Improving Economies for Stronger Communities (IESC)
2000 M Street NW
Suite 250
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: 202-589-2600
Email: iesc@iesc.org
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Climate-Smart Solutions
The effects of climate change are creating myriad challenges that adversely impact peoples’ lives, and private sector growth, in the countries where we work. We partner with the program participants that we serve to address these challenges systemically, such as transforming food systems to be more resilient and more environmentally friendly through the application of climate-smart agricultural practices. We also facilitate investment in green jobs across economic sectors, and the training and upskilling of the workforce to take on those jobs.
Program Examples
Sri Lanka
Market-Oriented Dairy (MOD)
Funder: USDA Food for Progress
Program Overview: MOD supports farmers and other dairy enterprises to meet the demands of the local dairy sector in a commercially sustainable way. The program implements activities to increase the production levels and sales value of milk produced by participating farmers; improves the availability of and access to quality inputs for dairy farming; and improves dairy product safety through adherence to proper feeding regimens, management practices, and technology.
Relation to IESC Expertise: IESC has developed an innovative Climate Smart Dairy (CSD) model designed to measure the criteria that drive emissions at the farm level. The model enables farmers, extension agents, and national policy makers to identify areas for production-level improvements and develop strategies at both the farm and policy levels that will support a transition to a more resilient, low-carbon dairy sector. With IECS’s assistance, farmers have increased productivity, reduced their emissions rate across several target criteria, and identified additional criteria for public and private sector extension systems to focus farm-level training efforts going forward.
El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras
Agricultural Trade and Climate Smart Innovations (ATraCSI)
Funder: USDA Food for Progress
Program Overview: ATraCSI facilitates local and international trade and builds resilience to address climate change to reduce the economic insecurity and inequality that drive migration. ATraCSI is focused on implementing international and risk-based sanitary and phytosanitary measures; implementing measures under the existing World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA); and strengthening climate-smart agriculture through the development and transfer of agricultural technologies focused on high-value horticulture value chains.
Relation to IESC Expertise: IECS’s ATraCSI project takes a market-driven, private sector-led approach to climate-smart agriculture that integrates climate change adaptation and mitigation practices along value chains. The project incentivizes private sector investment through matching grants for farm-level climate-smart agriculture technologies, technical assistance to farmers, and cold chain equipment to prevent food waste. Our approach, based on the participatory farmer field school methodology developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), engages farmers to understand their priorities and incentives, and then adapts solutions to meet their needs. Assistance includes improving farmer access to inputs and grants to incentivize adoption of climate-smart technologies, participatory research, farm-level climate-smart innovations, and investing in cold chain practices and technologies.
North Macedonia
Youth Actively Create Opportunities
Funder: USAID
Program Overview: Youth Actively Create Opportunities increases positive youth contributions to society and collective youth leadership across North Macedonia. The program is focused on three broad areas of intervention: creating partnerships to support the development of economic opportunities attractive to youth; strengthening youth competencies for jobs, progressive careers, and active civic participation; and promoting values that underpin youth self-reliance.
Relation to IESC Expertise: In North Macedonia, IESC is supporting the development of green jobs and green businesses attractive to youth as part of this program. With partner CEED Hub, the program organizes events like hackathons, including a Climathon focused on youth-led local solutions to local climate issues. IESC is also working with the Fund for Innovation and Technology Development (FITD) on developing a “Green Job Academy,” and co-investing in social media campaigns to feature youth from diverse backgrounds that are successfully working or managing businesses in the green economy.