Climate Change for Agriculture Development – Caribbean Agricultural Research & Development Institute

As the premiere agricultural research organisation in the Caribbean, CARDI has an important role in developing and articulating the sector’s response to the effects of global climate change. This role is being carried out by working closely with the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (5Cs) in the development of the requisite programmes for the agricultural sector. These programmes are to improve knowledge sharing and capability among personnel and increase infrastructural capacity to measure climatic parameters and relate them to agricultural production and productivity in the Caribbean. This is all in an effort to increase the ability of the region’s agricultural sector to adapt to and mitigate against global climate change. Some of the specific actions we have pursued in furtherance of the objectives above are:

Conduct of greenhouse gases (GHG) inventory for the agricultural sector in Jamaica
Participation in a workshop of Caribbean stakeholders to start the implementation of the project Regional Consultation to Assess Regional Priorities, Capabilities and Research Gaps on Climate Change and Poverty Reduction in Latin America and the Caribbean
Participation in a workshop to assist with the preparation of the Vulnerability and Adaptation (V&A) Assessments for the water resources and agricultural sectors in Jamaica

Caribbean Agro-climatic Bulletin of the CariSAM

Caribbean Agro-climatic Bulletin of the CariSAM, a joint bulletin of the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) and the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH).

ABOUT CariSAM
The Caribbean Society for Agricultural Meteorology (CariSAM) is an online platform that hosts forums, provided online weather and climate information for agro-meteorologists, and much more. Agricultural interests can register and access relevant information and be a part of future capacity building exercises, and more. Visit us at: www.carisam.cimh.edu.bb

Related Links

Caribbean Regional Climate Centre

10th European Development Fund (EDF) Project: Improving food security in the Caribbean in the context of climate change

Co-ordinator: Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI)

Partners: University of Wageningen, Trinidad and Tobago Agribusiness Association

Project duration: 31 August, 2012 to 31 July, 2015

ACP countries and regions involved: Caribbean Region: Barbados, Belize, St. Kitts & Nevis, Trinidad & Tobago

CARDI-CTA Partnership on Climate Change Advocacy in the Caribbean

“Climate Has Changed, Climate Will Change, Climate Demands Change” was a key message coming from a CTA supported CARDI workshop on the effects of climate change on agriculture that was held in Grenada in 2010, during the Caribbean Week of Agriculture. That initiative focused on adaptation and mitigation strategies to reduce the negative impacts of climate variability and change on regional food and nutrition security. One proposed strategy was the expanded use of Protected Agriculture (PA) systems as a means of carefully managing resources, especially water, which is a critical issue for a region that, because of climate change, is projected to be hotter and drier over the next few decades.

This theme was built upon in 2011 with another CTA supported climate change workshop on Climate change adaptation in Caribbean agriculture – Enhancing water resources management. This workshop was also held during the Caribbean Week of Agriculture in Dominica (October 2011). In addition to the CTA, CARDI has partnered with international, regional and national organisations with a vested interest in climate change related impacts on agriculture and/or water resources. Partner organisations included the Caribbean Community Secretariat (CARICOM), Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC), the University of the West Indies (UWI), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), The Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH), national water authorities and regional ministries of agriculture. The recommendations from both initiatives included the following:

Use of carbon sequestration practices in agriculture for sustainable development and sources of financing
Development of an integrated action plan to address cross cutting issues from various sectors including agriculture, fisheries, land, tourism, energy
Evidence based options for the formation of regional and national agricultural water management policies as mandated by CARICOM under the 2009 Liliendaal Declaration on Climate Change
Consensus among agricultural and non-agricultural stakeholders on key issues and priorities regarding effective agricultural water management policies
- A road map for the implementation of the agricultural component of the Liliendaal Declaration prepared and used for engagement with policy makers

The relevant resource materials, presentations, workshop proceedings and recommendations and policy briefs from the workshops can be found here.

2012 Workshop on improving the Policy Framework for Developing Climate Change Resilient Agriculture Systems: The Role of Plant Genetic Resources

Improving the policy framework for developing climate change agricultural systems: the role of plant genetic resources” was the title of a CARDI/CTA Workshop held on 13-15 October during the Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA) in Antigua and Barbuda. Scientists, from throughout the Caribbean and also from the Pacific, U.K and Colombia, considered the current situations with climate change and plant genetic resource conservation and emerged with two key recommendations for policy makers (i) know what we have and look after it (ii) more genetic material means more robust and resilient national and international systems.

The following resources emerged from the meeting:

Climate Change and Agriculture in the Caribbean Carlos Fuller International and Regional Liaison Officer (3004 downloads)

Plant Genetic Resources for a Hot and Crowded Planet (A global integrated system for crop diversity conservation and why it’s important in a changing climate) Charlotte Lusty and Hannes Dempewolf Gl (2589 downloads)

Challenges facing the Caribbean in the coming decades and policy options promoting crop diversity to address them by Path Umaharan Cocoa Research Centre, The University of the West Indies (2772 downloads)

Improving the policy framework for developing Climate Change resilient agriculture systems in the Caribbean: The role of Plant Genetic Resources - Consultancy Report on the e-discussion (draft interi (2878 downloads)

THE ROLE OF PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES Maud Vere Bradford (2489 downloads)

How PGR collections are improving food and nutrition security under climate variability and change - What is the role of policy (2352 downloads)

Jamaica's PGR collections with respect to climate and food and nutrition security - The Role of Policy by Don McGlashan (2583 downloads)

State of PGR in Trinidad and Tobago by Albada Beekham (2629 downloads)

Interdependence, Diffusion and Dissemination of Caribbean Crop Diversity in the Context of Climate Change by David E. Williams (2679 downloads)

Conducting National Biodiversity Assessments Caribbean Week of Agriculture by Maurice Rawlins (2402 downloads)

Pacific experience on crop diversity initiatives to address climate variability and change: the role of the Centre for Pacific Crops and Trees by Taylor, M. (2310 downloads)