Welcome to Locally Sourced, a biweekly Covering Climate Now newsletter for journalists working to localize the climate story. Share this newsletter with colleagues and journalism students interested in localizing the climate story. Vea la versión en español de “Fuentes Locales.”
Story Spark: Resilient Agriculture
Farms across the world face a multitude of risks — wind, flood, hail, drought, frosts and freezes, pests and blight — all of which are impacted by our warming atmosphere and climate-fueled extreme weather. Too much or too little water, for example, both create a host of challenges. Too much water washes away essential nutrients in the soil, drowns crops, and creates conditions for plant diseases to thrive, while too little water intensifies drought, reducing crop yields and forcing farmers to spend more on irrigation.
Global yields of corn, rice, soy, and wheat are projected to decrease 22% in future scenarios that take climate change into account, according to studies, making it critical to find solutions. From utilizing Indigenous practices to create a more resilient food system to exploring what different crops may flourish as growing seasons shift, “climate-smart agriculture” seeks to increase food security, reduce vulnerability to climate change’s impacts, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
It’s estimated that anywhere from one-quarter to one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions stem from food production. While farmers across the world are testing ways to curb methane emissions from livestock and reduce deforestation, many of these solutions may struggle to scale with “big agriculture” to meet global food needs.
Stories We Like
- “Dry farming,” an ancient, Indigenous tradition that requires no irrigation, may prove to be a resilient solution as climate change intensifies drought and creates more unpredictable rainfall patterns, Reasons to be Cheerful reports.
- Ever had a pawpaw? Civil Eats explores how America’s largest edible native fruit is gaining popularity as a delicious and sustainable crop for small farms in the eastern US.
- Climate change and rising temperature pose a major threat to cacao production. Mongabay reports on a new study examining how natural pollinators could help farmers build climate resilience as temperatures continue to rise.
- “Sometimes you must look into the past to find solutions for the present and future problems.” Yale Climate Connections highlights how farming communities across the world use “trap crops,” such as marigolds, to protect their harvests against pests.
- As sea levels rise, many coastal farming communities are at risk of salt water inundation. NJ Spotlight News explores mitigation efforts, and possible opportunities for farmers willing to adapt.
Expert Tips
Lisa Held, a reporter and editor at Civil Eats, offers tips for reporting on resilient agriculture. Since 2015, Held has reported on agriculture with a focus on sustainability and equality. Based in Baltimore, Md., she provides daily updates of how federal actions impact the US food system.
Go to a farm. It may sound obvious, but in the age of phone and Zoom reporting, field reporting is the exception. Farming is an endeavor like no other — and increasingly, it’s one that most Americans have little or no connection to. If you can visit farmers and talk to them as they walk their fields, you’ll come away with a better understanding of how their profession is shaped by the natural world (and therefore climate change). You’ll also be able to present the story to readers in a more compelling way. Trust me, readers love details like calves testing out wobbly legs.
Don’t forget the workers. Many farmers benefit from a sort of mythos of American exceptionalism, while workers who plant seeds, work with dangerous chemicals, and harvest crops often work in the shadows. A resilient agricultural system depends on farmworkers who are often on the frontlines of the climate crisis. Talk to them and tell those stories — of extreme heat, wildfire smoke inhalation, and the ways in which their communities are driving climate solutions.
Understand (and separate) industry. Agriculture is big business, and it’s intertwined with other big businesses who have a financial interest in slowing climate action. Separate industry talking points from real climate science and farmers’ experiences. A rancher with a small herd of cattle feeling like their way of life is threatened by vegan activism is not the same thing as the meat industry exerting its influence over climate science at universities.
Challenge dominant stereotypes. Some farmers began growing food specifically as an act of climate resistance and will want to talk about the organic matter in their soil and composting practices. Some will see themselves as conservationists but will bristle at the term “climate change.” Cover it all. Meet farmers where they are as individuals and report the reality.
Helpful Links
Resources
- Explore the different ways climate change is impacting farmers with resources gathered by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
- Follow Civil Eats’ food policy tracker to stay updated on decisions made in DC that directly relate to or have significant implications for the food system.
- Dive into local temperature data compiled by Climate Central to investigate how spring growing seasons are changing in your area.
Experts
Maren Oelbermann, professor, University of Waterloo
Wolfram Schlenker, professor, Harvard Kennedy School
David Tilman, ecologist and regents professor, University of Minnesota
Before We Go…
The next Locally Sourced will highlight climate migration. Have you reported about how climate change fueled extreme weather events and drought are displacing millions from their homes? Send them to us at local[at]coveringclimatenow[dot]org. We’d love to consider them for the next edition of Locally Sourced and our media trainings and social platforms.
Submit your work for the 2025 Covering Climate Now Journalism awards. CCNow invites journalists from across the world to enter their best reporting from 2024 before March 31.
Prepare to cover spring weather. Watch a recording of CCNow and Climate Central’s first “Prep Your Climate Coverage” webinar series and dive into our spring weather reporting guide to better understand how climate change is influencing hail, tornadoes, and flooding.
The Climate Station is a free-of-cost training program from CCNow that equips local TV station newsrooms in the US, including journalists, producers, and meteorologists, to cover climate news more effectively. For inquiries, please email Elena González at elena[at]coveringclimatenow[dot]org. Or apply here.
Want more story ideas? Check out the Locally Sourced archive for more topics to explore, including heat pumps, cold snaps, climate anxiety, and more.
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