Protecting Our Agro-ecosystems: The EbA Way

The repercussions of climate change are becoming increasingly real and frightening with each passing day. While global warming has had a significant impact on modern agriculture, interestingly, the sector is also one of the contributors to climate change. Indiscriminate use of chemicals and exploitation of natural resources is making the agri-sector increasingly unsustainable. However, we can overcome this challenge by nurturing and restoring our agroecosystems. This can address multiple issues—ranging from food security and livelihoods, to the general well-being

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Communities have been adapting to climate variability for centuries, but today their coping mechanisms are being outpaced by the fast-changing climate. Shifting weather patterns as a result of climate change, affecting rainfall and temperature, are likely to impact the ecosystem goods and services on which people rely. Climate change is also likely to magnify existing risks and vulnerability to disasters. It is therefore critical to develop adaptation capabilities to be able to deal with these challenges.

In response to global climate change impacts, most countries have focussed on ‘hard’ or ‘grey’ infrastructure options such as embankments for flood control or new reservoirs to cope with water shortages. These options can be costly to build and maintain, and generally do not take the benefits of ecosystem-based approaches into account.

Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA), involving the conservation, sustainable management and restoration of ecosystems are cost-effective solutions that can help people adapt to the impacts of climate change. Examples of such nature-based solutions to climate change include sustainable agriculture, integrated water resource management, and sustainable forest management. EbA harnesses biodiversity and ecosystem services to increase resilience and reduce the vulnerability of human communities and natural systems to climate change.

Healthy ecosystems such as intact forests, wetlands and coastal areas provide many benefits to local communities including firewood, clean water, medicines, shelter and food. They can also form physical barriers against extreme weather events such as cyclones and storm surges. Biodiverse forests, for example, can protect roads and other infrastructure from erosion and landslides.