Overview

Background

Developing and least developed countries (LDC) are likely to bear the brunt of the impacts of climate change. In addition, the increases in temperatures, variations in weather patterns and more frequent extreme climate events are projected to adversely affect the 75 percent of the world’s poor and food insecure who rely directly on agriculture and natural resources for their living. A transformative change in the agriculture sectors is therefore required for countries, and in turn the poor and food insecure peoples, to transition to a climate resilient and sustainable development in the medium to long-term.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) established the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process in 2010 as a means of catalysing the identification of medium and long-term adaptation needs and the programmes and strategies that should be put in place to address those needs. Many developing countries and LDCs are now formulating NAPs to implement their climate change adaptation priorities. Agriculture, livelihoods and food and nutrition security will feature largely in these NAPs as they are highly climate sensitive.

Integrating Agriculture into National Adaptation Plans (NAP-Ag) Programme

The Integrating Agriculture into National Adaptation Plans (NAP-Ag) programme, coordinated by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), aims to integrate climate change adaptation concerns related to agriculture-based livelihoods into the existing national planning and budgeting processes of eleven developing countries and LDCs. The initiative will enhance these partner countries’ existing processes and improve their prospects of accessing climate finance, such as the Global Environment Facility and the Green Climate Fund.

The NAP-Ag Programme will also contribute to the achievement of targets laid out in partner countries’ Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), in particular SDG-2 “Zero Hunger” and SDG-13 “Climate Action”. by strengthening the resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries and by integrating climate change measures into national, policies, strategies and planning.

FAO and UNDP are supporting these countries by sharing their technical knowledge on agriculture sector-based livelihood development and climate change adaptation.

Programme objectives

1. Strengthen technical capacity
Strengthening capacities improves the risk management capabilities of relevant national ministries including Ministries of Environment, Planning, Finance and Agriculture. Ensuring that policy and technical staff in agriculture related ministries and institutions consider adaptation to climate change in planning can be done by supporting staff to: 

i) understand the implications of climate change and adaptation options in the agriculture sectors;

ii) through capacity development, assist them in decision making processes by using appropriate data and tools;

iii) incorporate key priorities for climate change risk management into existing planning and budgeting processes at national and sub-national level. For example risk analysis, gender analysis and expenditure tracking. 

2. Develop integrated roadmaps for NAPs
By strengthening the technical capacity of relevant individuals and institutions, partner countries will be better equipped to develop a roadmap of economically viable, gender-responsive adaptation options for the agriculture sectors in the medium and long-term.
3. Improve evidence-based results for NAPs
The impact assessment framework should be based on quasi-experimental design principles, strong economic foundations, and the identification of gender-differentiated needs and adaptation options. Developing and introducing an impact assessment framework for the agriculture sectors generates evidence-based results and adaptation options. Results from the application of the framework serve as an input into the policy dialogue on national adaptation planning and monitoring, tracking and reporting at national level. 
4. Promote agricultural NAPs through advocacy and knowledge-sharing
Inputs from the roadmaps (objective 2) can be integrated into the overall NAP process. Lessons learnt and relevant case studies should be shared through workshops and meetings and synergies found with national initiatives that are already in place. CCA (Climate Change Adaptation) options can be better understood and integrated into national investment plans and policies through stakeholder consultations and policy briefs.
 

Programme activities

The work being done in partner countries builds on FAO and UNDP’s technical expertise as well as their extensive experience with climate-compatible development. Current activities are focused on:

• Monitoring and Evaluation;

• Enhancing regional and global dialogues through peer-to-peer exchanges;

• Strengthening gender-responsive adaptation planning for the agriculture sectors;

• Stocktaking and prioritization of adaptation activities related to the agriculture sectors;

• Unlocking international climate finance.