Agriculture’s Role in Climate Change and the Path to Resilience

For millennia, agriculture has served as the foundation of human civilization, shaping cultures, economies, and societies. It provided the stability needed for population growth, urban development, and the advancement of trade and technology. Yet today, agriculture finds itself at a critical turning point. On one hand, it is deeply vulnerable to the intensifying effects of climate change, from erratic rainfall and droughts to soil degradation and shifting pest patterns. On the other, agriculture itself contributes significantly to the problem, accounting for nearly one-third of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through livestock, fertilizer use, and land-use change (FAO, 2021). This dual role being both a victim of and contributor to climate change makes the sector uniquely positioned in the global climate discourse.

At the same time, agriculture holds unparalleled potential as part of the climate solution. Practices such as improved soil management, agroforestry, precision irrigation, and methane reduction in livestock not only lower emissions but also build resilience against climate shocks. If reimagined through innovation, policy support, and farmer empowerment, agriculture can transition from being a driver of environmental stress to becoming a cornerstone of climate stability and global food security. The urgency is clear: transforming agriculture is not optional, which is essential for a sustainable future.

Agriculture’s Dual Role in the Climate Crisis

The relationship between agriculture and climate change is characterized by a self-reinforcing cycle, where the sector both drives and suffers from environmental degradation. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use (AFOLU) contributes roughly 22% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. When the broader food system is factored in including processing, transportation, and waste, this figure climbs to nearly one-third of total emissions (IPCC, 2022).

Within agriculture, several sources stand out as major contributors. Livestock production is particularly significant, responsible for around 14.5% of global emissions, largely through methane released during enteric fermentation in ruminants and from manure management (FAO, 2023). Synthetic fertilizers add another critical dimension: nitrogen-based applications release nitrous oxide (N₂O), a gas nearly 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a century, making it one of the most damaging agricultural pollutants (IPCC, 2021). Deforestation further compounds the crisis, as millions of hectares of tropical forests are cleared annually for cropland and grazing. In 2022 alone, the world lost 4.74 million hectares of primary tropical forest, erasing vital carbon sinks and biodiversity hotspots (World Resources Institute, 2023).

Yet agriculture is not only a contributor to climate change; it is also deeply vulnerable to its consequences. Rising global temperatures, shifting precipitation patterns, and an increase in extreme weather events are already undermining yields and destabilizing food systems. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) projects that global agricultural productivity could decline by up to 17% by 2050 due to climate-related stresses, with disproportionate impacts on smallholder farmers in the Global South who often lack adaptive capacity (FAO, 2023).

Climate-Smart Agriculture: A Strategic Framework

In response to the escalating climate crisis, Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) has emerged as a comprehensive framework that seeks to simultaneously achieve three interconnected objectives: sustainably increase agricultural productivity and farmer incomes; enhance resilience and adaptive capacity to climate change; and reduce or remove greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. By advancing these goals in tandem, CSA envisions transforming agriculture from being a major contributor to global emissions into a key sector for carbon sequestration and sustainable development.

Central to CSA are practices that balance productivity with ecological stewardship. Regenerative agriculture, for instance, recognizes soils as a critical carbon sink. Yet, with over 33% of global soils already degraded (FAO, 2020), urgent action is required. Techniques such as no-till farming, cover cropping, and diverse crop rotations restore soil organic matter, improve water retention, and enhance biodiversity. A landmark study published in Nature estimates that widespread adoption of regenerative practices could sequester up to 5.5 gigatons of CO₂ equivalent annually (Bossio et al., 2020).

Agroforestry, another pillar of CSA, integrates trees into farmlands to capture carbon, enrich biodiversity, and stabilize soils. Global studies indicate sequestration potential ranging between 1.5 and 3.5 gigatons of CO₂ equivalent per year (World Agroforestry, 2021). Precision agriculture further complements these approaches by harnessing digital tools such as GPS-guided machinery and sensor-based irrigation to optimize resource use. This technology reduces fertilizer inputs by 15–20% and increases water-use efficiency by up to 30%, directly lowering emissions and conserving scarce resources (World Bank, 2022).

