PhD defence

Feeding the future: risks, resilience, and adaptation pathways in farming systems

PhD candidate S (Shalika) Vyas
Promotor prof.dr.ir. MPM (Miranda) Meuwissen
External promotor Prof.dr. M.J. (Martin) Kropff
Co-promotor dr. TPF (Tobias) Dalhaus
External copromotor Prof.dr. J.A. (Julian) Ramirez Villegas
Organisation Wageningen University, Business Economics
Date

Fri 31 May 2024 11:00 to 12:30

Venue Omnia, building number 105
Hoge Steeg 2
105
6708 PH Wageningen
+31 (0) 317 - 484500
Room Auditorium

Summary

This thesis presents an interdisciplinary analysis of resilience and adaptability of global farming systems, focusing on the weather risks under changing climatic conditions. It examines the alignment of global climate action with agricultural adaptation needs. Further, it presents a comprehensive review and synthesis of agricultural insurance practices globally, exploring agricultural insurance's role in resilience strategies. It also examines the impacts of heat stress under climate-smart agriculture practices, revealing the crucial role of traditional practices like irrigation, despite their potential unsustainability. Lastly, it presents a global resilience analysis of recovery from production shocks in maize and livestock farming systems. The findings highlight risk hotspots, evaluate the resilience of different adaptations and farming systems, and suggest policy pathways in different geographies for sustainable agricultural development with projected climate change impacts.