National Adaptation Plans: Building Climate Resilience in Agriculture

UNDP and FAO join to launch a new online course on climate change and agriculture 

A six-week course in partnership with UNITAR features leading global experts on climate change

‘National Adaptation Plans: Building Climate Resilience in Agriculture’ is the title of the new United Nations’ Massive Open Online Course (MOOC). The course is timed to launch in parallel with the upcoming climate talks in Bonn, Germany, more formally known as the 23rd Conference of the Parties (COP23).

You can now register for the six-week “National Adaptation Plans: Building Climate Resilience in Agriculture” MOOC. During the course, participants will have the chance to engage with global experts on climate change, and explore best practices, country examples and new approaches for building climate resilience in an interactive video-based format.

“This intensive course aims to equip participants with a better understanding of the interlinkages between climate change, agriculture, food security and the role of National Adaptation Plans (NAPs),” said Pradeep Kurukulasuriya, Head of Climate Change Adaptation, UNDP. “The course is an important learning opportunity for climate change practitioners, academics, students and government representatives interested in increasing their knowledge on what it means to incorporate climate change risks into planning and budgeting processes involving the agriculture sector.” 

The course will allow participants to delve deeper into the importance of adequate adaptation planning, and to acquire tools to identify and prioritize adaptation options in agriculture sectors, ensure effective coordination and governance for climate change adaptation actions, and explore mechanisms for funding and safeguarding livelihoods.

“The MOOC also seeks to raise awareness in addressing key issues of the agricultural sectors in the formulation and implementation of NAPs,’’ said Martin Frick, Director, Climate and Environment Division. “Climate change is considered a significant ‘hunger-risk multiplier,’ and in many regions, food security is already being adversely affected by the climate change. “For this reason, FAO and UNDP jointly are working to create the transformative change we need to reach the goals outlined in the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda.”

The MOOC is part of a work-programme of the Integrating Agriculture in National Adaptation Plans (NAP-Ag) Programme, a joint effort led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to support countries to integrate and address climate change concerns as they affect agricultural sector-based livelihoods in national and sectoral planning and budgeting processes.

By the end of the MOOC, participants will be able to effectively discuss the links between climate change, agriculture and sustainable development, and the role of international agreements – including the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement – in the formulation and implementation of the National Adaptation Plans process.

MOOC Topics 

• Week 1: Introduction to climate change adaptation, agriculture and food security
• Week 2: International Frameworks and National Adaptation Planning
• Week 3: Identifying and assessing climate change impacts and risks
• Week 4: Identifying and prioritizing climate adaptation options
• Week 5: Governance, coordination and finance
• Week 6: Communications, monitoring and evaluation

No prior knowledge is required to join the course. Upon completion of all required activities, participants will receive a certificate from FAO, UNDP and UNITAR.  To register the MOOC, please visit the website.

The MOOC was developed in partnership with FAO, UNDP and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). This course was made possible by the generous funding of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) through its International Climate Initiative (IKI).

For further details

Please contact Rohini Kohli, UNDP Lead Technical Specialist for National Adaptation, rohini.kohli@undp.org.