Climate-smart food systems under climate change

Globally, food systems contribute up to one third of human driven emissions. This significant contribution stems from a combination of high-emission land practices, chemical agricultural inputs, and the associated food distribution and food waste challenges of a growing population.

There is a need to develop adaptation and mitigation strategies throughout the food system. This is essential in protecting the overall sustainability and health of ecosystems and people that both impact and are impacted by food systems. 

The UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF) Food Systems Research Program has continued to work in partnership with multiple funders to examine how the practice of climate-smart agriculture can contribute to food systems transformation in the face of climate change.

we need to be constructively sceptical of ‘climate-smart’ solutions to food systems, and ask more deeply what aspect of climate change they are contributing to, and the implications for the smallholder farmers and country policy systems that exist to support climate-smart food systems.

– Dr Federico Davila, ISF

ISF Food Systems Research Director, Dr Federico Davila, has been working with World Vision Australia in examining how large-scale civil society projects and programs contribute to emissions reduction, adaptation, and food security. In analysing case studies from Africa, Asia, and Southeast Asia, the research team found that climate-smart agriculture is an area of significant debate. It requires various stakeholders to bridge the gap between scientific data, food security measures, and localised knowledge of agricultural systems. 

Dr Davila concludes that “we need to be constructively sceptical of ‘climate-smart’ solutions to food systems, and ask more deeply what aspect of climate change they are contributing to, and the implications for the smallholder farmers and country policy systems that exist to support climate-smart food systems.”

The work was recently shared in a World Vision International global webinar to over 180 participants, where speakers from the United Nations, UTS, World Vision, and the Australian Government presented the opportunities for climate-smart agriculture.

The published summary can be accessed from this link: https://www.worldvision.com.au/docs/default-source/impact-briefs/climate-smart-agriculture-strategic-brief_final.pdf?sfvrsn=3a8f973c_2

Moving forward, Dr. Davila is committed to implementing additional research projects focused on transforming food systems in Pacific Islands, funded by the Australian Centre of Agricultural Research. The studies will look at how communities in Solomon Islands and Kiribati are managing climate impacts for food security, and how rural communities in Fiji are governing food waste and energy production systems using biodigester systems.