Rome, Italy – 12-16 June 2017
The mission of the secretariat to Rome on programmatic and institutional developments was built around the Steering Committee meeting of the Global Alliance for Climate-smart Agriculture (GACSA) with interesting results on IFAD and FAO preparing well for the challenges ahead concerning climate-resilient agriculture. The secretariat has agreed with the two members on further steps to enchance the coordiantion amongst members in the climate-resilient agriculture workstream.
Links
Adaptation Smallholder Agriculture Programme in its second phase
ASAP1 has 40 projects in implementation adding a grant element to the concessional loan or loans at ordinary terms, which made the ASAP1 very specific in its approach to turn projects into climate resilient undertakings. There has been an ASAP1 progress review conducted by ODI in 2015, which provides additional insight to the procedures of the programme.
The collaboration IFAD has with CCAFS is under an IFAD grant programme called “Learning Alliance for Adaptation in Smallholder Agriculture”. Under this framework, CCAFS provides support to the ASAP programme by undertaking specific studies on selected topics (economic evaluation of adaptation options, gender, private sector, nutrition, some intermediate results studies in selected country projects, etc.).
The agreed concept of ASAP2 is focused on technical assistance, risk assessment, NGO collaboration and other “soft” services and the provision of grant elements to the lending portfolio is entirely dropped.
With the 100% climate mainstreaming in IFAD’s regular portfolio, a climate risk classification is carried out for every project and programme through environmental and climate proofing by a climate screening note to help manage climate risks in preparation of any portfolio action. In other words, IFAD’s social, environmental and climate assessment procedures (SECAP) are now fully used in any IFAD allocation.
Climate and Environment Division (CBC) in the new CBD Department of FAO
The newly established CBD Department of FAO (Climate, Biodiversity, Land and Water) is headed by Rene Castro, Assistant Director-General who formally headed the Forestry Department of FAO. The CBD Department does not house the UNREDD programme nor the natural resources management, which are both still with the Forestry Department.
Under the CBD Department, Mr. Martin Frick is the director of the CBC Division (Climate and Environment Division)- the organigramme linked below shows 6 teams – the environmental and social safeguard team is particularly important for the climate finance team working on project proposals to the GCF.
FAO has formed this team as to establish a quality assurance system for GCF finance which FAO is providing as a service to developing countries in order to present bankable projects to the GCF.
Engagement of FAO and WFP in the Platform’s climate resilient agriculture workstream: the Secretariat will facilitate closer exchange on the issues FAO and IFAD are working on with the members of the climate-resilient agriculture workstream. The workstream is already preparing a study exploring climate finance related issues and looks forward to more intensified cooperation.
