| Abstract/Description or Keywords |
Although agricultural producers are accustomed to adjusting their practices to manage through difficult conditions, the scope and scale of climate change is anticipated to exceed anything previously experienced. Strategies and actions that support and enhance adaptation are the focus of this plan. In 2011–2012, a province-wide assessment of climate change-related risks and opportunities evaluated the potential impacts of climate change on agricultural production and the sector’s capacity to adapt. The assessment made evident that due to British Columbia’s diversity (with respect to agriculture, ecology and climate), a regional approach to climate change adaptation is required. Although some adaptation will occur at the farm level, regional and collaborative approaches will be critical for supporting agricultural adaptation. Building on these findings, in 2012–2013 a pilot project was initiated with agricultural producers, agricultural organizations and local governments in Delta and the Peace River and Cowichan Valley regions. Each planning process resulted in a distinctive set of local sector impacts and priorities, as well as a series of strategies and actions for adapting and strengthening resilience. The Cariboo plan is the first to be completed beyond the pilot project and with the commitment of funding for implementation through the Regional Adaptation Enhancement Fund.1 The plan is intended to offer clear actions suited to the specifics of the local context, both with respect to anticipated changes and local capacity and assets. Project Delivery: A local Advisory Committee for the Cariboo region was formed to provide input throughout the project. This Committee included participants from the Cariboo Regional District, the BC Ministry of Agriculture and a number of agricultural organizations. The agricultural producer participants volunteered their time throughout the project, representing both local production systems and agricultural organizations. The Cariboo Regional District provided staff time and expertise and covered costs associated with the workshops. With funding from the Growing Forward 2 Program, the BC Agriculture & Food Climate Action Initiative provided core management and human resources for project delivery. Please see Acknowledgements for more details. Project Methodology: The development of the Strategies involved three key stages: 1. Project Development: Background research was conducted and a project plan was drafted. Two initial meetings were held with the local Advisory Committee to receive input on the project outline and the proposed approach for the first workshop. 2. Workshops: Two sets of workshops were held (each set held in two locations — Quesnel and 150 Mile House) for a total of four workshops. The first set of workshops focused on reviewing climate change projections, discussing the associated agricultural impacts and identifying priority impact areas. Developing strategies and actions for adapting to the priority areas then became the focus of the second set of workshops. Prior to the second set of workshops, a series of overarching goals and strategies was developed and reviewed by the Advisory Committee. These materials provided support for the workshop action planning process (which also incorporated consideration of local priorities, context and resources). 3. Implementation Meeting: An implementation meeting was held with approximately 40 participants representing many of the key local partners. The meeting involved prioritization of draft actions based on which were considered most important, easiest to implement and supportive of enhanced capacity for additional adaptation. The meeting also included discussion of steps to implement prioritized actions. |
