Climate technology transfer: regional mechanisms and networks

An initiative to promote the development and transfer of environmentally sound technologies that contribute to reducing vulnerability to climate change in the agricultural sector of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Context of the story

Climate change will affect large areas of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), mainly due to rising temperatures, and variations in the intensity and frequency of rainfall, which will have effects on productivity and the appearance of new pests and diseases. The most vulnerable will be the family farmers who are the majority. The effects will be different according to the subregions, with Mesoamerica, the Andean region and the Northeast of Brazil being the most affected. On the other hand, it is estimated that, in the next 30 years, the demand for food will increase due to population growth, income improvements and urbanization. Additionally, LAC is a net food exporter and will contribute increasingly to the global demand for food.

Developing environmentally sound technologies

The implemented initiative

To address these challenges, FONTAGRO, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the IDB established a regional project. Its objective was to promote the development and transfer of environmentally sound technologies to reduce vulnerability to climate change in the agricultural sector. The project had the following components: strengthening of regional networks, establishment of pilot initiatives in technology transfer mechanisms, and leverage of public and private investments. The project was implemented in partnership with national, regional, and international organizations and involved 25 countries.

Joining capabilities

The technological solution

Four symposia and technical meetings were organized involving a total of 272 scientists from 23 countries to review and analyze progress and results, and agree on priority activities.
The databases of CCAFS and Agriprofiles were complemented to have a better inventory of scientific and institutional capacities in environmentally sound technologies. A survey of capacities of agricultural innovation institutes in the region on the subject was conducted. A study on agricultural and livestock technologies for adaptation to climate change was contracted. A regional platform for sustainable livestock intensification was supported, involving more than 600 participants from 25 countries. A competition to select and document cases of successful innovations to reduce vulnerability of family agriculture to climate change was organized. Also, a competitive process for developing innovations was implemented. A knowledge management and communications strategy was implemented with the main strategic partners in the region. Four prefeasibility studies were supported to leverage investments for scaling-up environmetally sound technologies.

The competition on succesful cases has allowed us to publicize our innovations widely and develop new alliances inside and outside the country
Winner of 2015 competition

Results

It was estimated that climate change will affect potatoes, wheat, tomatoes and beans and favor pineapple and sorghum. 23 innovations were identified for the adaptation of family farming.
11 cases of innovations for adaptation to climate change that have been adopted by farmers in 8 countries were documented and disseminated.
Innovations of greater productivity and efficiency, and reduction of environmental degradation and vulnerability were developed in eight projects in 11 countries.
A sustainable livestock intensification platform was supported that reviewed livestock policies in 19 countries and prepared a policy brief with recommendations to achieve adaptation and mitigation of climate change.
More than 6200 producers and professionals from 18 countries were trained.
Prefeasibility studies were done in support of investment projects for the scaling-up of environmentally sound technologies in four countries.

+ trained producers and technicians
-
+ trained producers and technicians
identified innovations with adaptation potential for family farmers
-
identified innovations with adaptation potential for family farmers
prefeasibility studies in support of large investments to scale the use of technologies
-
prefeasibility studies in support of large investments to scale the use of technologies
cases of innovations that reduce vulnerability adopted by family farmers in 8 countries documented and disseminated
-
cases of innovations that reduce vulnerability adopted by family farmers in 8 countries documented and disseminated

Innovations proposed to promote adaptation to climate change in agricultural and livestock systems in LAC

 Innovations proposed to promote adaptation to climate change in agricultural and livestock systems in LAC

Participating Organizations

FONTAGRO
Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA) - Argentina
Instituto Nacional de Innovación Agropecuaria y Forestal (INIAF) - Bolivia
Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (INIA) - Chile
Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria (AGROSAVIA) - Colombia
Instituto Nacional de Innovación y Transferencia en Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA) - Costa Rica
Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (INIAP) - Ecuador
Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA) - España
Dirección de Ciencia y Tecnología Agropecuaria (DICTA) - Honduras
Instituto Nicaragüense de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA) - Nicaragua
 Instituto de Innovación Agropecuaria de Panamá (IDIAP) - Panamá
Instituto Paraguayo de Tecnología Agraria (IPTA) - Paraguay
Instituto Nacional de Innovación Agraria  (INIA) - Perú
Instituto Dominicano de Investigaciones Agropecuarias y Forestales  (IDIAF) - República Dominicana
Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria (INIA) - Uruguay
Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agrícolas (INIA) - Venezuela
Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE) - Costa Rica
International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) - Colombia
CGIAR
Instituto Interamericano de Cooperación para la Agricultura (IICA) - Colombia
Fondo Latinoamericano para Arroz de Riego  (FLAR) - Colombia
CIRAD - Francia

Main donors

FONTAGRO
GEF Global Environment Facility
FONTAGRO
© FONTAGRO
E-mail: fontagro@fontagro.org