Page 21 - FAO-IPCC Expert meeting on climate change

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Policy
Theme 3.
Pro-poor and climate-compatible socio-economic policies for smallholder resilience
KEY MESSAGES
Synergy: pro-poor climate policy and sustainability
Policies to improve resource use efficiency with higher productivity may also contribute to mitigation (reduced emissions intensity) and better adaptation. Many policies that improve farmers’ resource use efficiency and hence their incomes can also be beneficial in terms of climate mitigation.
In climate policy, especially for developing countries facing food security challenges, the delineation between adaptation and mitigation has to give way to integrated approaches which must combine multiple environmental indicators that require working with a set of climate indicators (beyond GHG emissions only).
When there are trade-offs in policy outcomes, we need cross-sectoral coordination for optimal outcomes to achieve the multiple stated goals (food security, climate mitigation, adaptation, pro-poor support, gender mainstreaming, resource management etc.); this may require compensating emissions in one sector (e.g. agriculture) by targeting emissions reductions in another (e.g. energy).
Socio-economic policies assisting smallholders to build their resilience to climate change need to be comprehensive, cross-sectoral (crops, livestock, forestry) and multi-objective (food security, adaptation, and mitigation co-benefits).
Socio-economic policies should promote equitable access to resources.
Reduce risks and promote preparedness and recovery arrangements so as to ensure maximum synergies among poverty, development and investment efforts.
Pro-poor climate policy addressing employment and the dynamics of rural vs urban poverty
Comprehensive, rather than piecemeal (or fragmented) policies with a long-term view are more robust but targeted policies focusing on some challenges in priority may in some contexts lead to more cost-effective result.
Take a long view, projecting rural populations into the future and plan accordingly. The focus should be on those rural residents who are likely to remain rural in the coming years.
Socio-economic policies targeting smallholders should aim to build resilience and reduce risks through crop, livestock, and fish diversification, including mixed cropping, as well as off-farm income opportunities.
Pro-poor climate policy and food security
Food security must be a common goal across all climate policy interventions targeting small-scale holders. Good practices must be economically viable for small farmers if they are to become attractive mitigation options.
Food security at the macro level is dependent largely on what is going on outside the agricultural sector. Economic development policies need to be considered as part of building agricultural resiliency.
Climate policies with aggregate mitigation targets should proportionately be less burdensome on poor and food insecure groups or communities.
FAO-IPCC Expert meeting on climate change, land use and food security