Coping with changes in cropping systems: plant pests and seeds.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION The evidence for climate change is overwhelming, with the poorest countries and people most vulnerable who will suffer the most from its negative impacts. Maintaining food security is already critical for smallholder farms, and minimizing vulnerability in the face of change is becoming even more of a challenge. Increased variability due to different aspects of climate change results in greater exposure of marginal areas and small farmers to new risks. Climate change causes highly variable environmental conditions, including: • higher temperatures and shift of seasons; • changes in rainfall and subsequent variation in water availability; • extreme natural events, causing disasters; • change in atmospheric gas composition. Such changes generate variations in biological cycles – phenological phases of crops, timing of cropping seasons, agro-ecological zones and population dynamics of living organisms (including pests and invasive alien species) are all affected. The rate of climate change might possibly exceed the rate of adaptation of ecosystems, including cropping systems, creating many concerns on how to cope with such changes, particularly in relation to food production and availability. Credible and scientifically robust studies on various cause–effect relationships of climate change are under current research, while the impacts of climate change are tangible, and negatively affect crop productivity and livelihoods of marginal rural communities. It is imperative to develop a sound understanding of these dynamics, and learn from previous experiences on coping with emerging changes and challenges. The sustainable production intensification (SPI) is one of FAO’s strategic objectives. SPI is promoted through the concept of Save and Grow1 to increase production efficiency and to achieve sustainability in agricultural production, with a special focus on small farmers. The concept builds on local biodiversity and ecosystem functions to enhance productivity, and aims to increase efficiency in the use of agricultural inputs. Essential elements of Save and Grow are soil health and proper fertilizer management, conservation agriculture, management