Cultivating Resilience in Sustainable Agriculture

As harvests draw to a close across much of the world, November invites reflection—not only on what we have achieved, but on how we can build a more resilient agricultural future. This month, The Agricultural Economist launches a special call under the theme “From Crisis to Cure: Building Agricultural Systems that Heal Our Planet and Nourish Our Communities.” We invite our global network of researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to contribute fresh insights and transformative ideas.

The urgency could not be clearer. The recent 2025 monsoon floods in Pakistan, which devastated 2.23 million acres of cropland and uprooted thousands of farming families, underscore the fragility of our systems (World Bank, 2025). Yet, within this tragedy lies opportunity—proof that agriculture must not only survive crises but lead the way in solving them. Agriculture is both the frontline victim and the most powerful instrument to combat the intertwined crises of climate change, food insecurity, and economic instability.

Throughout November, several international observances offer guideposts for shaping this transformation:

• World Science Day (Nov 10): Innovation is the foundation of resilience. We welcome research on scaling proven solutions such as drought-resistant wheat from UAF or AI-driven pest management systems and strategies to make these accessible for smallholders.

• World Diabetes Day (Nov 14): Nutrition begins in the field. As malnutrition and diabetes rise in tandem, we invite analyses on value chains for biofortified and nutrient-dense crops like those pioneered by PARC that can simultaneously boost farm incomes and public health.

• World Toilet Day (Nov 19): Healthy farms require healthy communities. Programs such as Suthra Punjab demonstrate that WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) investments directly enhance rural productivity. We seek field-based studies linking sanitation to agricultural resilience.

• World Children’s Day (Nov 20): The next generation holds the key to sustainable growth. We encourage stories on youth-focused agri-tech and entrepreneurship initiatives like the Honahaar Scholarship Program that make agriculture a viable and aspirational career.

• International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (Nov 25): True resilience requires equity. Women are central to agricultural production but remain underrepresented in access to land, finance, and technology. We invite policy papers and case studies showcasing gender-transformative interventions, building on the work of the Aurat Foundation and others.

Encouragingly, frameworks such as Pakistan’s National Initiative for Sustainable Agriculture (NISA) and the Agriculture Transformation Plan demonstrate progress. Successful examples like cold storage networks in Sindh and farmer cooperatives in Punjab show what works when policy and practice align. The next step is scale and replication.

We now call on you academics, field researchers, and policy innovators to move from analysis to action. Share your contributions on:

• Climate-Smart Technologies and On-Farm Adoption

• Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture and Food Systems

• Financing Models for Smallholder Resilience

• Gender-Transformative Approaches in Rural Economies

• Policy Innovations for Water, Soil, and Biodiversity Management

Together, we can design agricultural systems that are productive, equitable, and climate-resilient. The time to act is now, let us cultivate solutions that secure both our planet and our people.

Muhammad Khalid Bashir
Managing Editor, The Agricultural Economist

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