Climate-Smart and Resilient Food Systems and Security: Introduction

The demand for food to feed an estimated world population of 9.7 billion by 2050 is expected to increase manifold. This increase in food production is often associated with the expansion of agriculture along with increased use of primary inputs, i.e., land, energy, and water resources. As of today, the world’s agricultural systems have major environmental and climate impacts, including deforestation, biodiversity loss, unsustainable land and water use, and increased pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Many of the impacts of climate change are already affecting the natural base of food systems, leading to reduced production and increased losses in resource base, thereby undermining the resilience and food security of vulnerable communities. Reversing these trends will require major changes in farming practices. Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is promoted as a promising approach to change and reorient food systems within the new environmental, climatic, technological, and socio-economic settings. Current scientific evidence demonstrates the applicability and scalability of CSA practices on a wider scale. The volume Climate-Smart and Resilient Food Systems and Security addresses the above issues in some detail. This introductory chapter underscores the scope, content, and objectives of the volume, which contributes theoretically and empirically to the scholarly debate on CSA. The volume also highlights opportunities to accelerate the transformation of existing food systems in terms of climate adaptation, mitigation, and sustainability, thus leading to food security and resilience. Structured in this way, the volume has implications for both research, innovation, and policy making.