Strategies to strengthen climate-resilience and livelihood of smallholders

Climate change is a major ecological, economic, and societal issue. Climate change threatens sustainable agriculture. Due to rapid and unpredictable climate change, agricultural systems must be flexible and strong to meet population and urbanization- driven food demand. Climate change will affect people and the environment worldwide. However, emerging countries, especially small-holder farmers, would be severely hurt. Small-scale farmers are struggling to feed their family and the nation due to climate change. Small-holder farmers' climate change adaptation depends on livelihood management. To increase food security, slow climate change, and protect the natural resource base and essential ecosystem services, we must switch to agricultural production systems that are more productive, use inputs more efficiently, have less variability and more stability in outputs, and are more resilient to risks, shocks, and long-term climate variability. Sustainable management and efficient use of scarce resources like soil and water, livelihood diversification, farm adaptation strategies, promotion of climate resilient zero budget natural farming, women empowerment, and diverse national and international approaches are the strategies to sustain livelihood vis-a-vis climate resilience and are briefly elaborated in this chapter.