How Can AgTech Support Climate Resilience?
Since 1950, every decade has been hotter than the last, and this trend isn’t expected to stop.
2023 shattered records as the hottest year to date, with a mean temperature reaching 1.45 °C above pre-industrial levels. This is tracking dangerously close to our critical threshold of 1.5 °C. Some meteorologists believe that we are already on track to exceed that threshold in the near future.
Crossing this threshold could unleash severe consequences - more frequent and intense droughts, floods, fires, and storms. But what is most concerning, at 1.5 °C, a series of cascading and irreversible tipping points in Earth’s natural systems could trigger a feedback loop accelerating global warming.
Without immediate intervention, scientists expect this limit to be breached within the next decade.
Source: Axios
What does this have to do with Australian agriculture?
Historically, agriculture has played a significant role in environmental degradation and is a major contributor to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This is particularly true in Australia, where the sector is responsible for as much as 18% of our historic emissions and has played a role in destroying native forests, of which more than half have been lost.
The path we’re on threatens to undermine food and water security, posing a significant threat to our future.
But this narrative isn’t set in stone.
We believe we stand at a turning point - one where agtech can redefine agriculture’s role from a contributor to the problem to a force for positive change. By rapidly developing and adopting transformative technologies, we can safeguard environmental resources, restore ecosystems, grow our agricultural economy, and build a more resilient future.
Current and Future Climate Challenges in Agriculture
Australian farmers are already feeling the impacts of climate change.
In our predominantly agricultural regions, annual rainfall in some areas has dropped 27% since 2000. And 8 of the 10 hottest years on record have occurred between 2013 and 2020.
Source: Australian Bureau Of Meteorology
Falling rainfall and drier conditions between 2000-2019 have considerably reduced cropping farm profits by 35%. Farming profitability has also decreased significantly, with the probability of farmers earning below a 2% rate of return doubling since 2000.
In the future, we can expect even more challenges for farmers.
The IPCC Sixth Assessment Report provides some troubling predictions:
In 2050, hotter and drier conditions are expected to decrease the median wheat yields across southwestern Australia by 30% and 15% in southern Australia.
The projected number of days livestock will experience heat stress is expected to increase by 31- 42 days per year.
Annual rainfall is expected to decrease across Australia, while rainfall intensity is expected to increase.
Median projected annual runoff to decrease by 20%, which means less water and less flow in our river systems.
We are currently tracking down a path that will significantly risk food and water security unless we swiftly develop and adopt technologies that address this challenge.
Technologies Role in Tackling These Challenges
Agtech has the potential to redefine agriculture's role in restoring planetary health.
At an inflection point of technological advancement. Some of the many technologies that are leading the charge in agriculture's efforts to mitigate against climate change and enable environmental restoration include:
Biological AgTech
Innovation in biological inputs like microbial solutions, bio-stimulants, and eco-friendly fertilisers can regenerate soil health, promote plant stress tolerance and improve pest and disease control. These solutions can help farmers reduce dependency on synthetic inputs and promote soil health and crop resilience.
Precision Agriculture
Precision tools leveraging data and advanced sensing technologies to optimise crop health through water, nutrients and resource monitoring. Precision agriculture aims to improve efficiency and minimise the environmental impact through precision and efficient adaptation in varying conditions.
Farm Management Technology
Integrated digital platforms can streamline livestock, crop, water and waste management while offering data-driven decision support to improve productivity and sustainability.
Other Technologies
Other promising emerging technologies include predictive climate risk modelling, carbon sequestration tools, and soil carbon measurement technologies, utilising remote sensing technologies and geospatial information systems. We plan to explore some of these exciting technologies in future posts.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Agtech in Climate Resilience
Agtech is poised to be pivotal in addressing climate challenges, with ongoing innovations and collaborations essential for sustainable agricultural practices.
Embracing agtech is crucial for building climate resilience in agriculture. Stakeholders must collaborate to support and implement technological solutions that ensure a sustainable future for farming.
