REGIONAL EXPERT FORUM ON CLIMATE CHANGE, AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY IN ASEAN 2 nd - 3 rd May 2013 Nai Lert Park Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand ------------------------------------------------------------ DRAFT CONCEPT AND PROGRAM I. INTRODUCTION Food Security and Climate Change in ASEAN Food security has long been an issue of great importance to ASEAN Member States, which has been reflected in the region s leading role in putting the Millennium Development Hunger Goals within reach. However, recent high and volatile food prices have highlighted that a number of risks to universal, long-term food security in the region remain. Climate change is one such risk that will complicate and compound existing development problems in the region such as population growth, rapid urbanization, increasing competition for natural resources, environmental degradation and, most importantly, food insecurity. Already over the last fifty years the region has experienced a range of observed climate changes including declining precipitation, increasing water scarcity, rising average temperatures and growing frequency of extreme weather events such as storm and flood. These changes, and those yet to come, pose a real and undeniable threat to the agro-ecosystems and natural resources that underpin the region s agriculture sector; the livelihoods of its rural communities; and, by extension, food security. In the ASEAN context, potential shifts in agro-ecological zones, droughts, desertification, variations in hydrological cycles, rising sea levels and saline water intrusion could radically alter existing cropping patterns, disrupt aquaculture and livestock operations and threaten in situ agricultural biodiversity. Climate changes, and extreme weather events in particular, will also impact on livelihood assets such as agricultural infrastructure, housing and non-farm sources of income. These climate induced impacts on the quality and quantity of food system assets will have a number of implications for important food system activities such as agricultural practices, requirements for cold storage, transport of food products and food purchase requirements.
ASEAN Framework for Tackling Climate Change and Food Security ASEAN, through the establishment of the ASEAN Multi-Sectoral Framework on Climate Change (AFCC): Agriculture and Forestry towards Food Security, has set in place a framework to encourage regional cooperation in tackling climate change related threats to the agriculture sector and food security. The goal of the AFCC is to contribute to food security through sustainable, efficient and effective use of land, forest, water and aquatic resources by minimizing the risks to and impacts of their contributions to climate change. As a result, the AFCC works to coordinate the development and implementation of integrated adaptation and mitigation strategies in ASEAN member states. The framework will promote regional mechanisms for cross-sectoral and interministerial/interdepartmental coordination and cooperation and be implemented in consultation with relevant bodies/stakeholders at the national, regional and international levels. The AFCC will also complement other important ASEAN initiatives on food security including the ASEAN Integrated Food Security (AIFS) Framework and the ASEAN Framework Action Plan on Rural Development and Poverty Reduction. A role for Climate-Smart Agriculture In looking to promote integrated adaptation and mitigation strategies the AFCC recognizes that while agriculture and the communities who depend on it for their livelihoods and food security are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, at the same time agriculture, as a significant producer of greenhouse gases, also contributes to global warming. "Climate-smart agriculture" is an approach that seeks to sustainably feed the world s growing population in the face of a changing climate by encouraging improvements in agricultural production systems and value chains that strengthen resilience, improve productivity and reduce emissions. At the global level, FAO, GIZ and other development and government counterparts have identified a wide range of climatesmart practices across the whole agriculture value chain, as well as the institutions, policies and financing instruments needed to support them. Climate-smart agriculture requires strengthened institutions for dissemination and coordination of climatesmart approaches and greater consistency between agriculture, food security and climate change policies as well as close collaboration and coordination across key sectors such as agriculture and forestry, environment and rural development. The AFCC provides an important platform for practitioners from around the region to share experiences with climate-smart agriculture practices and identify ways to scale up such approaches to enhance the region s food security over the long-term.
II. FORUM OBJECTIVES The ASEAN-FAO GIZ-SDC Regional Expert Forum on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security is being organized to support the AFCC and provide an opportunity for ASEAN Member States and regionally based development partners and experts to share information on best practices and identify opportunities for enhanced cooperation and collaboration. The specific objectives of the Regional Expert Forum are: 1. To promote a common understanding of the climate change related threats to the agriculture sector and food security in ASEAN and options to address these threats in a coherent manner; 2. To identify successful practices, models and policies for tackling climate change related threats to the agriculture sector and food security that should be promoted or scaled-up under the AFCC; and 3. To develop recommendations for ASEAN Sector Bodies and Member States on how to encourage cross-sectoral coordination and collaboration to address climate change related threats to the agriculture sector and food security in the context of the AFCC. III. EXPECTED OUTPUTS Based on the objectives, the expected outputs of the Regional Expert Forum are: 1. Participants establish a common understanding of the climate change related threats to the agriculture sector and food security in ASEAN and the regional policy framework to address these threats; 2. Successful practices, models and policies for tackling climate change related threats to the agriculture sector and food security identified; 3. Options for encouraging cross-sectoral coordination and collaboration to address climate change related threats to the agriculture sector and food security identified; and 4. A report summarizing the meeting discussions (to be finalized after meeting). The specific thematic areas that will be addressed during the expert forum are to some extent to be determined based on experiences of the experts in attendance. IV. DATE AND VENUE The proposed date of the two day event is 2-3 May 2013 and the event will take place at Nai Lert Park Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand. V. PARTICIPANTS The 60-70 participants will include selected representatives from ASEAN Member State ministries for forestry and agriculture, rural development, environment and
