Real world stories from the frontlines of climate change, resilience, and the future of food Practical insights and plenty of examples of how we can reshape our food system to one that is resilient and regenerative. — Mathis Wackernagel, Ph.D., founder and president, Global Footprint Network, co-author Ecological Footprint Inspiring and practical at a time when we desperately need both. — Dr. Anne Waple, founder and CEO, Earth's Next Chapter Brilliantly argues that it isn't some vague notion of "technology" that will show us the way forward but people working together and carefully stewarding the land. — Mark Bittman, author, Animal, Vegetable, Junk and How to Cook Everything CLIMATE CHANGE PRESENTS an unprecedented challenge to food and farming in the U.S. and beyond. Damaging weather variability and extremes capture the headlines, but more subtle changes caused by hotter summer nights, warmer winters, and a longer growing season have far-reaching effects on the land, people, and communities that feed us. This expanded and updated edition of Resilient Agriculture takes you beyond the headlines and the hype to shine a light on agricultural climate solutions with the power to cultivate new American foodways that are just, sustainable, regenerative, and resilient. Updated content includes: Current and expected changes in regional weather patterns that disrupt food and farming New adaptation stories from sustainable, climate-smart, organic, and regenerative farmers and updates on the producers featured in the first edition Real-world applications of resilience thinking that connect the dots between food justice, sustainable development, regenerative economy, and planetary health A companion website with stories, videos, issue briefs, reading guides, and more. Whether you are working in food and farming or are simply an interested eater, Resilient Agriculture will take you on a journey into real-world resilience solutions with the power to regenerate the well-being of land, people, and community no matter the challenges ahead. What would a more resilient food system look like? Lengnick answers that question with this path-breaking, delightfully informative book. — Richard Heinberg, senior fellow, Post Carbon Institute, author, Power: Limits and Prospects for Human Survival A guidepost for building a better and more resilient food system. — Dr. Gabrielle Roesch-McNally, director, Women for the Land, American Farmland Trust

Biodiversity and Climate Change Adaptation in Tropical Islands provides comprehensive information on climate change, biodiversity, possible impacts, adaptation measures and policy challenges to help users rehabilitate and preserve the natural resources of tropical islands. While biodiversity and climate change of tropical islands has previously received less attention, it is ironically one of the most vulnerable regions in this regard. The core content of the work derives largely from the ideas and research output from various reputed scientists and experts who have recorded climate change impacts on aquatic and coastal life in tropical regions. Contributors have direct working experience with the tribes in some of the tropical islands. All of their expertise and information is compiled and presented in the work, including coverage related to climate change. This work highlights the ever-growing need to develop and apply strategies that optimize the use of natural resources, both on land and in water and judicious use of biodiversity. It functions as a critical resource on tropical island biodiversity for researchers, academicians, practitioners and policy makers in a variety of related disciplines. - Covers a huge range of biodiversity documentation, conservation measures and strategies that can be applied to various sectors, from forests to agriculture - Brings together expertise from researchers in the area who have direct experience in the regions described - Contains a wealth of field research related to biodiversity conservation and its applications from a variety of tropical islands

