Week 4: Adapting to climate change

Agriculture and climate change
#21

Good morning all colleagues. I sincerely hope you are still surviving despite the effects of climate change no matter your location.
On the question of how farmers can adapt to climate change, there are a number of strategies. The first one though is to make " the bare footed farmer" (as one of my colleagues like to say) understand that climate change is a REALITY and they have to copy with it. In most cases, particularly in rural areas, people are in denial about climate change. They will have to be made aware of climate change. Once the farmers understand that climate change is real, all the other measures like growing drought resistant crops and short term varieties will be embraced without resistance.

The farmers need all the valid information on the cause of climate change and its devastating consequences particularly for the farmers who in Africa rely mainly on conventional rainfall. This scientific information needs to be simplified to suit the level of understanding of the different farmers in different nations.

Information could be obtained from different stakeholders. Governments, through the agriculture and sister ministries should provide this information to the farmers. Other stakeholders include organisations that work in the climate and environmental sector. The media should play its role of disseminating this important information. Media houses should make sure that the information is simplified to suit the level of the farmers, particularly those who are illiterate.

Radio stations could design radio programs that raise the awareness on climate change, new farming techniques that farmers should switch to and also the right time to plant and which varieties to be planted.

1 Like
#22

Good morning Mr Isaac. Are there any plants that are known that farmers could grow that retain water in the soil? I realize here that we only talk about those that resist drought ( meaning that they don’t require much water to grow) but we are not talking about those that are known to retain water in the soil for longer periods. I may have missed that and i stand to be corrected though.

1 Like
#23

Hello everyone

I am sharing some of the expectations that we received in Week 1. Some of these expectations have been addressed already. For those that have not yet been addressed, our resource people will respond to them.

Here are the expectations:

  • Causes of climate change and how it affects farming and agricultural activities
  • Impact of climate change on the environment in line with traditional farming
  • How our farmers can adapt to issues of climate change.
  • Climate change terminologies - ability to simplify conversation on Climate Change to my presenters, producers and the audience of my station and Farm Radio audiences
  • How climate change has negatively impacted our communities both in the rural and urban areas and how best collectively we can mitigate it.
  • Ability to educate farmers on climate change and ways of mitigating the challenges therein and together we succeed.
  • Resistant crops that can be grown in arid and semi-arid areas and some of their benefits.
  • How farmers can remain unique and produce products regardless of the climate change conditions.
  • Raise awareness and solutions to how the communities can adapt to the new normal.
  • Best intervention methods that farmers can use to prevent flooding. short term and long term
  • How farmers have contributed to climate change and what they can do to help address climate change.
  • How studying the climate can help predict how much rain we except to receive, also the effects of climate change on the health of the population, what countries are doing to help stop the effects of climate change!
  • Agricultural interventions in fighting climate change.
  • Possible ways for prevention of effects in agriculture and other areas as well.
  • REALLY reduce global warming and curb climate change.

Cheers!

#24

Q1. How can farmers adapt to climate change?
I feel farmers world wild have been affected by climate change in one way or the other adding that they need to have interventions that increase productivity such as soil management, plant crops that are drought tolerant and also that take short time to mature, water management among other interventions.
Q1. What information do they need to adapt to their practices?
Farmers should adopt methods that will reduce the effects of climate change such as stop cutting down of trees to create farm land and the utilization of same land to produce more crops.
Q3. Where can they get this information?
Farmers can get the information from the agriculture extension officers available in their respective areas.
Q4. What information can the radio station share?
Radio stations have the responsibility to inform farmers on what kind of crops to be planted that are drought tolerant. To also inform farmers of the climate smart agriculture technologies that are applicable in other areas and other countries.

1 Like
#25

Maila pride

  1. Farmers can adapt to climate change by shifting to irrigation unlike being dependant on rain water for farming activities.
  • by paying particular attention to whether focus and whether updates so that they can plant the right varieties of seeds.
    2 farmers need information about the whether pattern and whether focus.
  • infor on climate friendly farming methods
  1. They can get this information from government departments e.g. meteorological departments, radio news whether focus,
  • Attending community meetings by agriculture extention officers
  • Attending agriculture field days to get information on how other farmers have managed to harvest bumper harvests amid climate change.
  1. Radio stations can help disseminate whether focuses as reported by the meteorological departments for farmers unable to access tv.
  • By providing a variety of information on available seeds that farmers can plant on a particular crop.
  • broadcast field days for farmers to share information as well as come up with programs with experts on various agricultural topics.
1 Like
#26

Good afternoon everyone,
Here is my submission on this week’s questions:
1: How can farmers adapt to climate change?

