CEFS Climate Change and Food System Innovation Hub Climate change threatens agricultural production, natural resources, and food security, with a disproportionate impact on farmers and communities of color. CEFS believes all people deserve access to healthy soils, clean air, and clean water and that climate mitigation, adaptation, and resiliency are critical to ensuring a thriving and equitable food system.
Research conducted at CEFS’ Field Research, Education, and Outreach Facility located at Cherry Research Farm in Goldsboro, N.C. is pioneering in many ways. The findings produced by CEFS Research Units account for variables such as soil profiles and weather patterns that closely resemble conditions experienced across the Southeastern U.S. and many areas in the Global South. Through partnerships and collaborations, CEFS researchers are able to share information and practices, making CEFS a research hub in the Southeast and globally.
The Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) field research and local food initiatives work to create more resilient local food systems and provide evidence-based solutions and resources to producers and consumers on best practices for mitigating and adapting to current and future impacts of climate change. By supporting the local food sector, CEFS also implements strategies that decrease the supply chain’s vulnerability to disrupting weather events, increasing its overall resiliency.
Economic and structural disparities render many of the strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions ineffective or impractical for those who are most affected by climate change. CEFS aims to amplify the voices of frontline communities, to find solutions that work across regions, industries, ethnic and racial groups. The impact of climate change affects us all, but has disproportionate impacts on low-income and Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. For this reason, addressing structural racism in the food system and in society is critical to this work.
Animal Agriculture
Local Supply Chain
Climate Justice
Farming for the Future
Food Systems Leaders
Climate variability impacts the productivity and wellbeing of farm animals.
Regional food systems decrease the supply chain’s vulnerability to disrupting weather events, increasing its overall resiliency.
The impact of climate change has inequitable impacts on low-income and Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities.
To help mitigate climate change, CEFS demonstrates sustainable agricultural practices and helps develop pathways for local producers to sell locally. Promoting local food production and short supply chains and a greater degree of self-sufficiency is a key strategy that should be carried forward to increase the ability of the food system to withstand future shocks.
CEFS Committee on Racial Equity in the Food System (CORE) works to mitigate the systemic disparities that have historically caused long-term harm and destruction in BIPOC communities. Several CEFS initiatives center frontline communities and develop community-based strategies for resilience and engagement.
CEFS provides evidence-based solutions for producers and consumers on best practices for mitigating and adapting to climate change.
Developing youth leadership can help build processes and awareness for how communities can respond to and bounce back from climate change effects as they arise.
CEFS researchers are examining how to reduce the inputs and increase the efficiency of animal systems, develop heat-tolerant pig and cattle breeds, increase carbon sequestration in grazelands, and create alternative markets for pasture-raised livestock and poultry. A common goal of these projects is to improve the resiliency of animal agriculture while simultaneously enhancing its profitability.
To prepare for a changing climate, CEFS researchers are examining a wide array of alternative animal, vegetable, and agroforestry production systems. Nitrogen management, cover crop use, and soil carbon sequestration are being studied as means for reducing inputs and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture.
CEFS works with a new generation of farm and food system leaders, meeting them where they are, and supporting them along their career paths to create the food system they envision.
Authors: CEFS Climate Change working group. Find out more at cefs.ncsu.edu/climate-change The Center for Environmental Farming Systems is a partnership of North Carolina State University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
