Get Climate Smart: resources for the agricultural sector

Climate change is a major concern for Canadian farmers, as it can have significant impacts on their operations. Adverse extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, droughts, and heavy rainfall may increase in frequency and intensity in the future, heightening weather-related challenges. Changes in temperature and precipitation patterns can also lead to the spread of some pests and diseases that can damage or kill crops, resulting in decreased crop yields and financial instability. Additionally, the risk of drought may increase in some regions as the climate warms, potentially leading to decreased water availability. To mitigate these risks, it is important for farmers to be aware of the potential impacts of climate change and to take steps to adapt their operations to a changing climate.

The Climate Atlas of Canada is a valuable resource for farmers interested in understanding how climate change may affect agriculture. The agriculture section of the Atlas includes videos that explore different topics related to this sector. Below are some example:

• “Bad News in the Fields: Farmers struggle with erratic weather” is about farmers in the Prairie Provinces struggling with erratic weather patterns that make it difficult to harvest crops and require adapting farming practices.
• “Biogas and Biochar: Offsetting emissions from agriculture” explains how agriculture is responsible for 8% of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions, but that the sector has the potential to offset some of these emissions through the conversion of manure and other agricultural waste products into biogas and biochar. Biogas can be used to offset fossil fuel usage, and biochar can be used to improve soil health and fertility.
• “Farming Carbon: Environmentally responsible ranching” shows how livestock producers in southwestern Manitoba are using rotational grazing to raise more cattle on less land, restoring the soil and sequestering carbon from the atmosphere in the process. This demonstrates that animal agriculture can be an important part of the climate solution.

In addition to the videos, the Climate Atlas of Canada also includes a variety of articles that touch on agriculture and climate change. These articles can provide further depth and detail on specific topics and can be a helpful resource for farmers looking to learn more about how climate change may affect their business.

ClimateWest is an organization that works to provide resources and support to communities, businesses, non-profits and governments in the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba as they adapt to and thrive in the face of a changing climate. They aim to identify current information gaps related to the region’s changing climate and agricultural production capacity. ClimateWest works with partners such as industry associations and government to share information, offer training and champion climate adaptation efforts in the agriculture sector. ClimateWest’s partners, including the Prairie Adaptation Research Collaborative, the Prairie Climate Centre, and the International Institute on Sustainable Development, have made significant contributions to understanding and addressing the impacts of climate change on agriculture in the region.

Check out https://climatewest.ca/sectors/agriculture/ for a list of reports and products relevant to agriculture.

There is no shortage of authoritative reports on the impacts of climate change on the agricultural sector. These reports provide synthesized information on a specific topic and can be an invaluable resource for those looking to learn more about Canada’s climate.

• Prairie Provinces chapter of the Regional Perspectives Report

When it comes to understanding the potential impacts of climate change on the Prairie Provinces, the ‘Prairie Provinces’ chapter of the ‘Regional Perspectives Report’ is a must-read. This report, which is part of the ‘Canada in a Changing Climate Report’ series from Natural Resources Canada, discusses the impacts of climate change and approaches to adaptation across the three Prairie Provinces.

• National Issues report

If you’re looking for more information on the potential impacts of climate change on the agriculture sector in Canada, the National Issues report (2021) is worth checking out. In particular, Chapter 7: Sector Impacts and Adaptation, and section 7.4: Climate change brings benefits and threats to the agriculture sector, may be of particular interest. This section discusses the various ways in which climate change can affect agriculture, both positively and negatively, and provides insight into how the sector may need to adapt in order to ensure its continued sustainability.

• Canada in a Changing Climate: Sector Perspectives

Another resource that may be of interest to those looking to learn more about the potential impacts of climate change on agriculture in Canada is the ‘Canada in a Changing Climate: Sector Perspectives on Impacts and Adaptation’ report from 2014. Chapter 4, which focuses on Food Production, includes a section on agriculture and discusses the risks and opportunities that climate change could bring to the food supply industry.

• Farming the Future: Agriculture and climate change on the Canadian Prairies

This report was released by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (2021). The report discusses what the future of farming in the Prairies may be like with climate change. Farming the Future: Agriculture and climate change on the Canadian Prairies discusses the impacts of climate change on the Prairies, as well as adaptation and agricultural and climate policy

The Map of Adaptation Actions is a tool that allows users to search for and explore examples from communities and sectors in Canada that are adapting to a changing climate. It provides information on the steps that these groups are taking to understand and address the impacts of climate change on their operations and the solutions that they have implemented to increase their resilience. Users can browse through the agriculture related examples displayed on the map to learn about the adaptation efforts that are being undertaken by agricultural communities and businesses across Canada.

The examples provide detailed information on the challenges these groups are facing, the strategies they have implemented to adapt to a changing climate, and the outcomes and benefits of these efforts. Users can use the Map of Adaptation Actions to gain insights and ideas for their own adaptation efforts, as well as to learn about the broader trends and issues related to climate adaptation in the agricultural sector in Canada.