Agricultural Climate Risk Management and Global Food Security: Recent Progress in Southeast Asia

A better understanding of the impacts of climate variability on agriculture is needed for improved climate risk management and can guide longer-term adaptation to climate change. Seasonal climate forecast offers the potential to anticipate variations in crop production early enough to adjust critical decisions. In this review, we survey the progress in the use of integrating seasonal climate forecasts (SCFs) with crop models for managing climate risks in agriculture in South-East Asia, and discuss the challenges and opportunities for operationalizing these tools for improved management under a changing climate. The benefits of integrating SCFs with crop models to guide strategic decision making in agricultural production are illustrated using examples including a decision support tool for climate risk management in the Philippines and a forecasting system for Robusta coffee yield in Vietnam.