Ans: Farmers have had to adapt to the conditions imposed on them by the climate of their region since the inception of agriculture, but recent human-induced climate change is throwing them some unexpected curve balls. Extreme heat, floods, droughts, hail, and windstorms are some of the direct effects. In addition, there are changes in weed species and distribution, and pest and disease pressures, on top of potentially depleted soils and water stress. Fortunately, there are many practices that farmers can adopt and changes that can be made to our agricultural production system to make the system more resilient to our changing climate.
Farmers and ranchers are already adapting to our changing climate by changing their selection of crops and the timing of their field operations. Some farmers are applying increasing amounts of pesticides to control increased pest pressure. Many of the practices typically associated with sustainable agriculture can also help increase the resilience of the agricultural system to impact of climate change, such as:
Diversifying crop rotations
Integrating livestock with crop production systems
Improving soil quality
Minimizing off-farm flows of nutrients and pesticides
Implementing more efficient irrigation practices.
The common agricultural adaptation strategies used by farmers were the use of drought resistant varieties of crops, crop diversification, changes in cropping pattern and calendar of planting, conserving soil moisture through appropriate tillage methods, improving irrigation efficiency, and afforestation.

  1. What information do they need to adapt to their practices?

Ans: weather information, how to conserve water, importance of crop rotation and farming practices like conservation agriculture among others.

  1. Where can they get this information?

Ans: Meteorological department, ministry of agriculture officials, radio stations, TV stations, news papers and from testimonies from other farmers.

4: what information can radio stations share?

Ans: Radio stations can share all agriculture information through having radio discussions (programs) working together with partners like the ministry of agriculture, weather/MET department, FRI and farmers themselves.

1 Like
#27

Good afternoon everyone

Adapting to climate change by farmers.

The impact of climate are threatening food security in Zambia. Smallholder famers that relay heavily on rainfall agriculture are accurately aware of this, as they regularly suffer from droughts, floods and this result to failed harvests. In 2019, a severe drought in Zambia led to 23 million people requiring emergency food assistance to meet their nutritional needs.

As smallholders try to recover, they now mint grapple with compounding effects of the COVID 19.

The pandemic, combined with public health measure taken to suppress it’s aggravating existing vulnerabilities streaming food systems and eroding farmers already limited ability to withstand shock. The virus has disrupted supply chains leading to an increase in the coast of agricultural inputs critical to their productivity and livelihood.

1 Like
#28

Submission
Ans: Farmers have had to adapt to the conditions imposed on them by the climate of their region since the inception of agriculture, but recent human-induced climate change is throwing them some unexpected curve balls. Extreme heat, floods, droughts, hail, and windstorms are some of the direct effects. In addition, there are changes in weed species and distribution, and pest and disease pressures, on top of potentially depleted soils and water stress. Fortunately, there are many practices that farmers can adopt and changes that can be made to our agricultural production system to make the system more resilient to our changing climate.
Farmers and ranchers are already adapting to our changing climate by changing their selection of crops and the timing of their field operations. Some farmers are applying increasing amounts of pesticides to control increased pest pressure. Many of the practices typically associated with sustainable agriculture can also help increase the resilience of the agricultural system to impact of climate change, such as:
Diversifying crop rotations
Integrating livestock with crop production systems
Improving soil quality
Minimizing off-farm flows of nutrients and pesticides
Implementing more efficient irrigation practices.
The common agricultural adaptation strategies used by farmers were the use of drought resistant varieties of crops, crop diversification, changes in cropping pattern and calendar of planting, conserving soil moisture through appropriate tillage methods, improving irrigation efficiency, and afforestation.

What information do they need to adapt to their practices?
Ans: weather information, how to conserve water, importance of crop rotation and farming practices like conservation agriculture among others.

Where can they get this information?
Ans: Meteorological department, ministry of agriculture officials, radio stations, TV stations, news papers and from testimonies from other farmers.

4: what information can radio stations share?

Ans: Radio stations can share all agriculture information through having radio discussions (programs) working together with partners like the ministry of agriculture, weather/MET department, FRI and farmers themselves.

