Evidence Synthesis on Climate-Resilient Agriculture

In light of the need for evidence-based policy to build small-scale farmers’ resiliency, J-PAL staff present findings from randomized and quasi-experimental evaluations of climate-resilient agricultural technologies and practices.

Small-scale farmers in low- and middle-income countries are critical to global food security, and yet their welfare and livelihoods are extremely vulnerable to climate change impacts. More frequent extreme weather events like rainfall shocks and slow-onset change like warmer and drier conditions reduce harvest stability. Global food production exacerbates these impacts, emitting approximately one quarter of greenhouse gas emissions annually. As such, national governments are integrating agriculture and food systems into National Adaptation Plans, Nationally Determined Contributions, and other related strategies. Building small-scale farmers’ resilience is complex, and stewarding environmental health and enhancing agricultural productivity have often been seen as at odds with each other in policy decisions.

In light of the need for evidence-based policy to build small-scale farmers’ resiliency, J-PAL staff will synthesize and present findings from rigorous and policy-relevant randomized and quasi-experimental evaluations of climate-resilient agricultural technologies and practices. Covering over 20 evaluations from J-PAL’s Agricultural Technology Adoption Initiative and King Climate Action Initiative, the presentation highlights policy approaches and considerations to support farmers to maintain well-being in the face of climate shocks.

New and traditional climate-resilient technologies and practices like improved seeds and rainwater harvesting techniques can minimize crop loss, support farmers’ productivity and, in some cases, counter the degradation of environmental systems. However, these adaptations do not fully support small-scale farmers to maintain or improve their livelihoods. Social protection programs like cash transfers and income diversification support are critical policy tools to complement agricultural technologies to sustain farmers’ welfare, strengthen food systems, and buttress the resilience of environmental systems.

The session will highlight specific studies and identify lessons across evaluations in various contexts to inform policymakers on how to build evidence-based policies and programs to support small-scale farmers adapt to the evolving challenges of climate change.