issues
Science can help re-create value in supply
chains
Feeding people, companies, and the economy,
rather than greenwashing

15. Thank you
a.vidal@cgiar.org
www.cgiar.org
www.slideshare.net/alainjbvidal