1 Like
#29

  1. Integrate Crop-Livestock-Forestry System
    The more diverse an agricultural system, the greater its ability on average to adapt to climate change.
    Instead of focusing the farm on one kind of production (crops or livestock or forestry), integrated systems combine them into one of four combinations: crops and livestock; crops and forestry; livestock and forestry; or crops, livestock and forestry.
    Integrated systems can also provide adaptation benefits. Research showed the integrated systems can make farms more resilient for every component analyzed: they can improve the local micro-climate by reducing local temperature and increasing precipitation and water availability; reduce the impact of extreme weather events on crops, livestock and other products; reduce soil erosion; improve productivity; and provide additional socioeconomic benefits by increasing the number of products farmers can produce for subsistence or to sell.

  2. Rehabilitate Degraded Pastures
    Pasture degradation is a major problem on farms. Degraded lands are prone to erosion and so retain less water, have less nutritious grass for feeding animals and contribute to low-productivity livestock production.
    There are several different ways to rehabilitate degraded pastures. The most conventional way involves applying fertilizers — but this is not always sustainable for farmers, as pastures usually require new fertilizer applications every four or five years. Degraded pasture can be more sustainably recovered by planting native forage or grass, or by introducing trees in the pasture to avoid soil erosion.
    Rehabilitation of degraded pastures also provides climate adaptation benefits, including reduced local temperatures, increased air humidity, better resistance against heat waves and drought and more resilience against natural disasters. It also has a positive effect on soil erosion and water availability.

  3. Plant Agroforestry Systems
    Agroforestry integrates trees and crops in an intentionally designed system. In an agroforestry system, every plant is selected for a particular purpose – species are selected so that plants will not compete but collaborate. This diversity of crops and trees allows the area to be productive all year long, so that small farmers can earn income in all seasons.
    Cocoa is one commodity that benefits from agroforestry.
    Agroforestry systems are an important tool for climate change adaptation in agriculture. The working paper finds that agroforestry produces adaptation benefits for local climate, including reducing the impact of five types of extreme weather events evaluated by the study (drought, heatwaves, cold waves, heavy rain and floods), improving soil and water availability, attracting pollinators and improving biodiversity.

  4. Pursue Sustainable Forestry
    Trees planted sustainably offer environmental benefits—such as capturing greenhouse gases and protecting the soil—as well as the potential for economic gain through the commercialization of timber and non-timber forest products.
    Aside from being a good investment, sustainable forestry provides positive adaptation effects in almost every factor, with an important exception: the risk of forest fires could be increased. Densely planted trees and flammable species such as eucalyptus can cause fires to quickly spread.
    Restoration and reforestation can be important tools for farmers. The Forest Code states that a portion of all rural properties must be covered with natural vegetation. Estimates indicate that 21 million hectares of forest (51 million acres) are degraded or deforested and need to be restored. Part of this is in sensitive areas, where plantations are not allowed, but an important portion could be planted with sustainable forests to provide economic and environmental benefits. Planting native species for timber or other purposes could become an important source of income for farmers, while helping rural lands and production adapt to climate change.

  • Farmers need to adapt the following practices *
  1.  Adaptation initiatives that  are limited in scope and scale, and their impacts are neither cohesive nor sustainable;

  2.  Institutional capacities, relationships, policies and practices to assess and manage climate change risks that are not developed sufficiently to create an enabling environment, with corresponding political and social champions to support the formulation and implementation of efficient solutions to a problem that has complex multi-sector effects;

  3.  Limited knowledge of the most appropriate adaptation policies and measures hinders countries from preparing themselves with the necessary institutional capacities to support climate risk management;

  4.  Limited financing options to sustain scaled-up adaptation measures remain a constraint; and

  5.  It is difficult for countries to learn from each other about their experiences with such different approaches to adaptation being implemented.

