Cambodia: Addressing Household Food Security in the Context of Changing Climate and Environment

The course is designed to provide a general understanding on emerging trends and issues to sustaining household food security and nutrition amidst the challenge of climate variations and its associated risks. Participants will be engaged in discussions with development professionals, community-based organizations and other practitioners of well-proven and emerging technologies, practices and approaches to increasing the resilience of rural communities against climate risks. Participants will also be introduced to participatory approaches through field exposure visits to rural areas where community-based adaptation is practiced.

Course Objectives

1. gained basic understanding of the concepts, principles and relevant approaches to sustaining household food security and nutrition;
2. increased their awareness on the risks and vulnerabilities posed by climate change and its impacts to food security;
3. gained better appreciation of participatory approaches to managing food security risks and vulnerabilities; and
4. identified innovative approaches for improving their respective food security initiatives.

Who should attend

Local and International NGO staff Government and extension personnel Researchers Faculty members engaged in food security programs and projects

Methodologies

The training course will feature balanced approaches to instruction by utilizing classroom lectures and discussions and field-based learning. Conceptual topics will be discussed within lecture halls while topics featuring community-based approaches and practices will be done on-site. It will also feature a roving workshop approach wherein participants will be introduced to the differential strategies for building community resilience based on the site-specific food security challenges of climate risks. Among the expected ecosystem-specific climate responses that will be featured in roving workshop are low-external input practices in rice-based agro-ecosystems; agroforestry and community forestry in forested lands; and coastal protection in coastal and/or fresh-water ecosystems. The training course will adopt adult learning methodologies that features sharing of knowledge and experiences by participants.

Course Content

Module 1: Understanding the concept of Food Security and Climate Change

This module provides an overall understanding of the interconnectedness of of global issues such as food security, climate change and disaster. It defines food security concepts and explores the challenges posed by climate change. This is done by a discussion of the basic science of climate change and an in-depth analysis of its impacts to natural and human systems. A specific focus of the module will be on the impacts of climate change to agricultural systems, where the most-at-risk are located. An in-depth discussion on social & institutional issues will highlight the important role that institutions play in food security including the importance of collective action and property rights in addressing issues of food insecurity

Module 2: Managing Challenges in Food Security

This module is a two-part activity. The first part discusses the conceptual frameworks for understanding the interplay of local environment and food security considerations such as local socio-cultural, gender and institutional contexts in human nutrition and overall development. An overview of ecosystems and landscape based approaches to food security and livelihood is also provided. The second part is characterized by field visits to key ecosystems and communities to observe and analyze various food security considerations using participatory approaches. Guided discussions are conducted after every visit for the purpose of surfacing learnings and observations.

Module 3: Strengthening and Sustaining Food Security Projects

This module provides participants an overview of participatory approaches that are useful in enhancing and up scaling food security and nutrition projects in consideration of climate change challenges. Participants sharing of experiences in specific participatory tools are encouraged.

Module 4. Action Planning

Participants are to prepare an action plan identifying food security programs/activities taking into account their national or community’s food security con-text to strengthen people’s resilience in coping with threats to food security. Climate change adaptation and mitigation measures are to be integrated in the action plan.

Course Fees and Related Term

The training fee of 1,800USD covers: course fee meals and coffee breaks double occupancy accommodation course-related materials field and agency visits, and airport transfers. Single room occupancy is available upon request and at extra cost. Fees do not include international airfare, laundry and incidental expenses. Applicants are encouraged to secure financial support from their organizations or donor agencies. IIRR reserves the right to cancel the course one month before the course starts if the required quorum is not met. This will be conveyed immediately to the applicants. Course fees will be refunded in full.

FINANCIAL AID FOR TRAINING IS AVAILABLE! USAID Adapt Asia-Pacific will provide financial scholarships for Asian officials from central ministries (e.g., Finance, Planning, Prime Minister’s Office) and key line ministries related to climate change to attend training courses on climate change adaptation and accessing external financing.

Interested government officials from 13 eligible Asian countries (Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam) can apply to USAID Adapt Asia-Pacific for financial aid to attend relevant training courses. Applicants for financial aid should submit their application after they have applied to an accredited training institution of their choice.

Interested and qualified government officials should submit their completed applications with the documents listed below:

• USAID Training Application Form and Sponsorship Form
• Professional CV
• Permission letter from their department or agency supervisor granting the time needed to attend the course selected
• Proof from training institution of receipt of application, or an acceptance letter from the institution to attend course

Applications should be sent via email to training@adapt-asia.org with a copy to Ms. Piyachatr Pradubraj, Regional Technical Coordinator, at ppradubraj@adapt-asia.org.

For further information, please visit: www.adaptasiapacific.org

For more information and to receive an application form, contact:

Dulce Dominguez
Email: dulce.dominguez@iirr.org