How indigenous women farmers in Mexico are using agroforestry to save the world's favorite drink

Farmers in Iowa have been experimenting with native prairie crops – using native plant species as buffers on farmlands – in an effort to bring more pollination, soil health, water quality preservation, and carbon sequestration to their land. The Iowa State University STRIPS program has been supporting farmers in this effort by connecting them with funding and the information they need to undertake such crops.

Nigerian farmers are adapting their practices to the dry season to avoid disastrous flooding during the rainy months. They use techniques like drip irrigation to conserve water by delivering it directly to plant roots and are cultivating drought-resistant crops. The government helps supports farmers in this endeavor by providing seedlings and fertilizer, too.

Farmers in the Rio Grande Valley are participating in a study to find out if cover cropping is a viable method to improve yields or reduce costs in a region harried by unpredictable weather and water scarcity. In some cases, the cover crops they’ve planted between growing seasons improved soil health and prevented wind erosion.

Farmers in India are turning back to growing traditional, ancient grains like emmer wheat for reliable harvests because it can withstand extreme climate-related weather conditions.

The Bangladesh Resource Center for Indigenous Knowledge runs a rice breeding initiative to preserve and encourage the planting of indigenous seeds. The program trains farmers how to problem solve, cultivate, and save the different seed varieties.

Farmers in Iowa created mobile barns and use a stock cropping method of raising livestock between rows of cash crops on a yearly rotation. This new equipment and growing method reduce water pollution and improve soil health because the animals leave behind just enough nutrients to fertilize the crops the following season.

Farmers in Zimbabwe are diversifying their income with beekeeping to offset financial losses from crops underperforming during increasingly severe droughts.

Mountains are particularly vulnerable to climate change, and a mountain city in India is finding sustainable solutions in traditional agriculture. Women overwhelmingly make up the farming workforce in Uttarakhand and are using a number of ways to combat the effects of the temperature increase. These solutions include bringing back an ancient grain, finger millet, to appeal to new tastes and dishes, storing seed banks of traditional varieties, and opening a cafe serving local food using the ancient grains to attract outside visitors.

In Brazil's Amazon deforestation hotspot BR-163, small farmers and entrepreneurs are working to implement sustainable farming alternatives like agroecology, beekeeping and converting cattle pastures to grow local fruits to create a “bioeconomy,” despite a lack of institutional support.

Bayero University Center for Dryland Agriculture’s Tissue Culture Lab empowers local farmers with advanced research and technology to adapt to climate change and increase food security and nutrition. So far, 22 communities have benefited from the Lab’s expertise, leading to increased food production and fewer health problems caused by inadequate diets.