IFAD's New Program Aims at Smallholder Farmers' Adaptation to Climate Change

The International Fund on Agricultural Development (IFAD) has launched a new project that aims to support  small-scale farmers in terms of building resilience amid the threat of climate change. The project, dubbed as Adaptation for Smallholder Agriculture Programme (ASAP) represents a renewed, concerted effort to tackle climate risk issues in rural development. In the coming years, ASAP will channel grant cofinancing into climate-smart investments in poor smallholder communities around the world.

Among the approaches to be tapped by the program are the adoption of mixed crop and livestock systems with the use of drought-tolerant crops and manure to increase productivity while diversifying risks across different products; crop rotation comprising both food and fodder crops to reduce exposure to climate threats while improving family nutrition; and a combination of agroforestry systems and communal ponds to improve the quality of soils, increase water availability during dry periods and provide additional sources of household income. ASAP will also empower community-based organizations to make use of new and relevant climate risk management skills, information and technologies.

For more information, go to http://www.ifad.org/climate/asap/smallscale.htm.