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Module result from climate change. For example, coastal ecosystems like wetlands, mangroves, coral reefs,
oyster reefs and barrier beaches all provide natural shoreline protection from storms and flooding
in addition to their many other services (Munang et al., 2009). By making ecosystems more resilient,
ecosystem services (e.g., fish stocks, fuel, clean water) on which vulnerable communities depend for
their subsistence and livelihoods are maintained (Hale, et al., 2009). Finally, it is also important to identify

measures that are focused on capacity-development; for example, helping communities learn new
farming practices, use of technologies and develop new processing, marketing and vocational skills, to
9-12 December, 2013 integrating climate change into day-to-day planning.
assist extension agencies in using early warning systems and forecasts, and assist government officials in

Examples of different types adaptation measures, including ecosystems-
Table 5
based, infrastructure and capacity-development measures, to address
impacts in agriculture, water resource management and local economy

Infrastructure and Ecosystem-based Governance, training and capacity development
changes in practices measures

? Building grain silos ? Promoting ? Sustainable water management
? Improved sustainable ? Farmers education - water harvesting and contour
post-harvest agriculture, farming
technologies organic farming ? Training centres and microfinance to develop skills for
such as setting and appropriate non-farming off-season activities
up small-scale technology to reduce ? Vocational training - especially for youth, in places with
agro-processing degradation high in-migration; and creation of markets and training
industries to utilize ? Erosion control by in other sector skills including hairdressing, sewing,
farm products encouraging contour carpentry
? Building small and farming and water ? Developing agricultural extension services
medium dams storing
? Building flood- ? Restoring vegetation
resistant roads to around river beds to
ensure market limit flooding
access

Source: Bizikova and Bailey, 2009 (modified)

When developing adaptation responses to climate change, immediate short-term responses may not be
the ones that could protect us from progressive changes in climate. On the contrary, they could make us
even more vulnerable. There are trade-offs between short- and long-term adaptation measures, between

52 Volume Two - Themes
Vulnerability and Impact assessments for Adaption to Climate Change (VIA Module)