Climate Change and Biodiversity in Agriculture

Global food security, biodiversity, and agricultural sustainability are subject to a serious threat posed by climate change. The increase in greenhouse gas emission, deforestation, and land degradation has intensified the loss of biodiversity, deteriorated the ecosystem services including pollination, nutrient cycling, and pest regulation, and made crops and livestock more susceptible to environmental stresses and extreme events. As a result, there is a decline in agricultural systems in terms of productivity, increased instability, and increased risk of pests and diseases. This chapter focuses on the interaction and interdependence between the climate change and agricultural biodiversity and the need to consider genetic diversity in crops and livestock as a major resource to create climate-resilient systems. It emphasizes the role of biodiversity in supporting the functioning of the ecosystem in addition to facilitating adaptation by the formation of varieties that resist drought, heat, salinity, and new biotic stresses. The chapter gives the strategic adaptation pathways such as climate-smart agriculture, agroecological practices, preservation of genetic resources, and incorporation of indigenous and traditional knowledge. It also highlights how underutilized crops, resource management that is sustainable, and innovation can help in enhancing resilience. Emphasis is placed on community-based strategies and involvement of smallholder farmers, which is backed by a system of policy and governance in line with global climate and biodiversity policies. The chapter highlights that conservation of agricultural biodiversity is necessary in order to attain resilient food systems, maintain rural livelihoods, and achieve a sustainable future in response to changing climatic conditions.