Sustainable livestock management also presents promising opportunities. Feed additives like 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP) can cut enteric methane emissions by more than 30% without compromising productivity (Journal of Dairy Science, 2021), while managed rotational grazing enhances pasture health and soil carbon storage. Similarly, crop diversification and genetic innovation reduce vulnerability to climate shocks. Drought-tolerant maize in sub-Saharan Africa, for example, has consistently produced 20–30% higher yields under water-stressed conditions (CIMMYT, 2022), demonstrating the power of adaptive innovation.

Transforming Food Systems Beyond the Farm

While agricultural production is a major driver of greenhouse gas emissions, the broader food system from post-harvest handling to consumption plays an equally critical role in shaping climate outcomes. Food waste alone illustrates the magnitude of this challenge. In 2022, approximately 1.05 billion tonnes of food were discarded worldwide, generating 8–10% of global emissions (UNEP, 2024). Addressing this inefficiency offers a dual dividend: reducing pressure on natural resources while simultaneously improving food availability. Alongside waste reduction, dietary choices are a powerful lever for change. The EAT-Lancet Commission (2019) estimates that widespread adoption of plant-rich diets could cut food system emissions by nearly 50% while lowering global mortality rates by up to 23%, underscoring the co-benefits of healthier, more sustainable consumption patterns.

Central to this transformation are smallholder farmers, who produce more than one-third of the world’s food yet often remain excluded from finance, technology, and decision-making. Equipping them with climate-informed credit, insurance, and digital advisory tools can build resilience and drive innovation. Closing the persistent gender gap is equally vital. Women represent 36% of the agricultural labor force but face disproportionate barriers to land ownership, extension services, and financial resources (World Bank, 2023). Empowering them as equal agents of change multiplies the sector’s adaptive capacity.

Systemic transformation also requires bold policy and financial realignment. Globally, governments spend $540 billion annually on agricultural subsidies, much of it supporting environmentally harmful practices (FAO, 2021). Redirecting these funds toward climate-smart agriculture would yield substantial benefits. At the same time, agriculture receives only a small share of climate finance despite its outsized emissions footprint and vulnerability. Scaling investment and fostering stronger international cooperation are imperative to align the food system with the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals. Without such reforms, sustainability targets will remain out of reach.

Conclusion

Agriculture stands at the center of the climate crisis both as a source of greenhouse gas emissions and as one of the sectors most at risk from climate impacts. Yet, this dual role also gives it unique potential to become a solution. By adopting Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA), the sector can transition from being a net emitter to a driver of resilience, carbon sequestration, and sustainable development. Practices such as regenerative soil management, agroforestry, precision agriculture, sustainable livestock systems, and crop diversification demonstrate that productivity, resilience, and climate mitigation can be pursued together.

Beyond the farm, transforming food systems is equally urgent. Tackling food waste, shifting toward sustainable diets, and empowering smallholder farmers particularly women are critical levers for change. Achieving these goals, however, requires systemic support: redirecting agricultural subsidies toward sustainable practices, scaling up climate finance, and strengthening global cooperation to align food systems with the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The pathway forward is clear. Agriculture must no longer be seen only as a victim or a culprit in the climate narrative, but as a central pillar of the solution. With innovation, policy commitment, and farmer empowerment, it can secure both planetary health and global food security in a warming world.

References: Bossio et al; CIMMYT; EAT-Lancet Commission; FAO; IPCC; Journal of Dairy Science; UNEP; World Agroforestry; World Bank; World Resources Institute

Please note that the views expressed in this article are of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of any organization.

The writer is affiliated with the Department of Agricultural Economics, Sindh Agricultural University, Tandojam, Sindh, Pakistan and can be reached at shabnumsoomro0202@gmail.com

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