Working Document Series Open Access 2010 RUF-34474

A support tool for enhancing policy decision making for climate change adaptation in agriculture: An information systems approach

R. BatteJ.G.M. MajaliwaA. S. Rwashana

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Abstract

190 words

Policy decision making often fails to achieve the desired outcomes due to complexity of both the environment and the policy making process itself. This article highlights the impacts of climate change on human livelihood, discusses the wait-andsee behaviour and its policy implications towards climate mitigation actions. It also demonstrates that existing techniques such as correlation heuristics (CH) have not been very useful in policy decision making compared to system dynamics approach that can handle complex problems involving a multitude of stakeholders holistically, model feedback based dynamic processes. It seeks to develop a support tool as an alternative approach for enhancing policy decision making for climate change adaptation in agriculture. The findings of this study will be utilised in the identification of vulnerabilities and coping measures as they relate to the various agricultural production strategies, improving climate forecasts along with procedures for use in agricultural management and integration of climate risks management in agricultural business strategies. The designed tool will lead to integration and standardisation of vulnerability indicators that relevant stakeholders can use to develop, review and harmonise national sector policies with regional/international polices related to climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Subjects

5 categories