Increasing the Resilience of the Food Systems
In Islamic States in Face of Future Food Crises
35
maize yields, and Vietnam expanding coastal mangrove forests to increase the collection of
aquatic products by 122%. Examples of crop diversification include Honduras ', Mexico's, and
Cuba's diversified farms, which lowered rates of soil erosion and improved recovery from
hurricanes. Risk and vulnerability reduction measures related to oceans include establishing
marine protected areas to restore fish and shellfish populations and facilitate speciesmigration
in the event of ocean warming. In the U.S., the Integrated Ocean Observing System measures
water chemistry and provides data to shellfish growers using a mobile app .97
Risk and vulnerability reductionmeasures related to water include planting crops and farming
techniques that require less water. Farmers in Kenya have switched from planting maize to
other crops less vulnerable to drought, such as sorghum and millet. An example of using new
techniques that require less water is the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) method, which
consists of plantingwidely spaced single seedlings using water intermittently as an alternative
to flooding. This improves soil health and reduces greenhouse gas emissions compared to
traditional techniques. Another example is the use of soil moisture sensors in Zimbabwe to
reduce the quantity of water used by smallholder farmers, which led to conservation of water
and increasing yields. Risk and vulnerability reductionmeasures related to climate include the
development of adaptation and mitigation plans for agriculture and themanagement of natural
resources. Slovakia has a national water program to prevent and mitigate drought .98
Best practice countries use a comprehensive range of risk and vulnerability reductionmeasures.
In the context of its national mitigation plan, Ireland has undertaken a number of measures to
reduce GHG emissions in the agriculture sector and to increase productive efficiency. The Green
Low-Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme encourages climate friendly agricultural practices,
while the Targeted Agricultural Modernization Schemes helps farmers improve their facilities.
The National Afforestation Programprovides incentives to farmers to plant forests on their land
and The Farm Carbon Navigator assesses their adoption of technologies to reduce GHG
emissions. The Smart Farming Initiative is a knowledge transfer program that enhances farm
returns through efficient resource management. Origin Green, Ireland’s national sustainability
program for the food and drink industry, sets and measures farmers’ and food producers’
sustainability targets to reduce environmental impact—including carbon footprint, water,
energy and biodiversity99. Ireland alsoestablished a National Adaptation Steering Committee in
2014 to give guidance to various sectors in developing sectoral adaptation plans.100
The U.S. government has several mechanisms in place to develop risk and vulnerability
reduction measures/strategies. These include the Farm Storage Facility Loan Program, which
supports expanding the capacity to store grains on- and off-farm through a low-interest interest
loan.101 In addition to providing technical support to farmers to manage the effects of climate
change, the U.S. Department of Agriculture developed—in collaboration with Colorado State
97 The Economist Intelligence Unit. (2018) Global Food Security Index 2018: Building Resilience in the Face of Rising Food-
Security Risks. Retrieved
98 Ibid.
99 Climate-Smart Agriculture Leadership Forum. (2016, July). A Climate-SmartPathway for Irish Agricultural Development |
Exploring the Leadership Opportunity. Retrieved from
100 DCCAE. (2018, January 19). National Adaptation Framework. Retrieved from
action/topics/adapting-to-climate-change/national-adaptation-framework/Pages/default.aspx
101 USDA Farm Service Agency. Farm Storage Facility Loan Program. Retrieved fro