El Niño exit leaves a lasting impact on Southeast Asia’s agricultural systems, stressing the need for preventive measures
El Niño exit leaves a lasting impact on Southeast Asia's agricultural systems, stressing the need for preventive measures Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
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Sustainable Development Goals and the Impact of El Niño on Agriculture in Southeast Asia
Introduction
As El Niño, a recurring climate pattern in the Pacific Ocean, bids farewell, its lingering effects are leaving a significant mark on agriculture across Southeast Asia. This report highlights the impact of El Niño on rice and wheat harvests in the region, as well as the importance of proactive measures to mitigate its potential consequences.
Climate Shift in Southeast Asia
The first quarter of 2024 has witnessed a rapid shift in Southeast Asia’s climate. Drier conditions have emerged since February 2024, posing a threat to agricultural production and potentially delaying the onset of monsoon rains expected in June/July. The Philippines, particularly Isabela Province, experienced concerning levels of drought as early as February 2024. Subsequently, in March 2024, specific provinces in Viet Nam, Cambodia, and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic also reported similar conditions.
Strengthening Resilience
Rather than waiting for the situation to escalate, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the European Union, in collaboration with national governments, are advocating proactive measures to mitigate the potential impact of ongoing dry conditions, expected to persist for the next 4-5 months.
Hang Thi Thanh Pham, FAO’s Senior Resilience Officer, emphasizes the importance of collective and anticipatory action. FAO is currently working with national governments to provide a range of actions including unconditional cash injections, agriculture tools, seeds, supplies, livestock feed, and supplements to boost production and support vulnerable communities.
Davide Zappa from the European Union highlights the need for preventive measures at scale. The implementation of anticipatory action systems in Southeast Asia has shown that acting before a disaster strikes can effectively mitigate the devastating impacts of droughts on vulnerable communities.
Enhancing Early Warning Systems
The aftermath of El Niño underscores the unpredictability of such events and the urgent need to enhance early warning and anticipatory action systems. Interventions by FAO, the European Union, national governments, and other partners are improving resilience to climatic challenges. These interventions will be systematically evaluated to guide future policies. The experience highlights the importance of ongoing investment in these systems to ensure a more resilient Southeast Asia in the future.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
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SDG 2: Zero Hunger
- Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding, and other disasters, and that progressively improve land and soil quality.
- Indicator 2.4.1: Proportion of agricultural area under productive and sustainable agriculture.
- Indicator 2.4.2: Average income of small-scale food producers, by sex and indigenous status.
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SDG 13: Climate Action
- Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
- Indicator 13.1.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population.
- Indicator 13.1.2: Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.
Analysis
The article highlights the impact of El Niño on agriculture in Southeast Asia and the need for proactive measures to mitigate the effects of ongoing dry conditions. Based on the content of the article, the following analysis can be made:
1. SDGs addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article:
The issues discussed in the article are connected to SDG 2: Zero Hunger and SDG 13: Climate Action.
2. Specific targets under those SDGs based on the article’s content:
Under SDG 2: Zero Hunger, the specific target identified is Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices. This target is relevant as the article highlights the threat to rice and wheat harvests due to drier conditions in Southeast Asia.
Under SDG 13: Climate Action, the specific target identified is Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters. This target is relevant as the article emphasizes the need for proactive measures and anticipatory action to mitigate the impact of ongoing dry conditions caused by El Niño.
3. Indicators mentioned or implied in the article:
The article does not explicitly mention indicators. However, based on the content, the following indicators can be implied:
- Indicator 2.4.1: Proportion of agricultural area under productive and sustainable agriculture. This indicator is relevant as the article discusses the need for resilient agricultural practices to increase productivity and production.
- Indicator 2.4.2: Average income of small-scale food producers, by sex and indigenous status. This indicator is relevant as the article mentions providing support to boost production, livestock feed, and supplements, which can impact the income of small-scale food producers.
- Indicator 13.1.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population. This indicator is relevant as the article highlights the need to strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters.
- Indicator 13.1.2: Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. This indicator is relevant as the article emphasizes the importance of enhancing early warning and anticipatory action systems to mitigate the impact of climate-related hazards.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 2: Zero Hunger | Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices |
|
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters |
|
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Fuente: fao.org
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