Practical Skills for a Changing Climate

By: Donnie Weiss

Donnie Weiss, a volunteer with NOFA/Mass, looks at how climate change affects global food systems. He explains the dangers of growing just one crop type and why we need to grow various crops, develop heat-resistant and drought-tolerant plants, and use new farming methods to make our food systems more resilient and secure in a warming world.

Adapting Crops to Extreme Weather: A Key Challenge for the Future of Agriculture

As the planet warms and weather patterns change, the idea that our food systems can continue to sustain us without significant adaptation is, as Wendell Berry once said, “not a certainty or even a faith” but a “superstition” (The Gift of the Good Land, pg. 118).

Climate change and the widespread practice of growing just one crop type can make it harder to grow food and turn local problems like droughts, floods, pests, and diseases into international crises. So what can farmers do?

Climate Change and Crop Yields

Numerous studies in recent years have highlighted the threat of decreasing yields for some of the world’s most important crops due to climate change.

The Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability reported in 2024 that “for every 1 degree Celsius of warming, yields of major crops like corn, soybeans and wheat fall by 16% to 20%,” while a study published by The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in 2021 estimated the global corn yield would decline 24% by 2030.

But even as the planet warms and extreme weather events happen more frequently, crop yields have continued to increase. However, what’s driving this productivity in the face of climate change is also increasing our susceptibility to climate change.

Source: Our World in Data. This image depicts a graph showing the relationship between increased crop productivity and temperature.

Monoculture and Industrial Agriculture

Monoculture, the practice of growing just one crop type in an area, can lead to big problems. While it may be productive, it makes crops more susceptible to pests, diseases, and extreme weather.

About 80% of the world’s farmland is used for monoculture and depends heavily on pesticides, fertilizers, and consistent weather conditions.

In other words, it’s far from secure or resilient. A recent study published in Agriculture and Food Security found that two of the most common monocultures—wheat and soybeans—were extremely ineffective at adapting to climate shocks.

Heat-resistant and Drought-Tolerant Crops

One of the most promising responses to climate-induced stress is the development of heat-resistant and drought-tolerant crop varieties. The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center has introduced heat-tolerant maize that can thrive in extreme temperatures and requires significantly less water. These crops are already planted in sub-Saharan Africa, where heat and water scarcity threaten food security. Similarly, drought-tolerant wheat is being developed for regions with unpredictable rainfall, providing farmers with a reliable alternative when conventional crops fail.

The importance of diversifying what we grow cannot be overstated. Transitioning away from reliance on a handful of staple crops to a broader array of resilient and adaptive crops not only spreads risk but also strengthens ecosystems by improving biodiversity. Biodiversity is a crucial buffer against the compounding effects of climate change, making it one of the most practical and scalable solutions available.

Real-Time Sensors and Smarter Water Management

Technology is also critical in helping farmers adapt to unpredictable conditions. Real-time plant stress sensors, such as those developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), are assisting farmers to monitor crop health in new ways. These sensors track soil moisture, temperature, and plant stress, enabling farmers to make informed irrigation and nutrient application decisions. This precision agriculture reduces waste and ensures resources are directed where needed most.

Equally vital is the improvement of soil health and water management techniques. Regenerative farming practices—such as cover cropping, reduced tillage, and the use of compost—are improving soil structure and increasing its ability to retain water. When paired with innovative irrigation systems that adjust to local weather patterns, these practices make farming systems more resilient to droughts and floods.

Moving Toward Resilience

Monocultures leave global food systems dangerously exposed to climate shocks, amplifying the risks of pests, diseases, and extreme weather. To secure our future, we must diversify crops, protect biodiversity, and embrace innovations like resilient seeds and more thoughtful farming practices. Adapting now is essential to safeguard food security in a warming world.