Here are some examples of climate-smart, climate-resilient agricultural practices that are suitable for sustainable, subsistence farming:

• Practising crop diversification, including planting a mix of cover crops for shade, and crop rotation to replace soil nutrients, support healthy soil and minimise space for weeds to grow.
• Growing native plant varieties that are suitable for local environmental conditions.
• Conserving water, including collecting rainwater for irrigation. Targeted watering delivers water directly to the roots of plants during the coolest times of the day to reduce waste and evaporation.
• Using organic pest and weed control products and reducing the use of chemical pesticides and fertilisers.
• Practising integrated pest management.
• Composting or using leaves, grass cuttings and food scraps as fertiliser.
• Protecting the forests.
• Protecting biodiversity by protecting animal and plant habitats, reducing pollution and sustainably managing natural resources.

Linking locale-specific impacts of climate change to sustainable efforts

“The negative effects of droughts in soil fertility can be minimized by adding organic substances such as compost, sewage slugs, or municipal solid waste that increases the activity of soil enzymes.”

Source: Bogoti, K., & Walczak, M. (2022). The impact of drought stress on soil microbial community, enzyme activities and plants: Agronomy, 12(1): 1. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12010189
Licence: CC BY 4.0 DEED

Some farmers are adopting accessible climate-smart agricultural practices such as mulching, intercropping and using green manure. In Bangladesh, some farmers are planting varieties of rice that can tolerate salinity in the soil. In Mozambique, irrigation systems, including reservoirs, can reduce the impact of climate change, but they are mainly used by large-scale commercial farmers.

Other farmers practise protected agriculture. This means that they grow their crops under shelter — for example, greenhouses, shade cloths or windbreaks — to protect them from the elements and modify the natural environment surrounding them. This type of agriculture can extend the growing season and result in a better quality, larger quantity and wider variety of crops.