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Adaptation Strategies

Adapting to the variable weather events expected as part of climate change means agricultural cropping systems need to be more robust, manage both excess water and water shortages. The resiliency of our soil resources will be a key factor in our adaptation to climate change. Maintaining high soil organic matter improves and stabilizes the soil structure so that the soils can retain higher amounts of plant-available water without causing soil erosion or flooding through surface runoff. Maintaining soil structure also conserves the natural drainage channels created by earthworms, termites and roots. Soil organic matter also improves the water holding capacity of the soil during extended drought. Intensive soil tillage reduces the amount of soil organic matter. Reduced tillage and the maintenance of a permanent soil cover (through crops, crop residues or cover crops and the introduction of diversified crop rotations) increase soil organic matter. Surface mulch cover is another method to build soil organic matter and conserve soil moisture as it protects soil from increasing temperatures and water losses through evaporation. Buffer strips and mulching also help to reduce the risk of soil erosion due to intense rainfall.

The storage of excess rainfall, implementing reduced volume irrigation and planting drought resistant crop varieties are some of the many adaptive measures identified by the Canadian agriculture sector. Adapting to climate change will not eliminate changes in climate but it can help reduce the detrimental effects on both community and environment. Managing climate change is another opportunity farmers can be a part of. Managing climate change begins by reducing its magnitude by reducing our greenhouse gas emissions.

Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Strategies

The major greenhouse gases produced by agriculture are carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide(N₂O). Carbon dioxide is released through the burning of fossil fuels, as well as through land management that requires soil disturbance (tillage, seeding etc) and thereby enhances soil organic matter degradation. Methane is released through fermentation of organic matter by ruminants and anaerobic manure storage/handling. Finally nitrous oxide is mainly released to the atmosphere as a result of nitrogen fertilizer and manure application to land.

Producers can play a major role in managing climate change by implementing some of the beneficial management practices (BMP’s) aimed at reducing agricultural GHG emissions and increasing carbon sequestration. Reducing the emission of carbon dioxide and promoting its sequestration can be achieved by adopting a reduced tillage system involving direct seeding. Using high quality forage, proper manure storage, handling and application will reduce emissions of ammonia and methane emissions. Developing and following a current nutrient management plan (NMP) will aid in avoiding excess nitrogen fertilizer application and result nitrous oxide reductions by improving nitrogen rates, nutrient application methods and management. Producers and public alike may better understand the link between BMP’s and sustainable agriculture when applying the 4R Nutrient Stewardship concept. The 4R concept ensures that the right nutrient source is applied at the right rate, time and place. The right source is one which provides a balanced supply of nutrients in plant available forms. This ensures that the nutrients are being taken up by the plant and not being lost at the cost of both the producer and the environment. An updated assessment of soil N supply as well as plant demand is used to determine the right rate. Factors such as soil supply, crop uptake, and field operations help determine the timing of nutrient application with the goal of reducing nutrient loss. Each site is unique in the considerations of fertilizer placement, root and soil dynamics as well as slope and waterways are some of the factors to take into account. By meeting criterion set by BMP’s such as the 4R concept environmental, economic and social objectives can be achieved, making our agricultural production more sustainable.

Despite our best efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, our past emissions will result in significant climate change to which we will have to adapt. Producers have a variety of methods and practices to draw from to adapt to climate change and help reduce the negative impacts agriculture has on our environment.