Strengthening the resilience of dryland agriculture

Farmers in dryland countries are already hard-hit by climate change – with many forced to contend with increasingly erratic rainfall, more frequent drought, extreme temperatures, shifting climatic zones, and the arrival of new crop pests and diseases. As a result, there is an urgent need to strengthen agricultural resilience to support rural livelihoods and maintain domestic food production. Failure to do so risks an unhealthy reliance on imported food, which would expose ordinary people to the vagaries of global commodity markets.

Experience suggests that resilience can be achieved through a combination of new climate-smart technologies and institutional and policy reforms, including improved extension strategies and safety nets for farmers, particularly those in marginal areas who are most threatened by crop and livestock failures.
Fortunately, countries that find themselves on the front-line of climate change can learn from the experiences of other countries.

Read the full article via ICARDA web site.

[Photo by oatsy40 | Flickr]