impact of government policies,programs on climate change adaptation, mitigation, and resilience in...

Implications of Government Policies in South

Asian Countries on Climate Change Adaptation,

Mitigation and Resilience in Agriculture

N K Tyagi, Pramod K Aggarwal, P K Joshi and Divya Pandey International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)

and

Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) NASC Complex, Pusa, New Delhi 110 012 India

E-mail: [email protected]

International Food Policy Research Institute

Outline

Background

National level policies and programs

Impact indicators and approach

Mitigation, adaptation, resilience and sustainability

Impact of government policies and programs

Climate change adaptation, mitigation and resilience

Way forward

Conclusions


Background

I


Global Hunger Index: Country performance by severity

Alarming or extremely alarming levels of hunger in 29 countries


Concept of climate smart agriculture (Source: Aggarwal 2010)

Climate Smart

Nitrogen smart

Water smart

Energy smart

Carbon smart

Weather smart

Knowledge

smart

Policy smart

Climate smart interventions (FAO)

Adapting/mitigating climate change

Ensure reducing the risk arising due to climate change

Augmenting farm income.

Triple wins (World Bank)

Higher yields, more carbon sequestration, and greater resilience to heat and drought

Feasible interventions

Resource endowments

Capacity indicators


National level policies and programs

II


Broad national policy initiatives for climate change

and sustainable agriculture in South Asia

National Action Plan for Climate Change

National Environment Policy

National Agricultural Policy

National Water Policy

National Disaster Management Policy

National Forest Policy

National Livestock Policy


National Action Plan on Climate Change:

India and Pakistan

8 Missions have been constituted

National Solar Mission

National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency

National Mission for Sustainable Habitat

National Water Mission

National Mission for Sustainability of Himalaya Eco-system

National Mission for the Green India

National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture

National Mission for Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change

Pakistan’s Climate Change Policy- 2013

Focus towards adaptation efforts and makes agriculture more resilient and sustainable.


Common features of climate change related

policies in South Asia

Unlike global climate policy, which does not focus on agriculture,

South Asian countries have emphasized policies for adapting to climate

change on agriculture.

In the absence of legislation, national action plans (NAPs) are currently the most common instrument for adaptation policies

The NAPs of all the South Asian countries specially mention the need

to address the concerns of the farming community and rural poor as

one of the guiding principles of climate policy.

Subsidies have been a mechanism for promoting adaptation in

economic development programs.

While policy statements are often elaborate, mechanisms for putting

them into practice are often missing.

This is particularly true for funding adaptation and mitigation programs.


Priority “adaptation” focus in agriculture

Strengthening food security programs

Diversifying crops and introducing stress tolerant commodities

Improving water management

Drinking and agriculture

Improving land and land use management

Enhancing coastal zone management

Building capacity and strengthening institutions

Raising public awareness


Core agriculture policies in South Asian

countries

Improved seeds, fertilizer, irrigation expansion,

watershed development, provision of insurance

and weather forecast

Subsidies more pronounced (except Sri Lanka)

Groundwater development is largely private

Electricity for pumping is highly subsidized

Micro financing to reduce vulnerability to climate

change in Bangladesh

Proshika and Grameen


Impact indicators and approaches

III


Impact indicators of past agricultural policies

Mitigation

Change in GHG emission between 1990 and 2010

Adaptation

Change in number of people able to secure food grains between 1990 and 2010

Resilience

Change in variance of food production between 1990/95 and 2005/2010

Sustainability

Ratio of water withdrawal and renewable water


Impact of government policies and

programs

IV


Changes in GHG emissions due to policies and

technologies

0

50

100

150

200

1990 2000 2010

127 123 122 127

165 178

0

42 56

Policies Base 1990 Area change

Food grain area, m ha

0

100

200

300

1990 2000 2010

180 176 193 180

240 262

0

64 69

Policies Base 1990 Emission change

Emissions, MtCO2e

Food grain production

151 mt in 1990 to 212 mt in 2010

Food grain yields

1.42 t/ha in 1990 to 1.73 t/ha in 2010

Change in emissions

1990-2000: -60.53 Mt CO2e

1990-2010: -100.64 MtCO2e

Change in emission

1990-2000: -33%

1990-2010: -56%


An illustration: benefits of micro-irrigation

Item 20% 40%

Water saving, M ha m

- Current area (3.87 ha)

- Potential area (42 m ha)

0.49

6.51

1.47

13.2

Food production, m t



2.52

25.2

4.64

50.4

Food availability, kg/capita-year



2.08

22.57

4.16

45.15

Reduction in GHG emission, MtCO2e



3.70

40.20

7.61

80.40


Impact of policies on climate change mitigation,

adaptation, resilience and sustainability in agriculture

Mitigation (MtCO2e)

Adaptation (% increase Kg/capita-1)

Resilience (Variance in production)

Sustai’lity

Irrigation Excellent

(-47.82)

Fair

(9.1)

High Low

Micro-irri

- Current

- Potential

Fair

(- 3.70)

Excellent

(- 80.40)

Fair

(2.08)

Excellent

(45.15)

High

High

Fair

(GWAR: 0.95)

Good

(GWAR: 0.80)

GW-energy Fair

(- 10.29)

High Very low

(GWAR: > 1)

Fertilizer Very poor

(+ 36.2)

Fair

(4.50)

High Low

(N:P:K)

GWAR: Groundwater Abstraction Ratio (Ratio of groundwater withdrawal to groundwater availability)


Way forward

V


Way forward

Improve water management policies

Change canal management system

Rationalize canal water pricing

Promote adoption of water smart technologies

Revise groundwater regulation

Fertilizer policy

Rationalize fertilizer pricing and subsidies

Promote integrated nutrient management

Policies to promote balance nutrient use

Energy policy

Electricity pricing

Promote energy efficient devices (solar or micro-irrigation)


Policy challenges

• Political uncertainty Policy paralysis & uncertainty

• High cost that obstruct reforms

Appeasing policies

• Policy gaps Weak governance

• Policy analysis and execution Weak capacity

• Controls, regulations and delays

Powerful bureaucracy


Conclusions

V


Conclusion

Policies made both positive and negative impacts

Water is a major issue of concern

Drought or flood or fall /rise in water table

Water made significant contribution in South Asia

Adaptation, mitigation, resilience and sustainability

Water policies are being messed-up

Needs serious attention to correct for improving efficiency

Need to enhance capacity of different stakeholders

Policy analysis, formulation and implementation


Policies, technologies and

institutions need attention

for a win-win solution

Thank you

impact of government policies,programs on climate change adaptation, mitigation, and resilience in...

Technology