Presentation at the 5th Global Science Conference on Climate-Smart Agriculture. Title: Designing climate knowledge networks to link research with agricultural professionals and producers for timely action Speaker: Caitlin Corner-Dolloff

1. Designing Climate
Knowledge Networks
Linking research with agricultural
professionals and producers for
timely action
C. Corner-Dolloff (USDA), K. Witkowski (IICA),
A. Gardeazabal (CIMMYT), A. Torres (USDA),
R. Steele (USDA)
Caitlin Corner-Dolloff
Resilient Agriculture Program Lead
Office of Capacity Building and Development
Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture
October 9, 2019

2. Why agricultural climate networks?
• High volume of CSA research and initiatives
• Information on CSA should be
• accessible
• understandable
• actionable – relevant and practical
• timely
• Region-specific information, technologies,
and guidance lacking

3. • 10 regional hubs
• Led by 2 USDA
agencies, with 4
others supporting
• National and
regional
committees
• Small regional
teams (2-4)
• Housed in existing
institutions

4. Planners/
decision-
makers
Extension/
universities
Farmers,
ranchers,
forest land
owners
USDA hubs role in information flow
research findings,
data, technology
Research
Institutions
Packaged
science
Climate
Hub
Feedback for demand-
driven research
Tech
transfer
provider

5. Internationalizing Climate Hubs Concept
2013
USDA Climate
Hubs Launched
2015
Latin America and
Caribbean regional
workshop in Puerto
Rico (MX requested)
2016
Bi-National
Workshop – US/Mex
2017-19
Exploration and design
of climate hubs in
Mexico and Central
America and Caribbean
2019
Southern Tunisia Hub
kick-off with USDA
California Hub

6. Mexico – Subnational climate network: MasAgro Approach

7. Involvement of key
actors & creation of
valuable linkages
Demand-driven solutions &
co-creation of products to
support decision-making
Monitoring, evaluations,
and learning processes that
are relevant and timely
Mexico – Subnational climate network:
Critical Factors for Hub development and adoption

8. Hub model options reviewed:
1. Strategic high-level partnerships and knowledge platforms
2. Participatory field research and capacity building
3. CC innovation and systemic change (multi-level)
Focus on national and 3 subnational regions to start, gov’t/research/Univ. led,
gov’t funding dependent
Proposed: Community of Practice – 5 thematic groups
• Complement MasAgro Hubs - build out policy, LEDS, climate services
Mexico – Subnational climate network: Design Options

9. Countries (8) - Belize, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El
Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama
• Ministries of Agriculture and Environment, and technical
institutes, implementers, NGOs, private sector, int’l orgs
Challenge
• International coordination and data sharing to addressed
similar challenges in region
• Limited awareness of available networks, data, resources
Scoping
• Prioritize science-policy-action gaps
• Identify opportunities for multinational cooperation
• Pinpoint capacity building needs
Cent. Am – Regional agriculture and climate platform:
Overview

10. Cent. Am – Regional agriculture and climate platform:
Consultation Process
Characterization of the need for information
Identification of available information
Scoping Report Interviews
Scoping report validation
workshop
Survey National Focus Groups
Regional Workshop
Project proposal
and roadmap for
the creation of a
Central American
Climate Change
network
1 2
3 4 5
6
280 stakeholders
involved in design

11. Cent. Am – Regional agriculture and climate platform:
Prioritized topics and potential products
• Viable pathway established
through multi-country legal
decree
• Estimated 1.5-2yr set up
• Virtual structure, coupled with
extension expansion
• Modular design by priority
• Services, information chains,
and partners identified
• Est. $300-600/priority area
Agrometerology and
weather forecasts
Water and soil
management
Assessment of CC
impacts and
prioritization of CC
adaptation measures
M&E of CC
adaptation

12. Share climate hub characteristic lessons
Establishment
Prioritize both topics
and types of
information
Authority to convene
Multiple leadership
opportunities
Funding! stable,
multi-year
Outputs
Start with what exists
Current, reliable
Easy to access and
understand
Innovative formats
Target comms within
and across levels
Governance
People!
Incentivize
engagement
Adaptive
management
Intentionally inclusive
and participatory

13. Thanks!
For further information contact:
Caitlin.Corner-Dolloff@USDA.gov, CSA capacity building programs
Ana.Torres@USDA.gov, CSA capacity building programs in LAC
Kelly.Witkowski@iica.int, Central America Hubs concept
Andreea Gardeazabal, A.Gardeazabal@cgiar.org, Mexico Hubs concept
Rachel.Steele@USDA.gov, USDA National Climate Hubs Leader
We would like to acknowledge contributions from:
USDA (Rhiannon Elms, Adriana Otero, Dr. Luke Ney, Micah Rosenblum, Dr.
Randi Johnson, Dr. Steve Ostoja, Dr. Bill Gould, Dr. Marlen Eve), IICA (Ronny
Cascante, Daniela Medina, Erin Raser), CIMMYT (Dr. Bram Govaerts, Maria Erla
Barillas), SADER (Juan Bernardo Orozco, Sol Ortiz), CCAFS (Deissy Martinez)