How Do Farmers Adapt to Climate Change?

Farmers are on the frontline of climate change, and they are feeling its effects more acutely than ever. As heat-waves, drought, and flooding increase, farmers are increasingly struggling to produce enough food and to support their businesses.  In response to these shifting weather patterns due to climate change, farmers around the world have been adjusting their farming practices for many years. A recent news report shows several methods of agricultural adaptation to climate change. In this article, we’ll review some of the main ways in which farmers are adapting to climate change today.

Background Information: What Is Climate Change Adaptation?

Full Report: How Farmers Are Adapting to Climate Change (CBS News, Nov 2022).

1. Migrating Farming To Cooler Regions

Farmers Seek Agricultural Adaptation To Northern Regions

The number of farmers that are establishing their farm in northern regions of the US is increasing as they chase cooler temperatures in order to grow healthy crops. As climate change continues to dictate where they can grow certain crops and the southern US becomes hotter, we can expect more farmers to shift the location of their farms to cooler areas.

For example, citrus fruits are commonly grown in warmer tropical and subtropical regions because they can only grow in temperatures higher than 60°F. However, citrus farmer Joe Franklin established his citrus farm in Georgia, where the temperatures are cooler. Growing citrus fruits in Georgia, where temperatures can drop to 30°F, has traditionally been impossible. However, while many doubted his decision at first, Joe Franklin now has 12,000 varieties of citrus trees thriving on his 78-acre farm in Georgia. In an interview with CBS News, Franklin explained that climate change-driven shifts in weather patterns and warmer temperatures in Georgia allowed him to build a citrus farm in Georgia. The mild frosts in October and freezing temperatures in November that used to characterize the region are no longer common, making the climate conditions in Georgia now ideal for citrus fruits.

The consequences of climate change are intensifying and affecting more farmers, particularly those farther south. Southern regions of the US – and the globe – are facing more severe drought than ever before. This makes it difficult, if not impossible, to grow even crops that historically thrived in these warmer climates.. This pushes farmers like Joe Franklin to migrate to cooler regions.

Utilizing Advanced Technology

New AI Technology May Help Farmers Avoid Climate Risk

The droughts, floods, and other extreme weather events that have become more common in recent years make it harder for farmers to predict what will happen from one season to the next. This unpredictability makes it difficult for farmers to plan ahead and invest in their businesses with confidence. As a result, many small farms are struggling to stay afloat. But with the use of new technology, farmers may now have the ability to avoid climate risks. 

A San Francisco-based start-up that creates AI technology offers a possible solution to help farmers avoid the impacts of climate change on their farms. Their tool, called ClimateAI, uses artificial intelligence to anticipate climate risks for farmers and create a forecast. The tool can provide crucial information such as which locations will be ideal for growing a specific type of crop in the coming years based on the forecasted impacts of climate change.

This new AI technology will not only help farmers identify the best crops to grow in specific areas and seasons, but it may also help food businesses tailor the products they sell to predicted availability based on climate conditions.

Creating More Climate-Resilient Crop Varieties

State of Georgia Seeks New Peach Varieties That Could Adapt to Warmer Climate

Georgia is known as the peach state of the United States because it produces the best quality peaches in the country. However, this reputation is also being affected by climate change. 

Georgia peaches need the chilling temperatures of winter (below 45°F) and an average of 900 to 1,000 chill hours in order to bloom and grow in spring. But, the winter in Georgia is now becoming warmer, putting peach production at risk as temperatures below 45°F become increasingly infrequent.

While the warmer temperatures in Georgia may welcome new varieties of crops like on Joe Franklin’s citrus farm, agricultural climatologist Pam Knox explains that the 3.5°F increase in temperature in Georgia’s winter seasons today may affect the yield and quality of the peaches. Because of this, researchers in Georgia are seeking new varieties of peach that could adapt to a warmer climate and require fewer chilling hours. In 2020, the USDA had already released three new peach varieties known as the “Joy” trio, which require shorter chilling hours (less time in the cold) in order to bloom.

• Crimson Joy – 700 chilling hours
• Liberty Joy – 650 chilling hours
• Rich Joy – 850 chilling hours

We are seeing some very innovative and exciting agricultural solutions being developed in response to climate change impacts. Farmers are migrating their crops to cooler regions, companies are developing new technologies, and researchers are seeking new varieties of fruit that can adapt to a warmer climate. These shifts and innovations can give us hope that we will be able to continue producing food even as the climate changes.

Read more:

• Restoring Large Mammal Species Can Help Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation
• Examples of Climate Change Adaptation
• Climate Adaptation Strategies

Sources: 

“How farmers Are Adapting to Climate Change” CBS News (Nov 20, 2022)

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/how-farmers-are-adapting-to-climate-change/#x

“Three New Peach Cultivars from the USDA” University of Georgia (Dec 30, 2020)

https://site.extension.uga.edu/peaches/2020/12/three-new-peach-cultivars-from-the-usda/

Farmers are on the frontline of climate change, and they are feeling its effects more acutely than ever. As heat-waves, drought, and flooding increase, farmers are increasingly struggling to produce enough food and to support their businesses.  In response to these shifting weather patterns due to climate change, farmers around the world have been adjusting…