Climate change severely impacts agriculture and the environment. It amplifies risks from extreme weather, such as droughts and floods. It accelerates the spread of crop pests and diseases, disrupting ecosystems that we rely on for food security. Moreover, climate change impacts the livelihoods of the smallholder men, women and youth farmers who grow much of our food.
According to the FAO, smallholder farmers produce about one-third of the world’s food. However, they are disproportionately affected by climate change. Many smallholders live in low- and middle-income countries. Here, they feel the impacts of climate shocks more acutely as these countries have fewer resources to manage climate risks through appropriate climate adaptation and mitigation actions.
Our goal is to empower smallholders and the people who support them, with knowledge, skills and tools. We aim to help farmers adapt to the impacts of climate change. We bring technical expertise to address major biotic threats linked to climate change. This includes the increased spread and impacts of invasive species. Together, our science-focused approaches bring benefits to smallholder farmers.
On Earth Day, we have gathered a selection of CABI blogs and news focusing on climate change and environmental challenges and how CABI is empowering farmers with knowledge and skills to adapt. We look at the impacts of climate change in African countries, the need for sustainable food systems to support smallholders, and how to empower the world’s women farmers.
CABI highlights support for just and inclusive transition to sustainable food systems at COP29
CABI highlighted its support for a just and inclusive transition to sustainable food systems at the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) held in Baku, Azerbaijan. This included commitments to share skills, knowledge and technical expertise on helping…continue reading
Post COP: How do we work with world’s smallholder farmers to fight the challenges of climate change?
The impact of climate change is growing by the minute and urgent action is needed to put knowledge into the hands of the world’s smallholder farmers so they can improve their livelihoods and achieve sustainable food security despite this challenge, writes Dr Dennis Rangi, CABI’s Director General, Development…continue reading
New research highlighted in the journal CABI Reviews suggests that all five subregions of Africa will breach the 1.5C climate change threshold – the limit stipulated by the Paris Agreement – by 2040 even under low emission scenarios. A team of scientists, from the…continue reading
How can we empower women farmers to address climate change?
Climate change poses significant threats to the food security and livelihoods of women farmers writes Sandra Phelps, Gender Manager at CABI ahead of International Women’s Day on Saturday 8 March 2025. There are an estimated 215 million women smallholders…continue reading
Related News & Blogs
How can we empower women farmers to address climate change?
Climate change poses significant threats to the food security and livelihoods of women farmers writes Sandra Phelps, Gender Manager at CABI ahead of International Women’s Day on Saturday 8 March 2025. There are an estimated 215 million women smallholde…
5 March 2025
