Written question WQ93250

Climate Adaptation/Resilience - Agriculture

The Welsh Government is working on a new national climate adaptation strategy, and we are developing a new monitoring framework that will be published soon after, which will be based on the CCC adaptation monitoring framework.

As part of this, we will review evidence of likely scenarios and adaptation strategies available to Welsh farming to support policy teams and the industry in thinking about how to improve climate resilience on farms, whilst also mitigating GHG emissions with an aim to identify win-win actions.

As part of the Sustainable Farming Scheme, we intend to ensure any data collection helps assess the extent and effectiveness of actions taken by farmers to adapt to the impact of climate change.

KT&I Support

Farming Connect interventions such as Our Farms and Advisory Service, will continue to raise awareness of the impacts of climate change and how to mitigate against them.

We will also consider opportunities for promoting and supporting continuous learning and upskilling through our Sustainable Farming Scheme support and Farming Connect programme, as farmers adapt to climate change and develop new skills and as new technologies emerge.

Any future knowledge transfer, innovation and/or advisory service for farmers will include support for farmers to mitigate against climate change, promote resilient farming methods subject to budget availability.

Mental health & well-being support for farmers concerned by the impacts of climate change is also available through FarmWell Wales and rural charities such as RABI, Tir Dewi and DPJ Foundation. The Farm Liaison Service are also on hand to signpost or provide advice where appropriate.

Data Monitoring & Evaluation

Welsh Government are currently developing an interim overarching monitoring and reporting frame-work for all programmes and schemes within Rural Affairs. This will include an evidence-based intervention logic for each scheme, ensure consistent data collection and quality assurance protocols and proactive financial management. The monitoring and reporting timescales are set out in section 4 of the Agriculture Act (Wales) 2023.

As part of our national scale monitoring programme, we capture data and information from field surveys and farmer surveys on actions taken to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Working with members of the UK GHG inventory teams we undertake evaluation of the sector and specific policy initiatives, for example the land management scheme Glastir contribution to mitigating climate change and helping the sector to adapt to climate change.

Our future monitoring and evaluation of Sustainable Land Management will include climate change mitigation and climate change adaptation.