Farmers have had to adapt to the conditions imposed on them by the climate of their region since the inception of agriculture, but recent human-induced climate change is throwing them some unexpected curve balls. Extreme heat, floods, droughts, hail, and windstorms are some of the direct effects. In addition, there are changes in weed species and distribution, and pest and disease pressures, on top of potentially depleted soils and water stress. Fortunately, there are many practices that farmers can adopt and changes that can be made to our agricultural production system to make the system more resilient to our changing climate.
Farmers and ranchers are already adapting to our changing climate by changing their selection of crops and the timing of their field operations. Some farmers are applying increasing amounts of pesticides to control increased pest pressure. Many of the practices typically associated with sustainable agriculture can also help increase the resilience of the agricultural system to impact of climate change, such as:
diversifying crop rotations
integrating livestock with crop production systems
improving soil quality
minimizing off-farm flows of nutrients and pesticides
implementing more efficient irrigation practices

  • Farmers can get this informatioms * through media, research institutions, Institutional capacities, relationships, policies and practices to assess and manage climate change risks that are not developed sufficiently to create an enabling environment, with corresponding political and social champions to support the formulation and implementation of efficient solutions to a problem that has complex multi-sector effects.
    Radio Stations can share educational information on climate change to educate farmers on what to do, radio stations can invite resources Personnel to address topics on climate change.
#30

week’s questions and answers.
1: How can farmers adapt to climate change?

Ans: Farmers have had to adapt to the conditions imposed on them by the climate of their region since the inception of agriculture, but recent human-induced climate change is throwing them some unexpected curve balls. Extreme heat, floods, droughts, hail, and windstorms are some of the direct effects. In addition, there are changes in weed species and distribution, and pest and disease pressures, on top of potentially depleted soils and water stress. Fortunately, there are many practices that farmers can adopt and changes that can be made to our agricultural production system to make the system more resilient to our changing climate.
Farmers and ranchers are already adapting to our changing climate by changing their selection of crops and the timing of their field operations. Some farmers are applying increasing amounts of pesticides to control increased pest pressure. Many of the practices typically associated with sustainable agriculture can also help increase the resilience of the agricultural system to impact of climate change, such as:
Diversifying crop rotations
Integrating livestock with crop production systems
Improving soil quality
Minimizing off-farm flows of nutrients and pesticides
Implementing more efficient irrigation practices.
The common agricultural adaptation strategies used by farmers were the use of drought resistant varieties of crops, crop diversification, changes in cropping pattern and calendar of planting, conserving soil moisture through appropriate tillage methods, improving irrigation efficiency, and afforestation.

  1. What information do they need to adapt to their practices?
    Ans: weather information, how to conserve water, importance of crop rotation and farming practices like conservation agriculture among others.

  2. Where can they get this information?
    Ans: Meteorological department, ministry of agriculture officials, radio stations, TV stations, news papers and from testimonies from other farmers.

4: what information can radio stations share?

Ans: Radio stations can share all agriculture information through having radio discussions (programs) working together with partners like the ministry of agriculture, weather/METGood afternoon everyone,
Here is my submission on this week’s questions:
1: How can farmers adapt to climate change?

Ans: Farmers have had to adapt to the conditions imposed on them by the climate of their region since the inception of agriculture, but recent human-induced climate change is throwing them some unexpected curve balls. Extreme heat, floods, droughts, hail, and windstorms are some of the direct effects. In addition, there are changes in weed species and distribution, and pest and disease pressures, on top of potentially depleted soils and water stress. Fortunately, there are many practices that farmers can adopt and changes that can be made to our agricultural production system to make the system more resilient to our changing climate.
Farmers and ranchers are already adapting to our changing climate by changing their selection of crops and the timing of their field operations. Some farmers are applying increasing amounts of pesticides to control increased pest pressure. Many of the practices typically associated with sustainable agriculture can also help increase the resilience of the agricultural system to impact of climate change, such as:
Diversifying crop rotations
Integrating livestock with crop production systems
Improving soil quality
Minimizing off-farm flows of nutrients and pesticides
Implementing more efficient irrigation practices.
The common agricultural adaptation strategies used by farmers were the use of drought resistant varieties of crops, crop diversification, changes in cropping pattern and calendar of planting, conserving soil moisture through appropriate tillage methods, improving irrigation efficiency, and afforestation.

What information do they need to adapt to their practices?
Ans: weather information, how to conserve water, importance of crop rotation and farming practices like conservation agriculture among others.

Where can they get this information?
Ans: Meteorological department, ministry of agriculture officials, radio stations, TV stations, news papers and from testimonies from other farmers.

4: what information can radio stations share?

Ans: Radio stations can share all agriculture information through having radio discussions (programs) working together with partners like the ministry of agriculture, weather/MET department, FRI and farmers themselves. department, FRI and farmers themselves.

#31

week’s questions and answers.
1: How can farmers adapt to climate change?