Smallholder farming systems contribute a substantial quantity of the food consumed in many lower and middle-income countries and contribute to the national and local economies. Despite the importance of smallholder farming, a transformation is needed in order to deliver food security and decent incomes for the farmers themselves and at the national level. This transformation must also be sustainable in terms of environmental impacts and social equity in order to be successful in the long term. The pressures of population growth, climate change, and land fragmentation compound the problem. Addressing these overlapping issues is a big challenge. One obstacle is the lack of good quality granular data linking these issues together. Household surveys are the workhorse method for gathering such data, but there are well-known problems that prevent household survey data from building up a “big picture” and delivering insights beyond the geographical boundary of each individual study. Such obstacles include the lack of access to datasets, differences in survey design, and respondent biases. Agile, data-oriented research tools can help to overcome these challenges. We use the term “agile” to imply methods that do not attempt exhaustive measurements, which are designed to be easy to use, and which entail some degree of flexibility in terms of adaptation to local conditions and integration with other tools or methods. Often these methods also nudge the behavior of tool users towards best practices. In recent years various research tools and approaches have been published which fit within our definition of “agile data-oriented research tools”. The domains these tools function in include monitoring and evaluation, intervention targeting, tailored information delivery, citizen science, credit scoring, and user feedback collection; all with the over-arching aim to improve data quality and access for those studying the sustainable development of smallholder farming systems. The goal of this Research Topic is to better define that niche, the ecosystem of tools and current practices, and to explore how such approaches can provide the underpinning knowledge required for the transformation of smallholder farming systems. One example of an agile data-oriented research tool is the Rural Household Multi-Indicator Survey (RHoMIS). It is a modular, digital system for building household surveys addressing the common topics in smallholder development. It was purposefully designed to give a broad overview of the farm system whist keeping survey duration to a minimum, to be user-friendly in implementation, and to be sufficiently flexible to function in a broad variety of locations and projects. Since 2015 it has been used by 30 organizations in 32 countries to interview over 34,000 households. The tool and database are open access and a community of practice is developing around the tool. We particularly welcome contributions that engage with the RHoMIS tool and data. However, we also describe the tool in order to provide an example of what is meant by an agile data-oriented research tool, and welcome contributions focusing on other tools or methodologies. We encourage the submission of manuscripts addressing the above topic, and those which fit within one of the following three sub-themes: (i) Perspectives or review articles which explore the niche, best practices, or promising approaches in agile data-oriented research tools for smallholder farm system transformation. Also, technology and code articles that describe new tools are welcomed. (ii) Original research articles presenting analyses based on data derived from agile data-oriented tools used at the project level. Examples include impact evaluations, adoption studies, targeting studies, or adaptive management, and should reflect on the additional benefit leveraged by the agile method applied. (iii) Original research articles that make use of the large amounts of data generated by such agile methods and/or link between agile data and other data sources. Examples include meta-analyses of data from multiple studies, layering data collected from different agile tools, or linking agile data to remote sensing or large-scale modeling outputs.

Indian Economy on The Eve of Independence On the eve of India's independence in 1947, the Indian economy was predominantly agrarian, with agriculture contributing a significant portion to the national income and employing most of the population. However, it was also characterized by a complex mix of colonial exploitation, poverty, and limited industrialization. Key Features of the Indian Economy Before Independence: Agriculture Dominance: Agriculture was the backbone of the economy, employing about 70-80% of the workforce. Landholdings were generally small, and farmers faced various challenges such as tenancy issues, lack of credit, and dependence on monsoons. Colonial Legacy: The British colonial rule had left a deep imprint on India's economy, with policies often designed to benefit British interests. Industries were concentrated in a few urban centres, mainly for processing raw materials for export. Limited Industrialization: India had a nascent industrial sector, mostly comprising small-scale industries and cottage industries. Major industries like textiles, jute, and steel were in existence but were largely underdeveloped compared to their potential. Trade and Commerce: India's trade was dominated by British interests, with raw materials being exported to Britain and finished goods imported back into India. Infrastructure such as railways and ports primarily served the purpose of facilitating colonial trade. Infrastructure: The infrastructure was inadequate and unequally developed across regions. Railways, though extensive, were largely geared towards transporting raw materials for export rather than promoting industrial growth. Poverty and Social Issues: Poverty was widespread, with a large population living below the poverty line. Social issues such as caste-based discrimination and limited access to education and healthcare persisted. Political Unrest: The economy was affected by political movements and unrest against British rule, which often disrupted economic activities. Challenges on the Eve of Independence: Economic Dependence: India was economically dependent on Britain, both in terms of trade and technology. Infrastructure Deficit: Limited infrastructure development hindered economic growth. Social Issues: Poverty, illiteracy, and social inequality posed significant challenges. Industrial Backwardness: The industrial sector was underdeveloped, leading to limited job opportunities outside agriculture. In summary, the Indian economy on the eve of independence was characterized by its agrarian base, colonial exploitation, limited industrialization, and significant social and economic challenges. The period following independence would witness efforts to address these issues through economic planning, industrialization policies, and social reforms aimed at transforming India into a modern nation.

Farming Systems Research has three core characteristics: it builds on systems thinking, it depends on the close collaboration between social and biophysical sciences, and it relies on participation to build co-learning processes. Farming Systems Research posits that to contribute towards sustainable rural development, both interdisciplinary collaborations and local actor engagement are needed. Together, they allow for changes in understanding and changes in practices. This book gives an overview of the insights generated in 20 years of Farming Systems Research. It retraces the emergence and development of Farming Systems Research in Europe, summarises the state-of-the-art for key areas, and provides an outlook on new explorations, especially those tackling the dynamic nature of farming systems and their interaction with the natural environment and the context of action.

