March 2024 Newsletter Recap: Mitigation and Low-Emissions Agriculture

Did you miss the Climatelinks March newsletter? We’ve got you covered. Please find a recap of the March ‘Mitigation and Low-Emissions Agriculture’ theme below. You won’t want to miss this short list of top resources and blogs from the month. Subscribe to our newsletter today. Do you want to contribute to the Climatelinks community? Send us a resource, blog, or event.

The agriculture and food systems sector is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. However, the sector also contributes to climate change by producing greenhouse gas emissions from sources such as livestock, rice paddies, excessive use of fertilizers, and the conversion of forests and other ecosystems to agricultural uses. USAID is developing and scaling climate-smart agriculture practices to increase or maintain productivity, build resilience, and decrease emissions in support of the Agency’s 2022-2030 Climate Strategy.

Fresh Blog Posts

Advancing Low-Emissions Agriculture and Food Systems: How USAID is Championing Food Security and Climate Action (Part 1)

Transforming food systems can advance food security and nutrition goals while helping mitigate climate change. USAID is investing in programs that tackle the climate and food security crises together, especially under Feed the Future. The Agency’s approach to Low Emissions Agriculture and Food Systems serves to substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions by focusing on targeted emissions reductions and supporting adaptation efforts that have mitigation co-benefits.

USAID’s Climate Strategy in Action: Taking Climate Action While Improving Nutrition in Nigeria

In Bauchi State, Nigeria, soil erosion caused by land use changes and extreme precipitation driven by climate change harm soil quality, biodiversity, and food security. This limits access to nutritionally diverse foods and exacerbates already high levels of stunting in children and chronic energy deficiency in adults. USAID Breakthrough ACTION Nigeria integrates climate change into its health programs, encouraging women to grow their own nutritionally diverse produce and engage in better agricultural practices to strengthen their health and resilience. 

Cultivating Sustainable Solutions for Peru’s Cacao Farmers

Inadequate soil management, pests, and disease–often exacerbated by climate change–are leading to major crop losses for cacao farmers in Peru. The USAID-supported Peruvian Extension and Research Utilization Hub (PERU-Hub) works with farmers to combat these challenges. As a dynamic research and innovation center, PERU-Hub explores advanced technologies in climate resilience, crop diversification, and food production, with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 200 tons CO2e by 2026. 

Achieving a Climate-Smart Bangladesh, One Biodigester at a Time

In Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, Abrar Nayeem, a livestock service provider and college student, is helping transform his surrounding area through the dissemination of biodigesters. These machines convert organic waste into byproducts, such as fertilizer and biogas, that can then be used on the farm or connected to a gas burner for indoor cooking. As a result, smallholder farmers are reducing toxic air pollution and methane emissions, increasing their productivity, and adapting to climate change. 

FEWS NET Scientists Investigate Why El Niño Precipitation Expectations Fall Short in Afghanistan

Three consecutive La Niña events from 2020 to 2023, coupled with above-average temperatures driven by climate change, triggered a multi-year drought in Afghanistan. The current El Niño event was predicted to boost precipitation in the region, but dry conditions persist. Now, scientists with the Famine Early Warning Systems Network are investigating why this season was so unpredictable and how to provide more accurate predictions in the future. 

New Resources

Agriculture and Food Systems Sector Page

At the beginning of this year, Climatelinks updated the descriptions and resources on each of its 17 sector pages, including agriculture and food systems. This page provides an overview of the interaction between agriculture and climate change and explains how USAID is working at that intersection. It also highlights helpful resources and recent blogs. 

Sustainable Landscapes Opportunity Analyses Hub

USAID’s Sustainable Landscapes Opportunity Analyses (SLOAs) provide a national-level overview of land conservation, restoration, and management interventions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help Missions meet the criteria for use of Sustainable Landscapes funds. SLOAs include a wide range of Natural Climate Solutions pathways, from forest conservation to livestock management to peatland restoration. Climatelinks’ SLOAs Hub provides more information on these analyses and hosts SLOAs from USAID Missions in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Asia. 

Low Emissions Agriculture and Food Systems Development: Opportunities in Support of Food Security and Climate Action

Low Emissions Agriculture and Food Systems (LEAFS) substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared to business-as-usual scenarios and/or emissions per unit of agricultural output. This technical note complements existing guidance relevant for advancing LEAFS. In some places, the potential to reduce emissions is low, so USAID staff and partners might choose to prioritize adaptation and reducing future emissions. In other geographies, targeted mitigation actions are critical. 

Climate-Smart Agriculture and Food Systems

While the agriculture sectors in many developing countries contribute little to climate change, there are opportunities to build low-emissions pathways to support sustainable agriculture sectors as these economies grow. This resource provides guidance for achieving climate change adaptation and mitigation outcomes in Feed the Future activity designs while also safeguarding productivity gains and livelihoods. 

Climate Risk Management Spotlight

Climate Risk Management Process Training

In this interactive e-learning course, USAID staff and partners can explore the full climate risk management (CRM) process, from planning to implementation. It focuses on CRM for activity design, implementation, and monitoring, evaluation, and learning, but also explains how CRM flows through USAID’s program cycle, and provides tips for strategies and projects.

Call for Content

Share your events and resources or write a blog related to an upcoming monthly theme! Check out our upcoming themes to see if your climate work aligns:

• April: Mitigation and Low-Emissions Agriculture
• May and June: Youth-led Climate Action
• 2024 Cross-cutting Themes: Systems Change and Locally Led Development

If your USAID-related climate change work relates to these themes, Climatelinks would love to feature your work and share your resources. Send us a resource or blog.