Stepping out into monsoon floodwater.
© FAO/Fahad Kaizer

Climate change and disaster risk reduction

Building resilience to manage risk and protect people with agriculture and food-based livelihoods

More than ever, agricultural investment projects must be informed by robust evidence about both past and future climate variability, seasonality and extremes to drive sustainable, resilient and inclusive development.

To this end, FAO has developed a Climate Risk Toolbox, which uses advanced climate-related geospatial information and data that identify baseline and future climate-related hazards in a chosen area. Users can perform climate risk screenings and generate an automatic report, which includes tailored climate-resilient measures that can be integrated into projects.

At COP27, a specific fund for loss and damage was set up for those on the frontlines of climate change, in particular Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and least developed countries. FAO will support governments to pursue resources available through the new fund.

Take a tour of FAO's Climate Risk Toolbox

In the context of disaster risk reduction and management, FAO focuses on anticipating and responding to major threats to agrifood systems, in particular extreme weather events as drivers and amplifiers of damage and losses.

Measures include:

response programmes focused on saving livelihoods through assistance in clearing and cleaning fields, repairing canals, and providing materials to sustain agricultural production;
emergency preparedness for anticipatory action through early warning systems, such as extreme weather advisories, funds and technical resources that aim to protect assets and move people to safer areas in advance of shocks; and
rehabilitation action in the aftermath of disasters, focused on helping people build better and prevent food crises. Risks can be minimized by climate-proofing infrastructure and monitoring early warning signs.

HURRICANE MARIA AND DOMINICA

After Hurricane Maria left an estimated 90 percent of buildings damaged or destroyed in Dominica in 2017, the small Caribbean Island of just 70 000 is en route to becoming the first climate-resilient nation by 2030. The National Resilience Development Strategy Dominica 2030; the Dominica Climate Resilience and Recovery Plan; and the plan to establish a Global Centre for Agricultural Resilience; as well as the newly drafted National Agricultural Policy 2021–2030, all reflect this ambition.

With the support of FAO and a wide range of stakeholders, a transformation roadmap has been developed with four main lines of action:

addressing food and nutrition security threats;
enhancing the resilience and sustainability of crop, livestock and fisheries farming systems;
expanding risk-informed and risk-responsive markets and value chains; and
strengthening the base of natural resources through improved land, soil and water management.

Within the four lines of action, 14 transformative interventions have been defined. These include early warning systems; emergency response measures; access to finance and insurance; diversified, local and resilient food value chains; and reduced food loss and waste. Cross-cutting actions such as policy incentives and gender and youth empowerment are also prominent. Dominica’s roadmap is aligned with the five resilience capacities of the UN Common Guidance on Helping Build Resilient Societies. Dominica aims to become the first formally climate-resilient nation on earth.

Required citation:
FAO. 2023. Agrifood solutions to climate change – FAO's work to tackle the climate crisis. Rome https://doi.org/10.4060/cc8055en

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© FAO, 2023
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