This paper seeks to enhance our understanding of resilience processes, activities, and outcomes by examining initiatives to enhance resilience capacity that are designed and implemented by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). The paper begins with a review of the evolution in thinking about the concept of resilience that has occurred over the past five years. This is followed by a review of the wide range of strategies and interventions employed by NGOs to build resilience capacity. The paper then presents several case studies that highlight NGO efforts to enhance resilience either by focusing on a specific vulnerable population and shock or by integrating, sequencing, and layering activities to support and protect core programming goals (for example, food and nutrition security, poverty reduction) while contributing overall to enhanced resilience capacity. Finally, the paper reviews measurement issues related to resilience, the challenges encountered by NGOs, and lessons learned. The paper concludes with a number of recommendations for improving NGO resilience programming.

The effects of climate change and climate variability on agriculture pose the greatest challenge for Kenya to realize its Vision 2030 and other agricultural strategies. Agriculture is sensitive and highly vulnerable to climate change/variability, whose effects are already being experienced in life threatening ways. Given the high dependency on rain-fed agriculture, people and communities whose livelihoods is conditional on agricultural sector are at higher risk of climatic extremes. This manual has been prepared to assist agricultural extension officers and community leaders in disseminating a list of Climate-Smart Agriculture practices. These set of practices when implemented in an integrated approach should ensure increased production and profitability, enhance resilience and adaptation to climate change effects but also promote low greenhouse gas emission. Though the list of practices are not exhaustive, the manual attempt to demonstrate possible effective combination of practices that are suitable for most of the Kenyan farming systems and which simultaneously achieve a farming approach that is productive, adaptive and with opportunities for carbon sinks. Each chapter describes a Climate-Smart Agriculture practice and tries to respond to the three questions of proposed technologies i.e. What?, Why? and How? The format of writing was intended to make it easy for the users to be able to apply the synergistic implementation of selected practices. This manual will be complemented by other manuals and policy guidelines prepared by FAO and the Government of Kenya to support policy makers in integrating climate change concerns in other development areas while achieving food and nutrition security.

The global coronavirus pandemic is revealing major weaknesses, inequities and system-wide risks in global food systems, giving renewed urgency to foster pathways to greater food system sustainability and resilience. Due to rising unemployment, supply chain disruptions and other responses to the pandemic, such as disruptions to social assistance programs in some countries, predictions suggest a near doubling of food insecurity globally. Nutritional changes are also occurring, as food availability and access changes, leading to substitution of dry, canned or processed foods for healthier, fresh ingredients, for some communities, and the reverse for others. These food security and nutritional changes are likely to be as impactful on human health as the virus itself. As a system-wide shock, the pandemic reveals weaknesses of global supply chains. The media highlighted empty supermarket shelves alongside food dumping in situations where producers locked into disappearing food service outlets were unable to access new markets. Farmers with long-standing reliance on migrant agricultural labor that can no longer travel across international borders under lockdown struggle to access support for the upcoming harvest season. The pandemic highlights well-known inequities for marginalized food systems employees; as essential workers are exposed to greater risks of contracting the virus in food-processing, agricultural and grocery store settings, but have little choice in accepting these conditions in order to keep these low-paying jobs. The pandemic reinforces another well-known food system inequity: marginalized and impoverished minorities often suffer from diet-related diseases (i.e. cardiovascular diseases, diabetes) and/or malnutrition that place them at greater risk of morbidity and mortality from the coronavirus. Lockdowns and border closures are reducing economic opportunities such as day labor and agricultural markets in some regions, such as much of Africa; ensuing risks of food and nutrition insecurity for vast segments of the population threaten to set back development, increase social conflict, and catalyze migration. Finally, the current pandemic shines a spotlight on the systemic risk of infectious diseases to emerge and become globalized through local bushmeat markets and international wildlife trade, and how wildlife hunting and trade is influenced by land use changes, including by industrial agriculture. At the same time, adaptive responses to the coronavirus illustrate how more resilient and sustainable food systems could evolve going forward. To avoid supply chain disruptions, communities are increasing their reliance on local food systems, including an increase in urban gardening and community-supported agriculture programs. Small-scale farmers are innovating to connect with buyers and with each other, including through new online marketing initiatives. Entrepreneurs are identifying foods that would otherwise be wasted and directing them to food banks. Retailers and wholesalers are re-configuring their distribution networks to shift food to where it is needed most. Food pantries, local producers and food businesses are also collaborating with municipal governments to address food security gaps arising from COVID-19 impacts.

"The joint workshop on Building resilience for adaptation to climate change in the agriculture sector was organized by FAO and OECD, and was held from 23 to 24 April 2012, at FAO headquarters in Rome."--P. 5.