Climate smart agriculture and global food-crop production

Abstract

Most business-as-usual scenarios for farming under changing climate regimes project that the agriculture sector will be significantly impacted from increased temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns. Perhaps ironically, agricultural production contributes substantially to the problem with yearly greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of about 11% of total anthropogenic GHG emissions, not including land use change. It is partly because of this tension that Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) has attracted interest given its promise to increase agricultural productivity under a changing climate while reducing emissions. Considerable resources have been mobilized to promote CSA globally even though the potential effects of its widespread adoption have not yet been studied. Here we show that a subset of agronomic practices that are often included under the rubric of CSA can contribute to increasing agricultural production under unfavorable climate regimes while contributing to the reduction of GHG. However, for CSA to make a significant impact important investments and coordination are required and its principles must be implemented widely across the entire sector.

Scaling up the global reef restoration activity: Avoiding ecological imperialism and ongoing colonialism

“…This so-called green revolution led to dramatic changes in per hectare and per worker productivity and yield, especially in industrialised nations [ 51 ]. Applying this approach can be considered the ‘industrial’ approach to reef restoration; pioneered in the industrialised world despite the well-understood negative impacts of industrial agriculture, which include pesticide and nutrient runoff to coral reefs [ 52 ]. The industrial upscaling approach is reliant upon new technology to be developed to assist in underwater and surface (including on-deck) operations, as well as on-land technology (possibly including genetic technology) in land-based aquaculture facilities.…”

One CGIAR and the Integrated Agri-food Systems Initiative: From short-termism to transformation of the world’s food systems

“…However, the SDGs will not be achieved simply by promoting individual technologies, practices, or policies targeted to a single objective, nor can they be achieved primarily through digitization or financial inclusion [20]. Agri-food system solutions will require integrated systems approaches that go beyond introducing innovation through unilateral action and, to be inclusive, must embrace collaborative, research-based action by diverse stakeholders through a lens of system thinking [21][22][23]. To meet human needs under climate change and within resource limits, interventions will be needed across all components of food production and distribution value chains.…”

Climate Change Adaptation in Akropong, Ghana: Experiences of Female Smallholder Farmers

“…Agriculture contributes a larger percentage to developing countries GDP; therefore, any negative effect on agriculture may destabilize the economy (Rosenzweig and Hillel, 2005). In Ghana, the agricultural sector contributes approximately 30% of the country's GDP and employs about 70% of the population (Cobbinah and Anane, 2016;De Pinto et al, 2012;Kolavalli et al, 2012). The agricultural sector is argued to have the potential to grow at rates as high as 6% (Breisinger, 2008;De Pinto et al, 2012).…”

“…In Ghana, the agricultural sector contributes approximately 30% of the country's GDP and employs about 70% of the population (Cobbinah and Anane, 2016;De Pinto et al, 2012;Kolavalli et al, 2012). The agricultural sector is argued to have the potential to grow at rates as high as 6% (Breisinger, 2008;De Pinto et al, 2012). This notwithstanding, climate change has the potential of inhibiting such progress in the long run as the agricultural sector is particularly vulnerable to its impacts.…”