Ans: Farmers have had to adapt to the conditions imposed on them by the climate of their region since the inception of agriculture, but recent human-induced climate change is throwing them some unexpected curve balls. Extreme heat, floods, droughts, hail, and windstorms are some of the direct effects. In addition, there are changes in weed species and distribution, and pest and disease pressures, on top of potentially depleted soils and water stress. Fortunately, there are many practices that farmers can adopt and changes that can be made to our agricultural production system to make the system more resilient to our changing climate.
Farmers and ranchers are already adapting to our changing climate by changing their selection of crops and the timing of their field operations. Some farmers are applying increasing amounts of pesticides to control increased pest pressure. Many of the practices typically associated with sustainable agriculture can also help increase the resilience of the agricultural system to impact of climate change, such as:
Diversifying crop rotations
Integrating livestock with crop production systems
Improving soil quality
Minimizing off-farm flows of nutrients and pesticides
Implementing more efficient irrigation practices.
The common agricultural adaptation strategies used by farmers were the use of drought resistant varieties of crops, crop diversification, changes in cropping pattern and calendar of planting, conserving soil moisture through appropriate tillage methods, improving irrigation efficiency, and afforestation.

  1. What information do they need to adapt to their practices?
    Ans: weather information, how to conserve water, importance of crop rotation and farming practices like conservation agriculture among others.

  2. Where can they get this information?
    Ans: Meteorological department, ministry of agriculture officials, radio stations, TV stations, news papers and from testimonies from other farmers.

4: what information can radio stations share?

Ans: Radio stations can share all agriculture information through having radio discussions (programs) working together with partners like the ministry of agriculture, weather/METGood afternoon everyone,
Here is my submission on this week’s questions:
1: How can farmers adapt to climate change?

Ans: Farmers have had to adapt to the conditions imposed on them by the climate of their region since the inception of agriculture, but recent human-induced climate change is throwing them some unexpected curve balls. Extreme heat, floods, droughts, hail, and windstorms are some of the direct effects. In addition, there are changes in weed species and distribution, and pest and disease pressures, on top of potentially depleted soils and water stress. Fortunately, there are many practices that farmers can adopt and changes that can be made to our agricultural production system to make the system more resilient to our changing climate.
Farmers and ranchers are already adapting to our changing climate by changing their selection of crops and the timing of their field operations. Some farmers are applying increasing amounts of pesticides to control increased pest pressure. Many of the practices typically associated with sustainable agriculture can also help increase the resilience of the agricultural system to impact of climate change, such as:
Diversifying crop rotations
Integrating livestock with crop production systems
Improving soil quality
Minimizing off-farm flows of nutrients and pesticides
Implementing more efficient irrigation practices.
The common agricultural adaptation strategies used by farmers were the use of drought resistant varieties of crops, crop diversification, changes in cropping pattern and calendar of planting, conserving soil moisture through appropriate tillage methods, improving irrigation efficiency, and afforestation.

What information do they need to adapt to their practices?
Ans: weather information, how to conserve water, importance of crop rotation and farming practices like conservation agriculture among others.

Where can they get this information?
Ans: Meteorological department, ministry of agriculture officials, radio stations, TV stations, news papers and from testimonies from other farmers.

4: what information can radio stations share?

Ans: Radio stations can share all agriculture information through having radio discussions (programs) working together with partners like the ministry of agriculture, weather/MET department, FRI and farmers themselves. department, FRI and farmers themselves.

#32

Adapting to climate change entails a very complex decision-making process. Each of the impacts of climate change presents some challenges to the farmer. The farmer has to deal with impacts such as the unpredictable onset of rains, reduced rainfall amount, increased climate variability, increased temperatures, etc. All decisions have to be geared towards reducing risks of crop and/or yield loss associated with each and every impact. Some actions for dealing with the impacts are proposed below.
Reducing Risk of Climate Variability