climate change as well as experts from the FAO and GIZ. From ASEAN Member States the participants will include 6-8 representatives from Senior Official Meeting Agriculture and Forestry (SOM-AMAF), Senior Official Meeting Forestry (ASOF), the sectoral working groups on crops, livestock and fisheries. From ASEAN Secretariat participants will include 6-8 persons from Agriculture, Industries and Natural Resource, Rural Development and Environment Divisions and relevant partner organizations. VI. FORUM AGENDA AND FORMAT The tentative agenda of the forum (included below) is designed to solicit advice from invited experts on the specific elements of the AFCC. As a result, discussions will encompass climate change impacts on agriculture and food security in ASEAN, sector specific approaches and coordinated policy development. The format for the forum will be interactive and incorporate facilitated sessions to better stimulate lively discussion and debate. The forum will be facilitated by a professional facilitator. Based on individual feedback, some participants may be approached by the meeting organizers to act as resource persons for certain sessions and provide presentations, papers or other inputs. VII. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Reference documents: a) ASEAN Multi-Sectoral Framework on Climate Change: Agriculture and Forestry towards Food Security (AFCC) b) ASEAN Integrated Food Security (AIFS) Framework c) (further attachments) VIII. CONTACT DETAILS For detailed information of the Meeting, please contact: FAO Beau Damen, Beau.Damen@fao.org GIZ Lena Kern, Lena.Kern@giz.de
IX. DRAFT AGENDA 08.00 09.00 09.00 09.30 Registration and welcome coffee Opening Session Welcome note from FAO THURSDAY 2 ND MAY (Nai Lert Park Hotel, Bangkok) DAY 1 Mr. Hioyuki Konuma, Assistant Director-General, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP), FAO Welcome note from GIZ Mr. Ulrich Mohr, Country Director Indonesia, Timor-Leste and ASEAN, GIZ Facilitator ASEAN-Swiss Partnership on Social Forestry and Climate Change, ASFCC 09.30 09.55 09.55 10.45 10.45-11.15 11.15 12.30 Welcome remarks by ASEAN & Official Opening of the Forum Mr. Xaypladeth Choulamany, ASEAN Chair of SOM-AMAF Background and Introduction to the Meeting Structure of the meeting deriving from AFCC Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security in ASEAN Threats, Challenges and Opportunities Key notes Dr.Rizaldi Boer, Executive Director, Centre for Climate Risk and Opportunity Management in South East Asia Pacific (CCROM- SEAP) Mr. Suriyan Vichitlekarn, Project Coordinator, Asian Development Bank (ADB) Coffee break and group photograph Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security in ASEAN - continued Presentation Ms. Pouchamarn Wongsanga, Agriculture, Industries and Resource Division, ASEAN Secretariat Panel response and discussion Dr.Rizaldi Boer, Executive Director, CCROM-SEAP Mr. Suriyan Vichitlekarn, Project Coordinator, ADB Facilitator: Mr. Jost Wagner
N.N., FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Mr. Christoph Berg, Senior Project Director, ASEAN-German Climate Change Programme: Agriculture, Forestry and Related Sectors (GAP-CC), GIZ Indonesia Dr. Jeanette Gurung, Executive Director, Women Organizing for Change in Agriculture and Natural Resource Management Expert Moderator: Mr. Beau Damen, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Method: Interactive panel discussion / talk show style format 12.30 14.00 14.00 17.00 17.00 17.15 18.30 20.30 Lunch Coming Together Sharing Knowledge: Tackling Climate Change Related Threats to Agriculture and Food Security: Strengthening the sector pillars of the AFCC Method: Open Space Technology In the beginning of the session the participants will suggest and decide upon the topics to be discussed. The session format allows for an intense exchange among all participating experts. Objective: To identify successful practices, models and policies for tackling climate change related threats to the agriculture sector and food security that should be promoted or scaled-up under the AFCC Coffee / tea is served throughout the afternoon Wrap-up of discussions and conclusions Welcome dinner Technical experts break up into 5-6 parallel sessions and work on topics of their choice Plenary
08:30 09:00 09:00-10:30 10.30 11.00 11.00 12.45 12.45-14.00 14.00-14.45 14.45-15.30 Friday, 3rd MAY 2013 (Nai Lert Park Hotel, Bangkok) DAY 2 Welcome, summary and results of day 1 & and outlook for day 2 Enhancing the regional response to climate change in the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sector: Lessons learned from application of new technology and approaches Climate Change integrated Development Information System, Jeevanandhan Duraisamy, FAO Cambodia Digital Green Experience in India, Pier Paolo Ficarelli, GIZ Coastal Zone Management, Uwe Scholz, GIZ Implementing CSA Ridge-River-Reef, Undersecretary Joel S. Rudinas & Dr. Esteban C. Godilano, Philippine Department of Agriculture Farmer Field Schools as a capacity building vehicle to help vulnerable smallholder farmers develop climate resilient farming systems, Jan Ketelaar, FAO Regional Office Social Forestry, Climate Change & Food Security in ASEAN, Dr. Yurdi Yasmi, ICRAF International Scientist Method: 5-6 selected expert presentations Coffee break Taking the AFCC forward: Enhancing regional capacity and getting the policies right Method: Working groups with a consultant perspective Objective: To develop recommendations for ASEAN Sector Bodies and Member States on how to encourage cross-sectoral coordination and collaboration to address climate change related threats to the agriculture sector and food security in the context of the AFCC Lunch Taking the AFCC forward continued Method: Plenary session - working groups to present results Wrap-up of discussions and closing END Facilitator: Mr. Jost Wagner Facilitator: Dr. Doris Capistrano, Advisor, ASEAN- Swiss Partnership on Social Forestry and Climate Change, ASFN/ASFCC Secretariat Technical presentations and facilitated discussion Technical experts break up into 4-5 interdisciplinary working groups Plenary Plenary