【粮农组织_FAO_】2024热带水果产业气候适应性：牛油果生产商和出口商技术指南_130页_8mb

Summary of "Adapting to climate change in the tropical fruit industry: a technical guide for avocado producers and exporters"

Core Content

This document, Adapting to climate change in the tropical fruit industry: a technical guide for avocado producers and exporters, is a publication by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), part of the Responsible Fruits Project, aimed at helping avocado producers and exporters adapt to climate change impacts. It provides a comprehensive overview of climate change's effects on the avocado industry and outlines various adaptation strategies to enhance resilience and sustainability.

Main Purpose

The guide serves to:

• Provide up-to-date information on climate change effects and trends in key avocado-producing and exporting countries.
• Identify climate risks and their impacts on avocado production and trade.
• Recommend adaptation practices that can help mitigate these risks.
• Share good practices adopted by companies and producer associations.
• Highlight information gaps and suggest ways to address them.

Key Countries and Climate Trends

The guide focuses on six key avocado-producing and exporting countries: Mexico, Peru, Chile, Colombia, Kenya, and South Africa. These countries were selected based on their importance in global production and trade. The document reviews baseline climate trends and future projections for temperature and precipitation, using data from the World Bank Climate Risk Country profiles and the Climate Change Knowledge Portal.

• Temperature: All major avocado-producing countries are expected to experience an increase in average temperatures across all emissions scenarios.
• Precipitation: There is variability in future precipitation patterns, with wet regions likely to become wetter and dry regions drier. Precipitation changes are less predictable than temperature trends.

Climate Risks Identified

The guide identifies 13 key climate risks affecting avocado production:

1. Temperature-related risks: Increasing temperatures, extreme heat, frost, and hailstorms.
2. Precipitation-related risks: Intense rainfall, changes in rainfall patterns, water shortages, and drought.
3. Mixed or other risks: Alternate bearing cycle, reduction of pollinators, spread of pests and diseases, soil erosion, and strong winds.

Each risk is discussed in terms of its impact on production, including social and economic dimensions, and examples of specific risks in different countries are highlighted.

Climate Adaptation Strategies

A total of 15 adaptation practices are recommended to address the identified climate risks. These practices are linked to approaches that promote both climate adaptation and sustainability, such as:

• Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA)
• Agroecology
• Regenerative agriculture
• Precision agriculture

The practices include:

• Agroforestry
• Anti-frost systems
• Drainage systems
• Early warning systems and monitoring
• Integrated pest management (IPM)
• Integrated water management
• Mulching and cover crops
• Organic fertilizers (composting, biofertilizers)
• Plant breeding
• Protection of pollinators and beekeeping
• Shade nets
• Sustainable forest management
• Waste management
• Water-efficient irrigation systems
• Windbreaks or living fences

Each practice is briefly described, and the potential co-benefits on environmental, economic, and social dimensions are outlined. Examples of companies and producer associations implementing these strategies are also provided.

Alignment with Global Initiatives

The guide is aligned with:

• The FAO Strategy on Climate Change, which emphasizes enhancing capacities to implement nationally determined contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.
• The NAP-Ag programme, which supports the integration of adaptation solutions in national adaptation plans (NAPs) for the agriculture sector.
• The Responsible Global Value Chains initiative, which aims to strengthen risk-based due diligence systems and promote peer learning on pre-competitive issues.

Methodology and Limitations

The guide was developed through a consultative process with avocado companies and producer organizations. However, it is not a comprehensive scientific guide but rather a practical reference that highlights the climate risks and adaptation solutions being tested in various countries. It acknowledges limitations, including the inability to conduct longitudinal field-based research on climate impacts over time under different production conditions.

Conclusion and Key Messages

The guide concludes that:

• Climate change adaptation is essential for the continuity of avocado production and trade.
• Extreme weather events will increase in frequency and intensity, and multiple risks may occur concurrently, requiring integrated adaptation strategies.
• Knowledge and information on climate adaptation in the avocado sector already exist, and many companies are taking proactive steps to test and implement adaptation practices.
• Adaptation practices should be designed to address multiple risks simultaneously to ensure effectiveness.
• Climate adaptation is a continuous process that requires time, information, and data.
• Adaptation and mitigation efforts should be aligned to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and enhance sustainability across all three dimensions: environmental, social, and economic.

References and Resources

The guide includes suggested resources, such as:

• Technical and guidance publications
• Toolboxes and websites
• Policy briefs and full publications

These resources are intended to support further learning and implementation of adaptation strategies. The guide also references the IPCC and UNFCCC as key global frameworks guiding climate action.

Additional Notes

• The guide is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 IGO licence.
• It is a demand-driven product of the Responsible Fruits Project, which has been working with the private sector on tropical fruits for over a decade.
• The guide is intended for avocado producers and value chain actors interested in climate resilience and sustainable practices.