Farmers are at the heart of transforming the world's food systems. However, they, especially smallholder and subsistence farmers, are often underrepresented. They often live under the poverty line and are landless. The good news is that agriculture has been around for thousands of years, and farmers have accumulated generations of knowledge on using land and climate adaptation.

The latter, climatic adaptation, is perhaps the most pressing issue facing the agriculture sector worldwide. Given the United Nations' projection that the global population will reach 9.7 billion by 2050, agriculture needs to be resilient and sustainable to keep people fed. Climate-smart agriculture and technologies play a vital role in this. What is it?

First, we need to understand climate-smart agriculture (CSA). CSA has emerged as a crucial strategy for building resilience to climate change and promoting a sustainable future for the agriculture sector. CSA integrates practices and technologies that enhance productivity and incomes and help farmers better adapt to climate change and extreme weather events.

Some examples of CSA are precision farming, agroforestry, smart irrigation systems, water management, drought-resistant crops, etc.

Climate-smart technologies in agriculture offer integrated sustainable practices to adapt to or mitigate the effects of climate change. Traditional farming doesn't account for resource efficiency but prioritises maximum output. On the other hand, CSA considers the long-term impacts on the environment by using digital tools to solve issues like soil degradation and greenhouse emissions.

Climate-smart technologies broadly include three tenets: enhancing productivity, improving strategies to adapt to climate change, and contributing to emission mitigation efforts. Beyond climate action, farmers have had to embrace technology to meet changing needs. There has been a gradual shift towards more advanced technologies incorporating elements of the fourth agricultural revolution (agriculture 4.0) associated with digital agriculture.

Digital technologies

Digital agricultural technologies are commonly associated with using electronic devices to transform the food chain into an inclusive and sustainable ecosystem. A simple example is meteorological data collected by sensors.

Smart technologies integrate elements like automation, data analytics, connectivity, and artificial intelligence (AI) to enable data-driven decision-making and improve various aspects of farming. In addition to conventional tools, here are a few noteworthy ones:

• Robotics: Using smart robotics technology is one way of revolutionising agriculture. There are different ways in which robotics can help. Seeding robots can dig and plant seeds using GPS, 3D cameras and Machine Learning (ML).

• Smart irrigation: Farmers constantly ensure crops get sufficient water for optimal growth. Some of the biggest advances in CSA are in irrigation systems. Some tools use AI and the Internet of Things (IoT) to adjust irrigation levels by collecting real-time data. It can help reduce water wastage.

• Smart sensors: Sensors are perhaps the most important tool for climate-smart technologies in farming. They're the backbone since they collect data to help farmers and other digital tools make informed decisions like optimising irrigation schedules and even detecting diseases early.

These technologies present excellent opportunities for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). There's an urgent need for climate adaptation in agriculture. Companies are in a prime position to be part of a new and growing economy that can bring smart technologies to agribusinesses and the mass market of millions of farmers.

Advantages and challenges

Adopting and implementing CSA technologies have some obvious advantages. Farmers can achieve higher, more stable yields, improve their income status, help stabilise the food supply chain, and contribute to economic security. Moreover, CSA technologies can reduce the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides, decrease ecological damage, and improve ecosystem health.

For all its benefits, the adoption rates among farmers, particularly in developing countries, remain low. Here are some reasons why:

• Adoption rates of CSA technologies among small and marginalised farmers are low due to their limited access to financial resources and institutional services.

• According to the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), the lack of policy implementation to support protected areas in implementing CSA is another barrier. There's a lack of legal guidance.

• There's a lack of policies and political will in several countries. They need support in developing regulatory, practical, institutional, and monetary mechanisms.

The future

The intersection of agriculture, climate change, and technology is at the forefront of modern global challenges. There are ways to overcome the obstacles and barriers in adopting CSA technologies. To design effective climate change adapting policies, it's necessary to ascertain farmers' choices and readiness to embrace CSA practices. At Smart Grow Farms, we're at the forefront of helping farmers transition to sustainable and climate-friendly practices to ensure the agricultural sector thrives.