FAO

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FAO
CGIAR
WMO
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Global Environmental Change Anthropogenic Causes

• Examples of human activities leading to GEC

Agricultural intensification Freshwater
extraction Fisheries overexploitation Waste
production
Deforestation Fossil fuel consumption
Urbanisation Land reclamation
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Global Environmental Change Manifestations
Changes in the biophysical environment caused or
strongly influenced by human activities
For example changes in
Land cover soils Atmospheric composition
Climate variability means Water availability
quality
Nitrogen availability cycling Biodiversity Sea
currents salinity Sea level
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GECAFS Goal
To determine strategies to cope with the impacts
of GEC on food systems and to assess the
environmental and socioeconomic consequences of
adaptive responses aimed at improving food
security.
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Food Systems are vulnerable to multiple
interactive stressors
Currency Fluctuations
Changes in Sea Currents Salinity
Economic Recession
Water Availability
FOOD UTILISATION
FOOD ACCESS
Sea Level Rise
Political Unrest
FOOD AVAILABILITY
Land degradation
Biodiversity loss
HIV-AIDS
Change in Trading Agreements
Climate variability extreme events
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GECAFS Fundamental Questions

• How will Global Environmental Change affect the
  vulnerability of food systems in different
  regions?
• How might food systems be adapted to cope with
  GEC so as to enhance food security?
• What would be the consequences of adaptation
  options for environmental and socioeconomic
  conditions?

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Global Environmental Change and Food Systems
Research
Conditions Scenarios
Vulnerability Impacts
Feedbacks
Decision Support
Current Food Systems
Adapted Food Systems
Adaptation
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Food System Components Key Research Elements
FOOD UTILISATION
FOOD ACCESS

• Affordability
• Allocation
• Preference

• Nutritional Value
• Social Value
• Food Safety

FOOD AVAILABILITY

• Production
• Distribution
• Exchange

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Research Approaches

• 1. Conceptual Methodological Research
• Food Systems Concepts
• Vulnerability Concepts
• Scenario Construction
• Decision Support Systems
• 2. Regional Food Systems Research
• Indo-Gangetic Plain
• Caribbean
• Southern Africa

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Research Relevance Stakeholders
Science Agendas
Development Agendas
Policy Makers
Resource Managers
Science
Socio- economic
Natural
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Conceptual Methodological Research

• Develops a GEC science agenda that
• targets generic science issues
• improves understanding of the interactions
  between the Earth System and Food Systems
• integrates natural and social sciences
• adds value to basic science by underpinning
  applied science
• underpins regionally-based food systems research

• International networking approach
• Led by small, specialist committees
• Coordinated by dedicated Science Officers
• Specific funding applications, mainly to science
  agencies

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Caribbean Regional Research

• Develops a GEC science agenda that
• targets regional scientific issues
• relates to regional development needs
• interacts effectively with the regional policy
  making process
• encourages more support for the regional science
  communities
• provides contexts for conceptual research

• Regional studies approach
• Led by regional scientists assisted by GECAFS IPO
• Specific funding applications, mainly to
  development agencies

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GECFAS SANREM Project in relation to GECAFS
Caribbean and Conceptual Research
GECAFS Caribbean Research
SANREM project
GECAFS Food Systems Vulnerability Research
GECAFS Scenarios Research
GECAFS DSS Research