The NAP Expo at Sharm El Sheikh focussed on transformational change in the National Adaptation plan process. The NAP Ag’s National coordinator for Uruguay presented a country case study titled “Transformative Adaptation in Agriculture – Uruguay” highlighting that transformative role the NAP-Ag programme is catalysing in Uruguay. This powerpoint was presented by Cecilia Jones the National coordinator for the NAP-Ag project in Uruguay

1. I n t e g r a t i n g A g r i c u l t u r e i n N a t i o n a l A d a p t a t i o n P l a n s
TRANSFORMATIVE
ADAPTATION IN
AGRICULTURE
Cecilia Jones, National Coordinator, Uruguay

3. how the NAP process
can help countries identify
situations when transformative
adaptation may be needed
and how to begin planning for it

4. What are main motivations for
transformative adaptation?
o Chronic adaptation deficit results in vulnerability
to water deficit, increased temperature, extreme
weather events, etc.
o Public policies have (mostly) not been effective at
changing the state of vulnerability of agriculture
o To preserve rural livelihoods with sustainable
productivity and income growth.
o Uruguay is able to contribute to food safety if it
can increase productivity while preserving
ecosystems
o Agriculture can contribute to national mitigation
goals. (74% GHG emissions)

5. What are main motivations for
transformative adaptation? Examples:
o Warm nights in summer change chemical composition of grapes – how much can
we adjust wine making processes.
o Reduced growing degree days (GDD) fail to induce flowering in fruit trees – 2018
failure of peach, nectarine, plum harvest
o 12 million head of cattle - 96% European breeds.
o Warm winters fail to interrupt the New World screw-worm fly (Cochliomyia
hominivorax) life cycle.
o Vegetable production niches tied to south-north temperature gradient during
winter.
o ...

6. What are decision points or thresholds to
support transformation planning in
agriculture?
o Monitoring and evaluating systems to inform decision making and design of public
policies
o It is critical to know how or when the production system challenges are such that a
transformation is needed.
o Include social and environmental vulnerabilities
o Ecosystem based adaptation – livestock production in natural range lands:
o Trapping carbon
o Increasing organic matter in soils
o Increasing water retention
o Conserving and improving soil properties
o Biodiversity
o Increased resilience of production system.
British breeds are
not best suited
for hot humid
weather...

7. How can countries roll out their NAP
process to discover
and implement transformations?
■ Start by knowing where we are and where we
want to be in the future involving wide range of
actors
■ Involve farmers in the identification of problems
and solutions – NAP-Ag Adaptation Dialogues
■ Identify tipping points that trigger significant
changes in the systems
■ Setting up integrative information systems for
measuring analyzing reporting and evaluating
paths
■ Cost benefit analysis of adaptation alternatives

8. How can countries roll out their NAP
process to discover
and implement transformations?
o Strengthen research, and prioritize long term research based on production
systems rather than focused on specific problems
o Extension and outreach for adaptation measures and practices. Training and
capacity building with farmers and farm labor.
o Strengthen farmers organizations including women and youth
o Deploy information systems for decision making and climate risk management
o Access to financing to implement transformations.

9. What kinds of tools and guidance would be
most helpful for governments that want to
include transformative elements in their plans?
o identifying present and future vulnerabilities of production systems (social,
environmental, economic)
o mainstreaming cost benefit analysis for ex-ante evaluation of adaptation
alternatives and identifying and assessing co-benefits of adaptation.
o how to implement ecosystem based approaches to adaptation.
o identify barriers to technology adoption and transformation
o information platforms and access to successful cases and lessons learned
o how to access climate finance (GCF).

10. fao.org/in-action/naps | adaptation-undp.org/naps-agriculture | international-climate-initiative.com
Thank You