Farmers all over the world are confronting a serious problem. They must adapt to changing climate conditions and increase their moral fortitude while reducing their environmental footprint. Drought, extreme temperatures, and flooding are all on the rise. And so, check these five tips on overcoming harsh weather conditions. They will assist you in maintaining and increasing productivity in the face of shifting weather conditions.
Short Summary
Forestry System
Agricultural systems that are more diversified have a better chance of adapting to climate change on average. Crops and livestock, crops and livestock, livestock and forestry, and crops and forestry are the four combinations that integrated systems combine instead of focusing on one type of output alone (crops, livestock, or forestry).
They can also gain adaptation benefits via integrated systems. When it comes to every component analyzed in the study, integrated systems can make farms more resilient: they can improve the local microclimate by lowering local temperatures and increasing precipitation and water availability; they can reduce the impact of extreme weather events on crops, livestock, and other agricultural products; they can reduce soil erosion; increase productivity, and they provide enough socioeconomic benefits such as increase in the number of products for subsistence or export.
Soil Fortification
Carbon farming is a key group of sustainable practices with a lot of potential for reducing and even reversing the consequences of climate change—plants as a carbon sink by removing CO2 from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. Bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and nematodes are among the microorganisms fed by about 40% of the carbon deposited in the soil.
In return, these organisms provide the plants with minerals, which act as a natural fertilizer. Cover crops, new planting techniques, and a novel strategy to harvesting leftovers can all help with carbon sequestration, storing surplus carbon before it enters the atmosphere, and reducing the quantity of CO2, which is cited by scientists as one of the causes of climate change.
Tree Sustainability
Trees grown sustainably provide both environmental and economic advantages, such as collecting greenhouse gases and safeguarding the soil, and the ability to commercialize timber and non-timber forest products. Since 2018, many companies have been investing in tree planting. Sustainability forestry has positive adaptation benefits in practically every aspect in addition to being a smart investment, but with one notable exception: the risk of forest fires. Fires can swiftly spread due to densely planted trees and presence of combustible species like eucalyptus.
For farmers, restoration and replanting can be useful tools. Farmers restore hundreds and thousands of forests every year. Part of this is in places where plantations are permitted, but a significant percentage might be planted with sustainable forests to help the economy and the ecology. Farmers may earn a lot of money by planting native species like lumber while assisting rural lands and production in adapting to climate change.
Crop Protection and Organic Practices
Pests and illnesses move due to climate change, where they’re damaging and posing a threat to the world’s food supply. Insects, diseases, and weeds have already claimed up to 40% of the world’s crops. These losses would more than triple without crop protection. Despite the growing threat of pests and diseases, farmers have boosted their yields thanks to crop protection solutions.
In traditional farming, the industrialization of agriculture has resulted in a widespread reliance on petroleum-based insecticides, herbicides, and fertilizers since the mid-twentieth century. Farmers banned the synthetic inputs in organic farming, resulting in lower GHG emissions and cleaner land, water, and food. Organic and crop protection farming techniques also provide farmers with extra benefits, such as improved soil health and fertility, which helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Water Conservation
Any farm, especially during a drought, has to conserve water. Irrigation efficiency is particularly important for lowering fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on farms. As the majority of energy used on farms comes from groundwater pumping. Drip irrigation, cover crop planting, dry farming, and other water-and climate-wise farming strategies can all help farmers save water and minimize energy usage.
Additionally, the agriculture business uses more water than any other industry on Earth. And drought is the single most serious threat to farmers worldwide. Fortunately, Phytopathologists are looking at drought-resistant characteristics to help plants cope with this difficulty. The WEMA project gathers public and private researchers to investigate strategies to double maize yields. It is through conventional and marker-assisted breeding and plant biotechnology.
Final Takeaway
Farmers worldwide may migrate to more resilient, low-carbon agriculture if they follow the abovementioned practices. Doing so allows for producing food more sustainably and recovering the land. It is critical to protect farms and farmers by developing a more resilient and sustainable agribusiness model in a world where the effects of climate change are already being felt.