The agrifood sector is particularly vulnerable to climate change, with losses and damages occurring due to extreme weather events like high temperatures, droughts, and floods. Small-scale farmers in the Global South are especially at risk, and efforts to adapt to climate change are currently insufficient. The objective for the food and agriculture sector is to make climate- resilient, sustainable agriculture. However, it is important to note, that this is not a “one size fits all” approach, as the sector’s inherent diversity makes technologies and approaches for building long-term climate resilience very context specific.

The authors of the report “Achieving Agricultural Breakthrough: Deep Dive into Seven Technological Areas” delved into areas where there are tech innovations that can be scaled up for achieving breakthroughs in agriculture and food systems. The authors take a step further to assess these areas and approaches across five pathways that are quite interdependent:

1. Reducing unsustainable consumption where such consumption has harmful effects on health, climate and the environment.
2. Increasing production of healthy and nutritious food without expanding agriculture into new lands and thereby preventing further deforestation.
3. Reducing damage to natural resources, such as soil, water and biodiversity.
4. Reducing emissions, either absolute emissions or emissions intensity, with the ultimate aim of reducing absolute emissions.
5. Prioritizing the needs and interests of smallholder farmers.

The report goes on to make specific recommendations across five focus areas – climate finance; policies, regulations and innovations; standards and metrics; RD&D; and trade and markets.

Dr. Mukherji is a part of the Food Water Energy Nexus Global Research Network of Future Earth. Her research revolves around institutions and policies of water resources management and her areas of specialization are groundwater governance, energy-irrigation nexus and community management of water resources.  She has worked in South Asia, Nile basin, and in Central Asia and is currently working in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region.

Mukherji, A., C. Arndt, J. Arango, F. Flintan, J. Derera, W. Francesconi, S. Jones, A.M Loboguerrero, D. Merrey, J. Mockshell, M. Quintero, D. G. Mulat, C. Ringler, L. Ronchi, M.E.N. Sanchez, T. Sapkota, S. Thilsted (2023). Achieving agricultural breakthrough: A deep dive into seven technological areas, CGIAR, Montpellier, France 138 pp. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/131852

Spotlight on the LMICs (low- and middle- income countries) is a new Future Earth series that shines a light on the wide range of research currently being conducted in LMICs or by scientists from LMIC regions who are a part of the Future Earth Network. It provides a bridge for collaboration and is designed to promote meaningful discussion with those working
within or across those regions and spaces.

Do you have a recent publication within the Global South that you would like spotlighted? Share your publication with Makyba Charles-Ayinde at Makyba.charles-ayinde@futureearth.org for a possible feature!