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Leeds collaborates on global learning platform for climate smart agriculture

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A group of people in a field tending crops

An international learning platform for a major research programme on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) is being hosted by the Priestley Centre at its new home at the University of Leeds.

The cross cutting learning platform on Partnerships and Capacity for Scaling Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) is the central mechanism to bring cohesion between efforts at national, regional and global levels. It will also manage partnerships and impact pathways for climate change policy.

The platform, which will be based in the new Priestley Building, will be launched at a seminar and discussion on Scaling Up Climate Smart Agriculture: Challenges and Opportunities on Monday 26 November at the School of Earth and Environment at the University of Leeds.

The University of Leeds has been a partner in CCAFS since its inception with Prof Andy Challinor of the Priestley International Centre for Climate co-leading the flagship on climate-smart technologies and practices.

What is CCAFS?

  • Circa USD 60 million per year agriculture research for development programme, working at the intersection between climate change and agricultural development.
  • On the ground research in over 20 countries in East and West Africa, South and Southeast Asia and Latin America.
  •  Action research on priorities and policies, technologies and practices, low emissions development, climate services and safety nets, and gender and social inclusion.
  • Involves all 15 CGIAR centers and over 700 partners including research organizations, NGOs, private sector, farmer organizations and international agencies.
  • Focus on outcomes and impact, engaging with policy makers at national, regional and global levels

Opportunities of collaboration

  • Hosting the Learning Platform on Partnerships and Capacity for Scaling Climate-Smart Agriculture brings many collaboration opportunities, including:
    Joint fundraising: As a partner in relevant funding calls.
  • Policy engagement: Engaging with agriculture and climate change policy makers at national, regional and global levels.
  • Outcome and impact evaluation: Fostering lessons sharing on approaches to delivering and evaluating outcomes and impacts of research.

Getting connected

Dhanush Dinesh, Global Policy Engagement Manager at CCAFS will be based at the Priestley Centre and provide a link to facilitate collaboration. Dhanush coordinates the implementation of the CCAFS global policy engagement strategy, linking CCAFS science to global policy processes and partners. Contact d.dinesh@cgiar.org

Launch event

A seminar and discussion will take place on Monday 26 November at the University of Leeds with two sessions:

  • Session 1 (09.00 – 11.05): Towards differentiated adaptation and development pathways for food systems. Keynote presentations by Lindsay Stringer, Professor in Environment and Development, University of Leeds and Steven Banwart, Leadership Chair in Integrated Soil/Agriculture/Water Research, University of Leeds, followed by panel discussion
  • Session 2 (11.30-13.00): Scaling up climate smart agriculture: challenges and opportunities. Keynote presentations by Andy Challinor, Professor of Climate Impacts, University of Leeds and Ana Maria Loboguerrero, Head of Global Policy Resarch, CCAFS

Full programme and event details.

Email Lucy Sharpson L.J.Sharpson@leeds.ac.uk to attend.

Image: T. Muchaba (CCAFS)