January 2015: The International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) has developed seven climate-smart agriculture (CSA) country profiles and two sub-national ones, prepared in collaboration with government ministries and agencies, as well as private sector and civil society representatives. Each profile sets a CSA baseline for the following countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC): Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Grenada, Mexico and Peru.

The profiles aim to initiate discussion, both within countries and globally, regarding entry points for investing in CSA at scale. CSA aims to: enhance the integration of agriculture development and climate responsiveness; and achieve food security and broader development goals within a changing climate and given rising food demand. CSA initiatives aim to increase productivity, enhance resilience and reduce greenhouse gases (GHG). In addition, they: require planning to address trade-offs and synergies between productivity, adaptation and mitigation; and reflect the priorities of different countries and stakeholders to attain more efficient, effective and equitable food systems that address environmental, social and economic challenges.

Many CSA practices are already being utilized by farmers to deal with production risks, and mainstreaming them requires taking stock of current and future practices, and of institutional and financial enablers. CIAT is a member of the CGIAR Consortium. [CSA Country Profiles]