  1. Choose crop species and varieties adapted to the prevalent or expected impacts of climate change for the region or farming system.
    a. Consider traits like time to blooming, maturity, and/or ripening
    b. Look out for resistance/tolerance to drought, pests, and diseases - economical and environmentally friendly means of safeguarding crops against abiotic and/or biotic stresses.
  2. Adopt newly developed or introduced crops and/or their varieties that are relevant to their context and get knowledge on how best to grow them.
  3. Use quality seeds, planting materials, and rootstock and scion combinations, of well-adapted varieties.
  4. Promote intra- and inter-specific diversity over space (e.g. intercropping, using crop variety mixtures) and/or time (e.g. crop rotations) to increase the stability of crop yields.
  5. Adopt appropriate crop associations and rotations to meet specific adaptation goals
  6. Use cover crops to partially replace mineral fertilizer inputs, and/or mechanical soil tillage.
    a. In climate-smart systems, the main function of cover crops is not necessarily to produce seed, so terminate when the desired agronomic goal is achieved.
    b. Farmers must ‘adjust’ cover crops to fit into the already-existing cropping system instead of adjusting the farming system to accommodate the cover crops.
  7. Use a mixture of appropriately chosen genotypes of a given species to increase resilience in the face of climate unpredictability.
    a. A mixture of high-yielding hybrid varieties and traditional varieties
    b. A mixture of cultivars with different maturity durations
  8. Select species of annual crops (e.g. leguminous crops) to grow in-between the rows of perennial crops in such a way to avoid competition for water in the most vulnerable phenological stages.
  9. Adopt and practice Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) which prescribes the combined use of organic and inorganic sources of fertilizer.

Reducing Risk Associated with the Unpredictable Onset of Rains

  1. Establish collaboration or partnership with an agency that produces reliable seasonal forecasts
  2. Improve capacity to accurately interpret seasonal forecasts
  3. Base all cropping decisions on seasonal forecasts
  4. Select crop varieties and adapt crop calendars based on forecast temperature and rainfall patterns
  5. Use forecasts to plan the timing of husbandry operations such as when to apply fertilizer, the best time for deficit irrigation, when to prune to avert damage from heat and/or moisture, fruit thinning to reduce competition for assimilates during excessively high fruit set, etc.
  6. Adopt soil and water conservation techniques, especially in situ water conservation to avert crop loss due to the false start of the rainy season.
#33

Good morning,
Q.
Farmers in Mufumbwe District have been hit unexpectedly with the current changes.
Climate change did not spare Mufumbwe but not as severe as it has this season. With this happenings farmers are now forced to grow early maturing crops as the first priority, and then diversification will be idea because some crops does not need enough water.
Q.2
Today farmers in Mufumbwe District need information on managing the early maturing crops because some crops you may understand that they do not need enough water hence they rought, they also need information of crop diversification and how this can support there well being.
The other thing again is, in other areas farmers have completely cut down trees in there farmlands, this has affected the rain pattern as well the change in climate not just that the land has also been affected, meaning farmers need to also understand how protect the land.
Q3.
The information farmers need can be gotten through, ministry of Agriculture and other relevant organizations to work together so that they understand ways in which they can produce amidst the challenges being faced.
Q4.
As radio stations, we are going to act as middle men to sensitize the farmers at the some time engaging farmers to appreciate there challenges and also finding sources of best farming systems they can use following the current situation.

#34

Morning everyone

Today is officially the last day for our climate change discussion. Please make sure you are up to date with your contributions so that you may not miss out on receiving a certificate of participation. Only people that have been active in all the weeks will be awarded a certificate.

I also still want to encourage you to use the opportunity we have of having climate change resource people around, ask any question you have on climate change and they will respond. If no more questions, that is still OK.

If you have any challenges, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Cheers

1 Like
#35

How can farmers adapt to climate change?

By growing diverse crops that can cope in different weather. Agriculture is highly dependent on good weather, including high and low temperatures, rainfall, wind intensity, and many other variables. Estimates show that climate change might reduce global agriculture productivity by 17% by 2050.
For countries highly dependent on agricultural exports, like Brazil, this poses a real problem. Research shows that climate change-driven changes in rainfall patterns could severely reduce the harvest of healthy crops like rice, corn, cocao in Sierra Leone.
The good news is that farmers can adapt. A new working paper published by WRI Brasil, GIZ and the Brazilian Coalition on Climate, Forest, and Agriculture, with the contribution of several experts and scientists, presents evidence and proposes solutions for reducing climate change risks to farmlands. These include policies already in place in Brazil that are still relatively unknown, but that could be expanded in Brazil, or replicated in other countries.
Here is a selection of four sustainable ways farmers can produce more food and adapt to climate change at the same time.

