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Climate change is increasingly affecting agriculture worldwide, causing yield losses and undermining food security. Behind the international consensus on the urgent need for ambitious policies to adapt agriculture to climate change (AACC) hides a competition between three agricultural models—agroecology, climate-smart agriculture, and conventional agriculture—each carrying distinctive perspective on how agriculture should adapt to climate change. To date, no study has shown which of these three agricultural models is promoted the most by climate change adaptation policies. To shed light on this question, we undertook semi-structured surveys with resource persons, a literature review and a multi-criteria analysis, identifying and characterizing 226 AACC policy initiatives in seven countries or regions in the north (Andalusia, Occitanie, California, Guadeloupe) and the south (Colombia, South Africa, Senegal). Our aim was to identify (1) concrete strategic options mobilized by policy initiatives to adapt agriculture to climate change and (2) agricultural models that are implicitly or explicitly promoted by these policy initiatives. We identified 14 climate change adaptation options that mobilize a set of three complementary levers of action: (i) transforming production systems or enabling access to productive resources, (ii) providing access to knowledge that is useful for AACC, and (iii) coordinating and financing adaptation actions at territorial or sector scale. Agroecology and climate-smart agriculture are the two agricultural models favored in the mix of policy initiatives in all the studied sites. Despite conceptual differences, in real-life situations, these models do not conflict with each other since they are often promoted concomitantly. AACC policy initiatives, although diversified, seem too fragmented and not sufficiently restrictive to bring about rapid and profound change. This paper presents a new classification of AACC adaptation options, and is the first to reveal which agricultural models are promoted by policy initiatives in a wide range of regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Factors affecting fertilizer decisions made by grain growers are changing in the context of changing climatic conditions and growing volatility in global fertilizer and grain markets. To ensure sustainable development of grain industries in light of this uncertainty, research, development, extension, and adoption activities associated with growers' fertilizer decisions need to be focused on factors to which they are most sensitive. The aim of this paper is to understand the factors that have the greatest influence on grain producer's fertilizer strategies, how these factors have changed over recent years, and what is the relative importance of agronomic, socioeconomic, and logistical factors affecting these strategies. A telephone survey of 425 grain-growing businesses in Western Australia was conducted, and survey results were analyzed statistically. We show for the first time that grain growers' fertilizer decisions are most sensitive to agronomic factors (especially the amount and distribution of rainfall). Logistic factors (such as difficulties fertilizing increasing areas in short periods of time) are growing in influence as farm size, cropping areas, and the number of fertilizer applications within seasons increase. Fertilizer decisions have become less sensitive to socioeconomic factors over the last 10 to 15 years. To ensure sustainable development of grain production, research through to adoption activities should focus on agronomic issues (such as seasonal forecasting) and logistic issues (such as improving planning, organizational, and technical capacity for developing and implementing fertilizer strategies). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture (KJWA) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) have brought agriculture onto the agenda of solutions to tackle climate change and sustainable development. The first KJWA roadmap came to an end in 2020. The conclusions will be reported at the UNFCCC COP 27 in 2022. Several options for the future of KJWA are on the table. We review the literature to take stock of the contribution of science to the first KJWA period and discuss on how research could help to strengthen the case for keeping up the work of KJWA. This paper reviews 175 peer-reviewed publications on technical (agricultural practices), socioeconomic, and policy actions or innovations that support and strengthen the role of sustainable agriculture on the global development agenda. The considerable diversity of science-based actions and innovations presented in the agricultural sector should contribute to the success of KJWA in putting agriculture on the climate agenda. In addition to the climate agenda, the review highlights the multi-functionality of sustainable agriculture which targets food security issues, of course, but also the 17 SDGs. Our review shows that KJWA has been extensively documented in the scientific literature on agricultural practices, the socioeconomic dimensions, and policies supporting actions. Nevertheless, research has to make special efforts (i) to set up methods that allow data comparisons and collections, and at the same time (ii) to tackle synergies and trade-offs in the achievement of the SGDs. The nexus approach could also provide a framework for the future of the KJWA process. The science-based evidence should continue to pave the way for the future KJWA to become an actionable structure within the UNFCCC arena. Echoing the previous assessment, the KJWA process should keep all stakeholders on board, including researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dates are a traditional and important part of the sustainable arid food system. As their popularity is growing worldwide, along with global climate change, there is an increasing need for a better understanding of the environmental aspects of the date production system. Israel is one of the major sources of the Medjool variety of dates. We use an environmental "footprint family" framework to analyze Medjool date production, and direct and indirect environmental