Introduction
Chapter 2 of the book under review, whose authors are Mike Brklacich and Maureen Woodrow, provides a detailed explanation of how agriculture is adapting to the recent changes in the environment. Specifically, the authors regard the case study of the farmers from Eastern Ontario, Canada, who are adjusting their methods and techniques to the new climatic conditions. The writing begins with a comprehensive analysis of the existing knowledge on the topic. It is worth noting that the approaches are possible to divide into three categories depending on their focus. That can be the influence of climate change for so-called impact-based techniques, the reaction of agriculture for response-based, or strengths and weaknesses of the industry for vulnerability-security.
Methods used in Previous Studies: Impact-based Approaches
Response based-approaches, the earliest that researchers applied to the issue, have been analyzed in brief. According to Brklacich and Woodrow, these methods allowed for specifying the scenarios for global climate change in reliance on historical analogies. Another possible source was the forecasts on climate that, in turn, were derivable from so-called circulation models serving to illustrate the movements of the atmosphere as well as the global ocean. Then, researchers used downscaling techniques to develop region-specific scenarios from the outcomes. That enabled building models for land sustainability and crop productivity. The authors mention that these approaches provided a better understanding of the impact of climate change on the above variables in particular regions.
Response-based Approaches
Later, to complement the impact-based methods, investigators designed response-based that considered potential adaptations of agriculture to the forecasted changes in the climate. Similar to their above equivalents, they use scenarios for broad-scale change as the starting point, but their priority is adjusting agriculture to each of those. Such approaches rely upon the history of agri-food to draw the possible adaptations to new environmental conditions. Thus, the possible variants are the employment of the crop varieties that thrive best, the use of on-farm technologies such as irrigation, and insurance services for crops and animals.
Vulnerability-security Approach
The vulnerability-security approach was designed to solve the problems that emerge from the use of the previous two models, as Brklacich and Woodrow assert. In the case under review, it serves to capture the economic and social spaces in which farms operate, as neither impact-based nor response-based approaches apply to that. Such a technique pays attention to two important perspectives on the positionality of farms.
The first involves situating farming systems within the wide range of environmental and societal changes that influence agriculture. This allows assuming that the model presupposes treating climate change as a contributing factor rather than isolated. Second, the vulnerability-security approach adopts the idea of ‘lives lived’. This implies focusing on the integration of farming communities into research as a means of gaining a good understanding of the forces that influence the incapacity of agriculture to manage an uncertain future due to climate and environmental changes.
Context of the Current Study
The research starts with a comprehensive analysis of the state of agriculture in Dundas County in eastern Ontario. The country is located near Ottawa and Kingston cities on the St. Lawrence River. This area is highly arable and able to support both pasture crops and commercial agriculture. Weather conditions involve the annual daily temperature of 6.60C, the annual daily average from April to September of 15.60C, and the annual rainfall of 756 mm.
For 30 years, agriculture in the region has experienced major transformations; nevertheless, it is still the principal economic activity of the locals. The total amount of farms has reduced but the overall farmland area has remained constant, due to which, the average farmland size has increased by about 61%. This transformation has encouraged the farmers to put more land under crops while the territories that are used for pasture have significantly decreased. The total number of dairy farms in the area shows a downward tendency as well but the productivity in this sector is growing. Regarding the population of the region, it is increasing but, in parallel, aging.
Study Approach and Design
After an analysis of the agricultural as well as the demographical situations in Dundas County, Brklacich and Woodrow turn to the actual study and explain in the first instance how it was accomplished. As the initial step, the researchers considered the engagement of the farming community in Dundas. They started by developing a relationship with the residents through a collaboration with the Dundas Federation of Agriculture (DFA). With more than 300 members, DFA is the largest organization of farmers in the County; its participants formed the core of the study sample. The researchers also engaged South and North Dundas municipalities, the South Conservation Authority, and several individual farmers and farm businesses in the region.