  1. Integrate Crop-Livestock-Forestry Systems

A system combining corn and paricĂĄ, an Amazon native tree species. Alan Batista/WRI Brasil
The more diverse an agricultural system, the greater its ability on average to adapt to climate change.
Instead of focusing the farm on one kind of production (crops or livestock or forestry), integrated systems combine them into one of four combinations: crops and livestock; crops and forestry; livestock and forestry; or crops, livestock and forestry.
How does this work? According to the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, integrated systems can produce food, energy, fiber, timber and non-timber forest products in the same area, at the same time or in rotation.
Integrated systems can also provide adaptation benefits. Our research showed integrated systems can make farms more resilient for every component analyzed: they can improve the local micro-climate by reducing local temperature and increasing precipitation and water availability; reduce the impact of extreme weather events on crops, livestock and other products; reduce soil erosion; improve productivity; and provide additional socioeconomic benefits by increasing the number of products farmers can produce for subsistence or to sell.

  1. Rehabilitate Degraded Pastures

A farm where the pasture was reabilitated by Fazenda Ecologica using rotation and trees in the Minas Gerais countryside. Photo by Daniel Hunter/WRI Brasil
Pasture degradation is a major problem on Brazilian farms. Degraded lands are prone to erosion and so retain less water, have less nutritious grass for feeding animals and contribute to low-productivity livestock production.
There are several different ways to rehabilitate degraded pastures. The most conventional way involves applying fertilizers — but this is not always sustainable for farmers, as pastures usually require new fertilizer applications every four or five years. Degraded pasture can be more sustainably recovered by planting native forage or grass, or by introducing trees in the pasture to avoid soil erosion.
Rehabilitation of pasture can contribute to new, more sustainable ways of raising animals, as demonstrated by the work of Fazenda EcolĂłgica. This combines grazing with trees to improve the health of the soil and the wellbeing of the animals while mitigating carbon emissions.
Rehabilitation of degraded pastures also provides climate adaptation benefits, including reduced local temperatures, increased air humidity, better resistance against heatwaves and drought and more resilience against natural disasters. It also has a positive effect on soil erosion and water availability.

  1. Plant Agroforestry Systems. Its integrates trees and crops in an intentionally designed system. In an agroforestry system, every plant is selected for a particular purpose – species are selected so that plants will not compete but collaborate. This diversity of crops and trees allows the area to be productive all year long, so that small farmers can earn income in all seasons.
    Cocoa is one commodity that benefits from agroforestry. Cocoa plants can grow better and be even more resilient under the shade of other trees. In Sierra Leone sometimes farmers don’t have many farming lands hence this system will be difficult.

Where can they get this information?

There should be an organised system.in every country wherein information on Climate change is displayed and the media will serve an important tool in disseminating climate change messages to farmers.

What information can radio stations share?

Weather forecast, we should have climate change reporters who can do thorough research on ways farmers can adapt yo.climate change. Everyday program.

1 Like
#36

Good afternoon colleagues. Here is my take on this week’s discussion.

**How can farmers adapt to climate change?

In his famous The Africans: A Triple Heritage Video series, Professor Ali Mazrui argues that Africans are poor because the continent is resource-rich. He gave examples of why, for example, Africans living in the tropics did not need to learn how to manufacture clothes, or build stylish houses, or grow food, or harvest rainwater because of the bounty of nature. The weather was so friendly and predictable throughout the year that walking around conducting daily business while hardly wearing any clothes was the norm. Throughout the year, there was sufficient rainfall that rivers had so much plentiful water that anybody found storing water, let alone harvesting it, would be considered a suitable candidate for a mental facility. Wild food was so abundant that there was no need to plant any. The weather was so warm that people were sleeping outside and did not need to construct houses. Contrast this with the life of an Eskimo. They could die of hypothermia if they slept outside, walked barefoot, or did not have clothes. To survive, they needed to be innovative and inventive. Consider those populations living in desert-like climates. If they did not harvest or store water, they would die. To survive, they became resourceful and innovative. They are the ones we admire these days as communities with great irrigation technologies. My point is, it is true that necessity is the mother of invention and we must ensure that in our interactions with the affected communities, demonstrate that. Unfortunately, history teaches us that in many cases, people change after ‘experiencing’ the hardship and not after being told of the hardship. The fact is that those who have been living in hostile climate conditions are the ones who have become more adaptable than those who have been living in ‘good’ climatic conditions. So, our approach to making farmers adapt to climate change should not be by telling them that they need to adapt to climate change. We need to focus on making them hear/see stories of individuals/communities (preferably those like them) suffering because of climate change. YOU should not be the one telling them to change their ways – show/tell them the consequences of climate change. The need to change their way(s) of life should come from them. Then, only then, should you offer them alternatives of what can be done. For those familiar with Farm Radio International programming approaches, I would recommend using ‘The Story Telling’ method when programming for climate change adaptation.

