Climate Resilient Agriculture or CRA is a concept that aims to integrate climate responsiveness in developing agricultural technologies and approaches to achieve food security and resiliency under a changing climate.
A CRA technology is a practice that resulted from the application of scientific knowledge in adapting to or mitigating changing climate. It intends to achieve sustainable increased productivity, food sufficiency, and increased incomes of farmers and fisherfolk while minimizing damage to the environment.
A CRA approach defines the ways of dealing with the changing climate using CRA technologies, including stakeholders’ involvement.
The adoption of CRA technologies and approaches do not just help address climate change challenges, but also bring opportunities for economic growth and agricultural development. Technologies, approaches, and practices can be identified as CRA if they mitigate or adapt to climate change as well as enhance food security.
The DA Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative in Agriculture (AMIA) Program has been promoting the adoption of CRA approaches and technologies to help farmers adapt to the challenges posed by climate change, as well as achieve increased productivity and income.
The most commonly-adopted CRA technology in AMIA Villages is diversified farming, which is the practice of producing a variety of crops or animals, or both, on one farm. Diversified farming helps increase farm productivity and ensure a more stable or increased income for farmers. It also helps build farmers’ resilience against extreme weather events and other impacts of climate change.
Learn more about CRA, CRA technologies, and CRA approaches through the infographic below.
References:
- Labios, R.V., L.S. Sebastian, J.D. Labios, and C.M.B. Santos. 2019. Compendium of Climate-Resilient Agriculture Technologies and Approaches in the Philippines. Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), College, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines; and Wageningen, the Netherlands: CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS). 253 p.
- DA- AFID. 2022. Matatag na Agrikultura Labana sa Pagbabago ng Klima: Mga Climate-Resilient na Teknolohiya at Pamamaraan sa Agrikultura para sa Lowland Ecosystem o Kapatagan