Overview
This project is contributing to improving the state of knowledge of the risks and opportunities from climate change in the Pacific and will seek to develop innovative decision-making tools that can map transformational options at a regional level to allow exploration and planning for future food systems.
As global temperatures approach 1.5C above pre-industrial levels by 2050, and 2.0C by 2100, the impact of climate change on the Pacific region will accelerate. Local food systems – agriculture, horticulture, fisheries and aquaculture – will be drastically affected.
Many studies have been conducted on Pacific food crops and fisheries, their vulnerability to climate change, and resilience-building strategies, however there is a lack of decision-making tools that integrate this information and enable research investors and regional planners to anticipate rapid climate change and uncertainty, and to transform food systems accordingly.
To meet this challenge, ACIAR, New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industry and Australia’s national research agency (CSIRO) are collaborating with Pacific partners to work on a proof-of-concept project.
Expected outcomes
- Map adaptation pathways for their food systems in collaboration with in-country experts and regional planners.
- Identify which commodities are likely to be resilient to future change, and those that are not.
- Enable either maintenance of current production systems or the need for transformational adaptation in the region.
- If regarded as useful, the proof-of-concept could be scaled out to other countries in the Pacific region. The results will also inform agriculture and fisheries investment priorities for donors.
