Making agriculture resilient to bad weather

Climate variability is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as droughts and floods. Linked to El Ni?o, the recent floods in Central and Southern China are a reminder to the negative impacts of climate change - it is feared the floods are the worst in decades.

These severe and devastating floods have costly impacts. According to media reports, about 33 million people have been affected so far, close to 200 have lost their lives and more than 40 are missing. The economic losses have been just as distressing. More than 50,000 homes have been destroyed, forcing many to evacuate, and about 1.9 million hectares of cropland damaged, leading to losses of over 38 billion yuan ($5.7 billion). Many farmers have had to abandon their property and livestock. And there is little doubt food security and nutrition of poor households will be affected.

Recurring floods increase the vulnerability of the poor, especially small farmers. Extreme weather events threaten not only their livelihoods, but also their food security and nutrition. It is true that China has made tremendous progress in coping with weather shocks. The infrastructure, such as flood control facilities, was strengthened following the devastating floods of 1998. By subsidizing agricultural insurance, the government also has ensured that smallholders are protected, making their incomes more resilient. Additionally, climate adaptation was incorporated into the country's National Comprehensive Agriculture Development Program.