The Climate Change Adaptation Program operated from 2008 to 2023. The program was guided by industry with the goal of helping producers successfully adapt to the impacts of a changing climate.
What is the Climate Change Adaptation Program?
The Climate Change Adaptation Program (CCAP) operated to:
- Create networks and foster partnerships and collaboration
- Implement projects to demonstrate, test and evaluate approaches and practices
- Develop resources and tools
- Share information and transfer knowledge
CCAP supported the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food‘s climate change adaptation services for 15 years. The two key programs within CCAP were:
- the Regional Adaptation Program, which focused on regional-level strategic planning and project implementation
- the Farm Adaptation Innovator Program, which focused on farm-level applied research projects
Through these programs and provincial-level work, CCAP brought together agricultural organizations, producers, government, and researchers to collaboratively address climate change challenges.
The BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food has also worked closely with the BC Agricultural Climate Adaptation Research Network (ACARN). This collaboration helps build capacity for agricultural adaptation research and increase extension of results.
The Climate Change Adaptation Program was funded by the provincial and federal governments. Agricultural organizations, local governments, NGOs and other partners provided additional project-specific funding and in-kind support.
CCAP activities from 2013-2018
Planning for climate change, 2010-2013
Program Partners
Guiding principles
- Increased knowledge and awareness of climate change projections, impacts and adaptation strategies among government and industry builds adaptive capacity.
- Combining data collection and research with practical knowledge and experience is critical to developing the tools and resources that benefit producers.
- Involvement of local government and industry partners through participation and financial contribution is a strong indicator of success.
- Testing and demonstrating new approaches, tools and resources builds a foundation for adaptation.
History
2007
- Growing Forward, a five-year (2007-2013) federal, provincial, and territorial initiative, provided funding for programs in Canada’s agriculture sector, including CCAP.
2008
- The Investment Agriculture Foundation (IAF) and the BC Agriculture Council (BCAC), through their subsidiary ARDCorp, began delivering CCAP.
- A group of contractors, collectively known as The Climate & Agriculture Initiative (CAI), was contracted to execute program deliverables.
2010
- The BC Agriculture Climate Change Action Plan was produced, providing strategic direction and concrete actions for adapting to and reducing the impacts of climate change.
2012
- A Climate Risk and Opportunity Assessment Series was completed, detailing how climate changes might impact agricultural commodities in key regions of BC
2013
- Growing Forward 2, a five-year (2013-2018) federal, provincial, and territorial initiative, provided funding for programs in Canada’s agriculture sector, including CCAP.
- The Regional Adaptation Program was launched.
2014
- The Farm Practices & Climate Change Adaptation research project was completed. This project explored the role of on-farm practices to increase resilience and reduce risk.
- The Farm Adaptation Innovator Program was launched.
2018
- The Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a five-year (2013-2018) federal, provincial, and territorial initiative, provided funding for programs in Canada’s agriculture sector, including CCAP.
2021
- The BCAC board of directors announced their decision to focus their organization on advocacy and step away from delivering government programs through their subsidiary, ARDCorp.
- BCAC recommended that IAF take over program delivery responsibilities for CCAP.
2023
- The Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (2023-2028), a five-year (2013-2018) federal, provincial, and territorial initiative, is launching, focusing on the priorities in the Guelph Statement.
- Climate change adaptation programming for agriculture in B.C. is being integrated into the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food’s environmental sustainability and climate change extension programming.
CCAP Programs
The CCAP program brought together agriculture, research and government.