People-centered sustainable dry area food and energy security in the face of climate change

摘要

Recognizing the growing importance and impact of climate change on food production,the International Dryland Development Commission(IDDC)has emphasized its implications on the livelihoods of the inhabitants in the dry areas in its last two international conferences as well as in this 11th Conference.The close linkage of food production and energy security with climate change makes it imperative to pay greater attention to the complex interactions in this relationship,which,if left unmanaged,will have serious negative implications on the livelihoods of the inhabitants of the dry areas,especially in the developing countries.Increasing fuel and food prices are already delaying the achievement of the MDG 1(eradication of extreme poverty and hunger)and the anticipated climate change will further add to uncertainties.Development of adaptation and mitigation strategies needed to cap this,require new knowledge combined with indigenous knowledge.New agro-management techniques,including conservation agriculture,coupled with enhanced genetic makeup of crops and livestock to tolerate emerging biotic and abiotic stresses,will help to optimize the production under ever growing climate change.Better understanding of the implications of the increase in temperature,not only on the global and regional scale,but also at the level of different local agro-ecological zones,will help to cope with shifts in the suitability of different crops and cropping sequences.The use of advanced simulation models to deal with coping mechanisms related to the impact of climate change and developing computer expert systems for adaptation to these changes will help extension personnel to work with the communities in order to accommodate new types of agriculture.This effort cannot be done by one single country; it requires networks of scientists and experts around the world to build up this knowledge in a form which can be used by the developing countries,and calls for massive human resource development programs.A fundamental shift in Agricultural Knowledge Science and Technology(AKST)capacity development is required,along with policies and institutions,with much increase in investment,as responding actions to the new changing circumstances.Success would require increased public and private investment in AKST and the development of supporting policies and institutions.Small-scale farmers would benefit from greater access to knowledge,technology,and credit,and critically,from more political power and better infrastructure.Scientists must work more closely with local communities,and traditional practices must have a higher profile in science education.Food security strategies require a combination of AKST approaches,including the development of food stock management,effective market intelligence and early warning,monitoring,and distribution systems.