Climate resilience in agriculture
Smallholder farmers worldwide are increasingly vulnerable to volatile weather caused by climate change, including higher temperatures, variable rainfall, invasive pests, and more frequent extreme events. These pressures threaten global yields, drive up food prices, and exacerbate food insecurity, particularly for smallholder farmers. At the same time, agriculture itself contributes significantly to the problem, accounting for one third of global greenhouse gas emissions, driving biodiversity loss, consuming vast freshwater resources, and fuelling tropical deforestation. Addressing these challenges requires food systems to both adapt to changing climate conditions and reduce their own environmental impact.
Digital agriculture presents a powerful opportunity to meet these challenges. Mobile and digital technologies—from basic mobile and payment services to big data, IoT, and AI—can enhance climate mitigation, adaptation, and resilience. Mobile-enabled solutions can transform agriculture by improving access to services, markets, and assets, including advisory platforms, smart farming tools, agri e-commerce and insurance products. These solutions promote climate-smart practices, de-risk smallholder livelihoods through early warning systems and safety nets, support sustainable intensification, and contribute to emissions reductions by minimising food loss, waste, and unsustainable land use.