interactions, and identify positive and negative hotspots. The research focuses on the Israeli Arava desert region. We found that producing 1 ton of marketable dates has an average material footprint of 1550 kg, a land footprint of 1 m2, and a water footprint of 2450 m3, which leads to 990 kg of solid waste and a carbon footprint of 4820 kg of CO2eq. The cultivation stage was responsible for most of the footprints, mainly due to the direct and indirect consequences of fertilizer usage and water production and intake. The significant differences between the plantations were traced back to their varying mix of palms' age and even more to the human factor and the cultivation methods of individual farmers. We suggest that the environmental footprint of dates can be reduced by adopting improved agricultural methods, such as lower-impact fertilizers and renewable energy. This paper is one of the first to embrace a systematic approach to analyzing dates grown in a desert area. These data can bridge the knowledge gap over the unique food system and crop and, therefore, can provide an initial data body for future research, policy-makers, and farmers as means to advance more efficient, less-intensive use of resources while enhancing production in arid areas and support local and global food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cocoa farmers must decide on whether to rehabilitate (Rh) or to renovate (Re) a cocoa orchard when its productivity declines due to ageing, disease outbreaks or other causes. Deciding on Rh/Re is often a complex, expensive and conflictive process. In this review, we (1) explore the diversity of contexts, driving forces, stakeholders and recommended management practices involved in Rh/Re initiatives in key cocoa-producing countries; (2) summarise the often conflicting views of farmers and extension agents on Rh/Re programmes; (3) review the evidence of age-related changes in planting density and yield of cocoa, given the weight of these variables in Rh/Re decision processes; (4) describe the best known Rh/Re systems and their most common management practices; (5) propose an agroforestry Re approach that overcomes the limitation of current Rh/Re diagnosis protocols, which do not consider the regular flow of food crop and tree products, and the need to restore site soil quality to sustain another cycle of cultivation of cocoa at the same site; and (6) explore the effects of climate change considerations on Rh/Re decision-making and implementation processes. Each Rh/Re decision-making process is unique and highly context-dependent (household and farm, soil, climate, culture). Tailored solutions are needed for each farmer and context. The analysis, concepts and models presented for cocoa in this paper may also apply to coffee orchards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weedy rice refers to the unwanted plants of the genus Oryza that have some undesirable agronomic traits and pose a major threat to sustainable rice production worldwide. Widespread adoption of direct seeded rice and hybridization or gene flow between cultivated rice and their wild relatives has resulted in the creation and dissemination of weedy rice. Currently, weedy rice ( Oryza sativa f. spontanea) has become one of the most common weeds infesting rice fields worldwide. In this paper, we review the biology, physiology, evolution, and genetic features of weedy rice. We also discuss the major obstacles in weedy rice management, including high diversity of weedy rice, ecological impacts of gene flow on weedy rice, changing climate, and weedy rice management. We then present a framework for the sustainable management and utilization of weedy rice. Our main emphasis is to explore the reservoir of natural variations in weedy germplasm and to utilize them for crop improvement. This review outlines some of the latest biotechnological tools to dissect the genetic backgrounds of several favorable traits of weedy rice that may prove beneficial for breeding and evolutionary studies on cultivated rice. We suggest that by merging the disciplines of genomics, breeding, and weed management, we can achieve the goal of sustainable rice production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global food production faces great challenges in the future. With a future world population of 9.6 billion by 2050, rising urbanization, decreasing arable land, and weather extremes due to climate change, global agriculture is under pressure. While today over 50 % of the world population live in cities, by 2030, the number will rise to 70 %. In addition, global emissions have to be kept in mind. Currently, agriculture accounts for around 20-30 % of global greenhouse gas emissions. Shifting food production to locations with high demands reduces emissions and mitigates climate change. Urban horticulture increases global food production by exploiting new locations for cultivation. However, higher land prices and urban pollution constrain urban horticulture. In this paper, we review different urban cultivation systems throughout the world. Our main findings from ecological, economical, and social aspects are: (1) Urban horticulture activities are increasing globally with at least 100 million people involved worldwide. With potential yields of up to 50 kg per m per year and more, vegetable production is the most significant component of urban food production which contributes to global food security. (2) Organoponic and other low-input systems will continue to play an important role for a sustainable and secure food production in the future. (3) Despite the resource efficiency of indoor farming systems, they are still very expensive. (4) Integrating urban horticulture into educational and social programs improves nutrition and food security. Overlaying these, new technologies in horticultural research need to be adopted for urban horticulture to increase future efficiency and productivity. To enhance sustainability, urban horticulture has to be integrated into the urban planning process and supported through policies. However, future food production should not be 'local at any price,' but rather committed to increase sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]