  1. What information do they need to adapt to their practices?

Information outlets, including radio stations and extension workers, need to create future scenarios of what life will be like (if there will be life at all), when the rain stops falling, or when there are floods, or when the temperature reaches the high 40s. Show or tell your audience about what is happening in Madagascar (drought), Sudan (floods), and in some parts of Africa where the effects of climate change are being felt. You will know you have shown or told them enough when they start asking, ‘What should we do to survive such situations?’ It does not help to start by telling them what to do before they internalize the consequences of the situation. That is why we have failed with issues of charcoal burning and other things. My grandfather in the village does not understand why you broadcast messages that he should stop charcoal burning because trees have been depleted, when he still has a few fully-grown trees in his backyard, for example – and that may be the only picture (fully-grown trees) available to him. So, let the farmers see what you have seen, and hear what you have heard. They will reach the appropriate conclusion themselves. Mwalimu Julius Nyerere once said, ‘Nobody develops (changes) people, people develop themselves, others can just facilitate the process’.

  1. Where can they get this information?

Here is work broadcasters and extension workers. Remember, you need to be very strategic in approaching the subject. I would also like to share that sharing stories from other countries has become more manageable if you partner with farm radio International. You can have access to such stories from the whole continent of Africa. That is worth sharing.

  1. What information can radio stations share?

Share stories of those experiencing climate change right now, or of those who experienced climate change and were able to deal with it. Do not ‘talk down on farmers’ as a group resisting change. They resist because they do not see the need. Give them the required information, let it (emphasis on ‘let’) dawn on them that they need to change. Do not push them to change. Once they reach that stage, they will run to you and ask, what should we do? Do not start with what they need to do – it might not be a productive approach.

#37
  1. Farmers can adapt to climate change by developing and putting in place right measures such as planting drought resistance crops and flood resistance crops and also water harvesting for their livestock and crops.
  2. Information on Water harvesting, climate change, drought and flood resistance crops or simply suitable crops for their environments.
  3. Local radio stations, national televisions and national radios should play a role in disseminating this information. And importantly, agriculture, forestry and livestock department/ministries should also be disseminating such information especially in local languages.
  4. Radio stations should share all information on climate change, depending on the place share suitable information about crops, livestock that can be grown and kept respectively. And also promote where farmers can access certain information about climate change and other agriculture and livestock topics apart from the radio.
#38

Hello,

I like your choice of words - ‘… farmers are now forced to grow …’ Change happens because of two reasons: forced (for survival), or by choice. Change by choice is more difficult to achieve because it means that the participants have choices and in many circumstances, they are being asked to abandon what is very familiar to them and take up something new and sometimes, unknown. The adage: the devil you know is better than the angel you do not, comes into play. That is why they will continue with the destructive way until they can not do it anymore. ‘Forced’ Change is easier to achieve because it has reached a point of ‘swim or sink’. As facilitators of development, we need to develop approaches that make targetted communities change out of choice. The challenge is to us, here, on this forum, not them.

#39

I am responding to this post: likomenocaleb94

#40

I agree with you Seidu-Latif.nathanie on the need for different stakeholders to share information with farmers. I would like to add that it is also very important to give enough space to the farmers for discussion. Discussion is the second tenet of community radio which is given little space. Those who consider themselves as information sources give themselves a lot of time to ‘teach’ the farmers because they consider the farmers less knowledgeable on the issue being discussed. Giving information is fine. It is the first role/tenet of community radio. From the first tenet (information-giving) most information givers/experts/broadcasters move quickly to ‘what needs to be done’. We need to learn to slow down, and ensure that we address the farmers’ questions and concerns on the matter. That is why every approach needs to have space for discussions. Only after all the questions and concerns have been addressed, can we move to the next stage of what needs to be done. And we only move to that stage when the targetted audience has demanded that we need to talk about the solutions to the problems presented, identified, and discussed.