As climate change impacts the future of farming, experts seek ways to adapt

Climate Change forcing adjustments

As climate change continues to negatively impact agriculture in Georgia, advancements in technology are being used to aid producers in creating more sustainable crops.

Introduction

Lashawndra Robinson, founder of Black Farm Street in Augusta, had to make some expensive yet necessary adjustments in order to combat the effects of climate change. She explains that one of the biggest challenges she faced in Georgia compared to South Carolina was the difference in soil. To address this issue, she implemented drip irrigation and overhead watering to keep the soil moist. Additionally, she installed drip tape underground and added new piping to ensure direct high-pressure water supply for her garden.

Black Farm Street

• Black Farm Street is a nonprofit organization with two gardens on 1.5 acres located at 1650 Olive Rd., Augusta, and a 14-acre garden in Aiken, South Carolina.
• Robinson maintains a variety of produce in both gardens, including peas, corn, squash, watermelons, cantaloupe, collard greens, and tomatoes.
• Last year, they were able to feed 720 homes over the summer, but due to the extreme heat, they could only feed 15 homes this year.

‘There’s more than one way to farm’

Robinson explains that her inspiration to get into agriculture came from a higher calling. Despite not having a background in agriculture, she learned hands-on from different farmers and discovered that farming is versatile with multiple approaches.

Learning to adapt

Kate Cassity-Duffey, assistant professor in the horticulture department at the University of Georgia, acknowledges the negative impact of climate change on the agriculture industry. She emphasizes the importance of adapting to ensure food security in the face of unpredictable climate conditions. Cassity-Duffey is currently conducting a three-year research study to help farmers transition from conventional to organic farming. The study focuses on building resilience on farms and promoting soil organic matter and diversity of plants to combat stressors like drought.

Hydroponic farms doing more with less

Viraj Puri, CEO of Gotham Greens, highlights hydroponic greenhouses as a solution to combat climate change and ensure a stable supply of agricultural commodities and vegetables. Gotham Greens operates one of the largest networks of high-tech hydroponic greenhouses in North America. These greenhouses allow for year-round production of high-quality, sustainably grown leafy greens regardless of the weather outside.

What is a hydroponic greenhouse?

Hydroponic farming is a type of farming that does not use soil. Instead, it relies on an enclosed building where all climate conditions, including temperature, humidity, and airflow, can be regulated. This allows for year-round production regardless of external weather conditions. Hydroponics also enables efficient water usage.

Benefits of a hydroponic greenhouse

Hydroponic greenhouses recycle irrigation water for reuse, resulting in up to 90% less water usage compared to conventional farming. They also require up to 97% less land. In terms of efficiency, what can be grown in 1 acre in a hydroponic greenhouse would require over 30 acres in traditional field farming.

Long-term benefits of greenhouses

Gotham Greens estimates that their current network of greenhouses will save more than 300 million gallons of water annually compared to conventional farming methods. However, it is important to note that hydroponic greenhouse technology may not be suitable for all regions and crops.

This reporting content is supported by a partnership with several funders and Journalism Funding Funding Partners.

Erica Van Buren is the climate change reporter for The Augusta Chronicle, part of the USA TODAY Network. Connect with her at EVanBuren@gannett.com or on Twitter: @EricaVanBuren32.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDG 2: Zero Hunger

   • Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding, and other disasters, and that progressively improve land and soil quality.
   • Indicator 2.4.1: Proportion of agricultural area under productive and sustainable agriculture.
   • Indicator 2.4.2: Average income of small-scale food producers, by sex and indigenous status.

2. SDG 13: Climate Action

   • Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
   • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning.
   • Indicator 13.1.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population.
   • Indicator 13.2.1: Number of countries that have communicated the strengthening of institutional, systemic, and individual capacity-building to implement adaptation, mitigation, and technology transfer.

3. SDG 15: Life on Land

   • Target 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains, and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements.
   • Target 15.3: By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought, and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world.
   • Indicator 15.1.1: Forest area as a proportion of total land area.
   • Indicator 15.3.1: Proportion of land that is degraded over total land area.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: augustachronicle.com

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