RESPONDING TO THE THREAT OF

CLIMATE CHANGE
CLIMATE CHANGE refers to the long-term shifts in temperature and
weather patterns due to global warming. It is natural, but what is
unnatural is the rapid change caused by human activities.

Burning Fossil Fuel Agriculture Industrial Processes

Transportation Livestock Production Deforestation

EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE

• Sea Level Rise. Melting ice sheets and glaciers While Agriculture is part of
are raising sea levels that flood low-lying areas the climate change
during high tides and storms. problem, it is also part of
• Increase Temperature. Types of plants, corals the solution.
and animals that can live in each location will
change.
• Changes In Precipitation Patterns. Some
CLIMATE SMART AGRICULTURE
regions experience more frequent and intense
rainfall, while others experience more frequent - an environment friendly and sustainable
and severe droughts. agriculture approaches designed to link
• Extinctions And Ecosystem Disruptions. agricultural production and food security to
Climate change can lead to changes in the climate change adaptation and mitigation.
timing of seasons, migration patterns, and the
distribution of species, which can result in
extinctions and disruptions of entire
ecosystems.
• Human Health Impacts. Climate change can
have direct and indirect impacts on human
health, through increased heat-related
illnesses, changes in air quality, and the spread
of diseases carried by insects and animals.

Increase
Build the capacity
agriculture
and resiliency of
productivity and Reducing
households and
income in a greenhouse
food systems to
sustainable, gasses emissions.
adapt to climate
environmentally
change.
sound manner.
C
 LOCAL CLIMATE SMART PRACTICES
1. INTEGRATED SYSTEM. Integrated farming legume such as black bean, mung bean, rice bean,
systems demonstrate diverse features and include soybean or groundnut.
elements from crops, livestock or forestry that can be 6. SWITCHING SPECIES, VARIETIES AND
integrated at various scales, on-farm and area-wide, to
enhance the efficiency and environmental BREEDS. Climate-smart agriculture uses a
sustainability of the different production methods. combination of traditional and adapted modern
varieties of crops and breeds of livestock.
2. CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE. Conservation
agriculture can reduce carbon losses caused by 7. IRRIGATION. Irrigation methods have been used
ploughing and it reduces the use of fossil fuel since for millennia in different forms and at different scales.
avoiding ploughing saves fuel, reduction of soil Irrigation helps farmers grow crops even if the rains
erosion and contributions to climate change fail. But water is scarce. The most used methods in
mitigation. household-oriented farm systems include:
• No till or minimum tillage • Sprinkler and drip irrigation.
• Mulching or cover crops
• The use of unglazed clay pots for individual
• Crop rotation
plants such as fruit trees and vegetables.
3. SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION.
8. WATER HARVESTING. Water harvesting is the
Techniques used to prevent erosion, conserve soil
moisture and to maintain and improve soil fertility. collection of rainwater or runoff, so it can be used for
Conserving soil fertility reduces the need for artificial irrigation, watering livestock, domestic purposes and
fertilizers. other uses. The water may be stored in an open pit or
• Physical measures involve moving stones and depression, or even in the soil and water table. The
earth; terraces, bunds, contour ditches, check many different types of water harvesting include
dams, reservoirs, grassed waterways, diversion micro catchments.
drains, and others to discourage erosion and • Planting basins for individual plants such as a
encourage water infiltration. tree, or groups of plants
• Biological measures that involve using trees • Half-moon, trapezoidal or diamond-shaped
and grass to prevent erosion, such as basins.
reforestation, hedgerows, and vegetative
• Terraces and contour bunds on slopes.
strips. Leguminous trees and crops fix nitrogen
• Tied ridging.
for soil health.
• Agronomic measures that involve managing 9. INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT. It is the
the crop itself: contour planting, strip
careful consideration of all available pest control
cropping, intercropping, mixed cropping,
techniques and subsequent integration of appropriate
fallowing, mulching, grazing management, and
measures that discourage the development of pest
agroforestry.
populations. It combines biological, chemical, physical
4. AGRONOMIC PRACTICES. Growing several and crop specific (cultural) management strategies
types of crops spreads the risk of one crop failing. and practices to grow healthy crops and minimize the
Climate-smart agronomic practices include: use of pesticides, reducing or minimizing risks posed
• Planting early to adapt to changing rain by pesticides to human health and the environment
patterns. for sustainable pest management.
• Intercropping and/ or Crop rotation • Crop rotation
• Crop diversification
• Intercropping
5. INTERCROPPING WITH LEGUMES. Farmers • Pest resistant or highly competitive crop
can grow two annual crops together in the same field varieties
either in alternating rows or in alternating strips of • Management of sowing, planting, or
each crop. The main crop may be a cereal such as harvesting dates
maize, dryland rice, cassava, or a perennial crop such • Traps or trap crops
as fruit trees, coffee, or tea. The intercrop is often a