The research period, according to the authors, lasted from 2009 to 2013. During 4 years, they cooperated with the locals and collected environmental as well as socioeconomic data on the county, which finally allowed for an understanding of what factors can influence agriculture in the region and how they can evolve. For a broader perspective, Brklacich and Woodrow applied a variety of methods, including the above ‘lives lived’ scheme, rather than the traditional top-down approach.
Evolution of Agriculture in Dundas
The research starts with a comprehensive review of the evolution of agriculture in Dundas, mainly focusing on the last three decades. Notably, the applications and implications of science and technology in the county have been reviewed. Another important driver of agricultural transformations in the region was farm consolidation with the modernization of many farms and businesses, which resulted in larger but fewer outlets. According to the farmers who participated in the study, the lack of public infrastructure in rural areas remains a problem for their businesses.
In addition to the above, the research by Brklacich and Woodrow has found that capital investments were on the rise at the time, which complicated farm management and succession plans. However, there has been an increase in the demand for new and high-tech farm equipment in the recent 30 years, which, in turn, necessitates trained technicians and service agents. Farmers and farm managers reported that their businesses required additional efficiency in the sphere of spares and inventories, which is frequently dependent on uncertainties that exist beyond the control of the sector. Fourth, the research identifies land management techniques as an important factor that has affected the evolution of agriculture in Dundas County, Ontario.
Future of Agribusiness in Dundas
After the identification of the driving forces in the agricultural transformation, the study turns to calculate the future of agriculture in the county under review. Thus, Brklacich and Woodrow revealed the agreement among the participants that the number of farmers is the most probable to reduce significantly, while the average size, as well as productivity of a farm, will increase. The respondents mostly believe such a scenario to be the best way to manage farms and catalyze adaptation to changing environmental conditions.
Second, farmers presume that the cost of production will grow in the coming years. Currently, the continuation of the cheap food policy in Canada is restricting the capacity for innovation. Farmers also stated that they would like to retire on their farms as there is less interest in moving out upon retirement.
The study by Brklacich and Woodrow also notes that government regulations have influenced the farmers and their ability to manage and produce. They state that they seek to comply with those, the result of which is extra work, strains, and costs. Furthermore, the researchers highlight that the viability of small farms has become doubtful in the given situation because they are outdated.
There will be few small farms in the future, as the youngsters are not interested in agriculture, and only some of them come back to work in this sphere after graduation. Technology is also mentioned in the envisioning of the future of farming in Dundas County. Notably, farmers admit that they need more education and knowledge to work smarter with new technologies, hence improving their productivity. The researchers have found, however, that appropriate educational programs are still missing.
Adaptation of Agriculture to Climate Change in Canada
In general, Brklacich and Woodrow state that the future of agriculture in Dundas County is promising. Specifically, they expect the value of farms, consolidation, and intensification to continue rising. The cost of being a farmer in the area, however, will also increase significantly. Another substantial barrier to the constant development and improvement of farming in the county is the existing government regulations that therefore may need reviewing.
Finally, the researchers assess the impact of climate change on the future of agriculture in the county. It becomes apparent that notwithstanding its considerable influence on the entire industry, it is not a major concern for farmers in Dundas County. Those have responded to climate change for the last 30 years, which has enabled them to retain high productivity and efficiency.
In this study, the farmers stated that they will always be able to manage climate change in the same way they have reacted and adapted to other modifications. Consequently, they believe that the new environmental conditions are not a challenge to their businesses. In their opinion, government policies are the major challenges to threaten the continuity of farming in the upcoming generations.
Conclusion
The outcomes of the research by Brklacich and Woodrow drive important conclusions about the impact of climate change on agriculture in Canada. First, it is clear that the given phenomenon is real and has affected the industry over at least the last three decades. However, the population has devised effective methods of adapting to the new environmental conditions that include the use of technology, adopting new farming techniques, and improving farm management. With these methods, farmers can sustain high productivity and efficiency, regardless of the perceived negative impacts of climate change.
Nevertheless, there exists a serious challenge to the continuity of agribusiness, which is the influence of the current government policies. The lived experiences of the farmers that have been used as study samples show that the recent regulations rather than climate change are the barrier to the well-being of agribusiness and its further existence.