from the Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development |
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JAFSCD is the world’s only community-supported journal. JAFSCD content is open access (free) thanks to the generous support of our shareholders: the JAFSCD Shareholder Consortium, Library Shareholders, a growing number of Individual Shareholders, and our six JAFSCD Partners: |
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Discover the ecological practices enabling small farmers to survive and thrive amid climate pressures, and explore their potential as a sustainable and economically viable pathway for smallholders in China and beyond.
Farmers play a critical role in food systems, rural economies, ecological sustainability, and the social fabric of communities. As farmers age, new farmers are needed to maintain the stability of the agricultural sector. Without skilled individuals willing and able to take up farming as a career, the future of domestic food production is in jeopardy. This has a range of environmental, social, and economic implications. Farmers, particularly smallholders, are highly vulnerable to climate change impacts. A unique group of entrepreneurial small-scale farmers, though less statistically prominent and underexplored in current research, are actively employing ecological farming practices to balance ecological sustainability and economic viability under the pressures of climate change.
In the JAFSCD article, Adapting to climate change on the farm: Experiences of small-scale ecological farmers in two regions of China, Qihua Feng, Zhenzhong Si and Steffanie Scott present an analysis of 28 small-scale ecological farmers’ lived experiences, context-specific practices, and adaptive strategies, aiming to deepen the understanding of whether and how ecological farming can be a sustainable and economically viable pathway for smallholders in China and beyond. Corresponding author Zhenzhong Si can be contacted at zsi@wlu.ca.
KEY FINDINGS
Climate change ranks among the top concerns for small scale ecological farmers in China, alongside labor costs and market dynamics. Compared to conventional farmers who rely on chemical inputs and external extension support, ecological farmers adopt knowledge-intensive, nature-based practices and peer-learning networks, offering more sustainable adaptation strategies. In addition to ecosystem-based adaptation strategies such as diversified cropping, soil improvement, and livestock integration, farmers also employ socio-economic measures such as infrastructure enhancement, income diversification, and risk-sharing mechanisms to adapt to climate change.
Farm size influences adaptation strategies: while larger ecological farms can invest in infrastructure and insurance, smallholders rely on low-cost, labor-intensive practices and family labor, making their experiences crucial for informing agroecological transitions in smallholder-dominated agricultural sector.
Ecological farming holds promise as an environmentally sustainable model, but its broader and successful adoption among smallholders is contingent upon overcoming substantial economic, social and institutional barriers.
Farmers’ use of local knowledge demonstrates strong peer-based learning, highlighting the potential of farmer-to-farmer models to promote sustainable practices where extension services fall short.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POLICY AND PRACTICE -
Support smallholders through tailored government interventions, such as inclusive subsidies, improved insurance schemes, and programs that integrate ecological practices into institutional frameworks.
- Recognize and support bottom-up, farmer-driven innovations in ecological practices, while avoiding prescriptive top-down directives.
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To improve farm resilience and economic viability, strengthen the role of ecological farms as community knowledge hubs by supporting farmer-to-farmer extension models and encouraging diversified income strategies such as agritourism and educational programs.
- Expand farm-level monitoring and participatory research to investigate local agroecosystem dynamics across climate scenarios, providing science-based guidance for sustainable adaptation solutions.
- Conduct quantitative and participatory research to identify and evaluate cost-effective and easy-to-apply ecological practices and promote their adoption among smallholders.
SHARE ON YOUR SOCIALS
Can small-scale farmers balance ecology and economy without agrochemicals while facing climate change? New research from China explores their struggles, strategies, and innovations. Read the full @JAFSCD article for free: https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2025.144.011
#ecologicalfarming #smallholders #China Photo above: A female farmer in Guigang, Guangxi, pauses to photograph wildflowers before gathering vegetables and wild plants for lunch. Photo by Qihua Feng. |
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JAFSCD SHAREHOLDER JOB OPPORTUNITY |
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Position Opening: LEO Lecturer III
The College of Literature, Science, and the Arts and the School of Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) at the University of Michigan invites individuals to apply for the position of LEO Lecturer III to teach courses in the area of Sustainable Food Systems, as well as support the Program in the Environment (PitE) Food minor and Sustainable Food Systems Initiative. Applications are welcomed and encouraged regardless of background and identity.
Application deadline: September 27, 2025
Learn more here! |
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JAFSCD PARTNER & SHAREHOLDER NEWS |
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Teams at the University of Vermont (a JAFSCD Partner) and Michigan State University (a JAFSCD Shareholder) partnered with the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service on a project to expand knowledge about food hubs, especially the roles of food hub operators and the progression of their work from start-up to established operations.
The hats these operators wear are invaluable to the ecosystem of local and regional food systems. The project's stories and resources can help motivate, reinforce, and inspire operators and other local purchasing players. Check out Many Hats: A Food Hub Operator’s Toolkit and The Food Hub Podcast.
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SUPPORT JAFSCD THROUGH YOUR LIBRARY! |
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| If you are affiliated with a college or university and want to support JAFSCD, now is the time of year when libraries order new journal subscriptions. |
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How do I know if my library already contributes? Check the list here (scroll down on the page).
Isn't JAFSCD open access and free? It is! But we are a community-supported journal. Libraries contribute to become JAFSCD Library Shareholders instead of buying a subscription — keeping JAFSCD free to all instead of buying access just for their faculty and students. Think of us as the CSA of journals!
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How do I recommend JAFSCD to my library? Tell your librarian why JAFSCD is important to your work, and send them this link to learn more! Feel free to contact Amy Christian, managing editor, for details. |
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JAFSCD is an open access, community-supported journal! Your library, program, or organization can become a shareholder to help keep JAFSCD's content available to all, regardless of their resources. We welcome anyone to become an individual shareholder; donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
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