Which statement best defines climate-smart agriculture?

Which statement best defines climate-smart agriculture?

• A. Practices that increase productivity, resilience, and reduce emissions
• B. Increasing irrigation without considering soil health
• C. Practices that maximize monoculture and chemical inputs
• D. Growing crops in greenhouses only

Answer: (A)

Climate-smart agriculture focuses on boosting productivity while strengthening resilience to climate variability and reducing the farming system’s emissions. The statement that ties together higher output, greater ability to cope with droughts, floods, and heat, and lower greenhouse gas emissions best represents this approach. In practice, it means adopting methods that improve soil health, diversify crops, optimize water and nutrient use, and integrate low-emission technologies—tactics that can raise yields, stabilize production against climate shocks, and lessen the agricultural footprint. Other options miss one or more of these components: expanding irrigation without attention to soil health can harm soils and water resources; relying on monoculture and heavy chemical inputs tends to reduce biodiversity and increase vulnerability to pests and climate stress; and growing crops only in greenhouses limits application of climate-smart practices that support resilience and adaptation in diverse farming environments.

Climate-smart agriculture focuses on boosting productivity while strengthening resilience to climate variability and reducing the farming system’s emissions. The statement that ties together higher output, greater ability to cope with droughts, floods, and heat, and lower greenhouse gas emissions best represents this approach. In practice, it means adopting methods that improve soil health, diversify crops, optimize water and nutrient use, and integrate low-emission technologies—tactics that can raise yields, stabilize production against climate shocks, and lessen the agricultural footprint.

Other options miss one or more of these components: expanding irrigation without attention to soil health can harm soils and water resources; relying on monoculture and heavy chemical inputs tends to reduce biodiversity and increase vulnerability to pests and climate stress; and growing crops only in greenhouses limits application of climate-smart practices that support resilience and adaptation in diverse farming environments.