About the Project

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC), International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and SAARC Development Fund (SDF) have launched a partnership for Scaling-up Climate Smart Agriculture in South Asia in 2021. The central objective of the partnership is to develop evidence-based strategies to collectively tackle the impact of climate change in South Asia.

Agriculture has historically been risky business, and it is becoming riskier due to climate change and its associated impacts on agri-food systems. According to one estimate, the region could lose between 10-50 percent of crop production by end of the century due to global warming. Yet, the sector remains to be the main source of livelihood for over 50 percent of the population in South Asia. This reality calls for integrating climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies with overarching goal of ensuring food, nutrition, and livelihood security for millions of underprivileged and marginalized people living in the region.

The project will look at Climate Smart Agriculture technologies and practices in the context of farming systems that integrate benefits for adaptation, nutrition, and women and youth. The consortium has kicked-off with an initial pilot investment of about USD 3.1 million provided by IFAD, SAC, IFPRI and SDF. The partner organizations believe that the size of investment will grow in the coming years.

The partnership would focus on promoting sustainable and resilient agricultural intensification in South Asia through building the capacity of institutions and enhancing skills, to scale-up climate smart strategies and technologies.

The SAARC Agricultural Centre (SAC) has the responsibility to promote and support regional cooperation among SAARC Member States (SMS) in fostering sustainable and resilient agricultural adaptation in South Asia. Currently cross border cooperation between national agricultural research and extension systems (NARES) in South Asia has largely remained constrained due to lack of capacity and in some instances, by political tensions precluding access to opportunities. 

The SDF board approved the Consortium for Scaling-up Climate Smart Agriculture in South Asia, with the total approved grant of USD 0.75 million (750,000). The implementing agencies of the SDF grant would be the leading government agencies of Afghanistan, Bhutan, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka that have a clear mandate in supporting the development of CSA technologies and their scaling-up through national systems, while SAARC Agriculture Centre will be the Lead Implementing Agency. The SDF-funded activities will target smallholder communities in selected agro-ecological zones of the target countries, those that are most vulnerable to the impact of climate change. The grant will also target researchers, extension workers, and policy makers at national level, complementing the effort supported through the IFAD grant in scaling-up the adoption of CSA technologies.

Objectives: 

Accelerating the identification of and scaling-up of viable CSA interventions through national policies programs in South Asia (Afghanistan, Bhutan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka).

Major Activities:

SDF grant covers component 1 & 2 for target SAARC countries. 

• Component 1: Scaling-up of technically viable and gender-sensitive GSA technologies for smallholders in selected farming systems. 
• Activity 1.2.  Validation/viability assessment of CSA technologies through participatory research. 
• Activity 1.3. Benefit cost analysis (economic, social and environmental) and impact evaluation of CSA technologies with focus on impact on women and smallholder farmers. 
• Activity 1.4. Develop strategies for scaling-up/support initial scaling up of CSA technologies by government programmes, IFAD-supported projects and projects supported by other government programmes. 
• Component 2: Policy analysis/advocacy and institutional development; 
• Activity 2.1. Analyze policy and institutional constraints (local, regional and national) to scaling up CSA technologies especially by women and smallholder farmers.
• Activity 2.2. Develop a regional coo support CSA technology scaling-up and programme to r countries.
• Activity 2.3. Organize high-level SAARC forums and conferences on CSA technologies attended by key policy makers.
• Activity 2.4. Organize roundtables with civil society organizations, research centers, apex farmers’ organizations (FOs) and private sector organizations.

Project Start Date: October 27, 2021

Project end date: December 31, 2024

Approved Budget: USD 750,000.00 (100% funding from SDF)