In Nepal's plains, traditional bins help keep food safe from heat, floods

Farmers are adapting to changing climate effects by fusing traditional Hawaiian practices with new, regenerative agricultural techniques to save soils, streams, and reefs.

Heritage Growers, a 200-acre nonprofit native seed farm founded in 2021, is addressing California's critical shortage of locally adapted native seeds by producing 30,000-40,000 pounds annually of seeds. They have already helped restore thousands of acres with native plants, including the San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge (2,500 acres).

Tribal nations across the U.S., supported by the Intertribal Buffalo Council and adaptive federal grants, have rebuilt bison herds totaling roughly 25,000 animals on tribal lands—restoring a critical food source, with programs distributing tens of thousands of pounds of buffalo meat annually to tribal communities.

Desde Mi Huerto operates a seed bank that for 20 years has produced over 100 Caribbean-adapted varieties, allowing farmers and communities to access local seeds at affordable prices when other sources fail, thereby preserving agricultural diversity and strengthening food sovereignty.

The Hawai'i 'Ulu Cooperative, a farmer-owned collective founded in 2016, has grown to nearly 200 members across four islands by providing guaranteed markets, stable pricing, and collective processing. Through this, farmers have revitalized traditional Hawaiian agriculture and created year-round supply chains.

Gatgyeda Haayk's community garden tackles food access challenges in Metlakatla by patiently building rich soil over many years, enabling diverse crops to flourish despite Alaska's difficult growing conditions. This effort not only provides fresh food but also revitalizes cultural heritage by cultivating traditional plants like "Indian potatoes" and fostering community sharing.

The traditional Barahnaja system of cultivation helps protect farmers’ crops from erratic weather conditions and crop failure and guarantees access to multiple food options and nutrition even during unprecedented conditions. The system helps crop diversification, ensures maximal use of land, nutrients and water and allows farmers to achieve year-round self-sustainability without commercial interest.

By returning to indigenous varieties of crops, farmers can increase ecological diversity and reliance to climate change. In India, hundreds of farmers in the state of Odisha have been returning to indigenous crops, like millet, vegetables, and tubers. In contrast to the high yield varieties of seeds provided by the government, heritage crops prove more resilient to changes in climate, water shortages, and local pests. Using heritage crops also reduces the need for pesticides, helping to restore ecological balance in the region.

Adapting to climate change requires innovation in farming techniques. In Bangladesh, farmers are switching from cultivating crops to fishing. They are employing adaptive practices such as raising fish in cages, shrimp farming, planting on floating beds, and creating dyke gardens. Some of the initiatives are supported by charities like Practical Action and organizations like the World Ban’s National Agriculture Technology Program.

Around the world, communities are creating new technologies, processes, and relationships to the land in an effort to adapt to the changing climate. From the I-Kiribati using new hydroponic systems to grow food amidst rising sea levels, to farmers in Telangana using sustainable greenhouse technology, to the use of solar panels on Indigenous lands like Little Buffalo, those that depend on the land the most are having to adapt first. Underscoring each response is a collaborative, collective resilience.