According to the definition of the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), climate change refers to a change in earth’s climate or the usual weather patterns such as temperature, precipitation, and snowfall. For the past decades, meteorological numerical data have shown that the amount of carbon dioxide (CO;) in the atmosphere increased at higher rates than at any other time in history. In 2013, C02 levels exceeded 400 ppm since the figure exponentially arose from 300 ppm in 1950. Over the next 30-50 years, the earth’s average temperature is estimated to increase by 1.0°C and will continue to rise for the next 100 years, which will lead to melting glaciers and rising sea levels. 

Agriculture is inextricably linked with climate change. The changing hydrologic cycle causes irregular events of droughts and floods in agricultural regions. Arable land zones are also susceptible to unexpected temperature change, and the distribution of crop diversity and productivity will be severely affected. For example, the average yields for corn, rice, and potatoes are forecast to decrease by 24%, 11%, and 9%, respectively, by 2050 compared with their yields in 2000. The literature points out that a warmer world will lead to the spread of crop pathogens, expansion of insect pests, unpredictable crop yields, food price fluctuations, agricultural market instability, and food insecurity. The importance of building food production systems and agricultural ecosystems resilient to the changing climatic conditions is obvious. 

Developing possible climate scenarios and preparing adaptation strategies are critical in managing climate risks. Emergency guidelines and manuals for extreme weather events and technical solutions to forecast weather are urgently required to respond to the various options in the likely scenarios. New crop breeding techniques for increased temperature and drought resistance are also called for to ensure sustainable productivity. Advanced technologies for data collection and field testing as well as agricultural infrastructure such as efficient irrigation techniques are another way to adapt to capricious agroclimatic conditions. 

This e-course will share smart innovative approaches and recent technological solutions to respond to climate change and enhance agricultural productivity. It will also promote climate change adaptations as usual practices in agricultural production systems for scaling up in APO member countries. 

Module 1: Climate change and impact on agricultural productivity and food production
Module 2: Understanding climate change resilience, adaptation and mitigation in agriculture
Quiz 1 (Module 1+2)
Module 3: Technological advancement and digitized methodologies for climate change studies
Module 4: Climate-resilient management of land, soils and water resources
Quiz 2 (Module 3+4)
Model 5: Sustainable management of crop and livestock
Module 6: Inclusive policies and social protection responding to climate change
Quiz 3 (Module 5+6)
Module 7: Key success factors in building climate change resilient agriculture
Final Examination