Reshaping Global Horticulture: Climate Resilience Through Technology and Sustainable Practices

Climate resilience in horticulture requires transformational strategies in light of the increasing impacts of climate change on production in India, which accounts for 30.4% of agricultural GDP from just 11% of land. Increased temperature (1.5–5.4 °C by 2080), erratic rainfall, and extreme events have reduced yield by 10–40%, caused intensification of pest-disease outbreaks, such as Phytophthora epidemics, and increased carbon footprint through intensive inputs like fertilizers, which are also a major source of N2O, irrigation, and postharvest cold chains. Key mitigation depends on carbon sequestration in perennials, from 2.5 to 12 t C/ha/yr via biomass and soil organic carbon (SOC), from agroforestry, and zero-emission practices that include conservation tillage, mulching, precision fertigation, and renewables. Adaptive measures involve drought/salt-tolerant cultivars, such as Solar Fire tomato and Dog Ridge grape rootstock, protected cultivation, and climate-resilient Integrated Pest Management (IPM) using predictive modeling, biological controls, and digital tools for real-time monitoring. ​ While protected systems with high embodied energy boost yields, critically, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) must guide shifts to low-carbon alternatives. Policy gaps in missions like NHM limit the scaling of Measurement, Reporting, Verification (MRV) protocols for carbon credits. Integration through reformed subsidies like PM-KUSUM, FPOs, and horticulture-specific standards will help reposition the sector as a net sink, aligning with India’s Net Zero 2070 goals.