A new study highlights the significant impact of climate change on global agriculture. 75% of farmers are already experiencing its effects, with 71% reporting reduced yields and 60% facing substantial revenue losses.
In response, farmers are increasingly open to adopting new technologies to manage climate-related issues and ensure sustainable livelihoods.
The 2024 Farmer Voice survey, conducted by Kynetec for Bayer, gathered insights from 2,000 farmers across eight countries (Australia, Brazil, China, Germany, India, Kenya, Ukraine, and the United States). It revealed the challenges, aspirations, and needs of farmers in today's volatile agricultural landscape.
Rodrigo Santos, President of Bayer's Crop Science Division, emphasized the urgent need for innovation. "The Farmer Voice study underlines that farmers continue to face accelerating economic and environmental challenges in their important work – providing food to the world. They want innovation to help them do their jobs better, and an environment in which they can increasingly turn towards regenerative practices making food systems more resilient – to the benefit of the planet, food security, and their livelihoods alike.”
Farmers face a range of challenges, including weather volatility, income fluctuations, and political and regulatory concerns.
Over the next three years, 37% anticipate weather issues and 36% foresee income volatility. Notably, political and regulatory concerns have doubled since last year, with 29% of farmers citing them as a significant challenge.
To address these challenges, farmers are seeking innovative solutions. Access to crop protection and seed technologies is seen as crucial, with 41% and 36% respectively ranking them as top priorities. Regulatory changes are also considered essential for improving farming operations.
Digital tools are playing an increasingly important role in modern agriculture. Nearly two-thirds of farmers currently use digital technologies, with another 25% planning to adopt them in the future. These tools offer benefits like improved crop yields, cost savings, and enhanced crop quality.
Regenerative agriculture is also gaining traction among farmers. Over 90% of farmers are implementing at least one regenerative practice, such as crop rotation and soil health monitoring. Santos highlighted the importance of regenerative agriculture in meeting the demands of a changing climate while ensuring food security and farmer livelihoods.
A separate survey involving 1,450 smallholder farmers in India and Indonesia highlighted their struggles with input costs and climate-related issues. Small Farm Canada believes that if small farmers had been surveyed in this country, findings would be surprisingly similar.
Indian farmers primarily cited pest damage (41%), while Indonesian farmers pointed to fertilizer costs (73%) as their greatest challenges.
Nevertheless, around 80% of these smallholders have implemented at least one regenerative practice, despite facing barriers such as lack of knowledge and financial constraints.
The optimism observed among smallholder farmers reflects a broader sentiment captured in the main Farmer Voice survey.
An overwhelming 95% believe their role is essential for food security, with 91% seeking more recognition for their contributions. This pride in their profession encourages two-thirds of them to advocate for future generations to pursue agriculture.
“Farmers want to be recognized for their contributions to society. We can all support their work, whether we work with farmers directly, develop suitable policies, or simply benefit from the fruits of their labor,” said Rodrigo Santos. “The voice of the farmer is an important one. With big challenges ahead we need to continue to listen and learn from them.”