Living With Climate Change: How Prairie Farmers Deal with Increasing Weather Variability

This report examines how farmers in the Canadian Prairie agroecosystem, specifically in Saskatchewan, adapt to increasing weather variability and climate change. Using the CRISTAL tool, the research identifies key weather stresses, their impacts on farm resources, and the coping strategies employed by producers. The findings distinguish between 'status quo' farmers and 'innovative' or 'leading' farmers, concluding that resilience is closely linked to diversification, the adoption of new technologies like zero-till farming, and a reduced dependence on government programs.

• Early frost is the most significant weather event affecting farmers in both the northern and southern study areas of Saskatchewan, with 87% of northern and 74% of southern respondents identifying it as a major impact.
• Crop damage and loss is the primary impact of weather events across both study areas, reported by 87% of northern and 67% of southern producers.
• Zero or minimum tillage farming practices have become a nearly universal standard in Saskatchewan, praised for their ability to retain soil moisture and prevent erosion, which helps producers survive drought events.
• Innovative or 'leading' farmers demonstrate higher resilience by diversifying their operations, which includes moving toward specialty crops, direct marketing, and integrating livestock.
• Financial resources, specifically savings and liquid assets, are identified as critical for coping with weather events, as the annual production of crops serves as the foundation for these resources.
• Government programs like Saskatchewan Crop Insurance are viewed as necessary for 'take the loss' scenarios, but programs like CAIS are highly unpopular due to complexity and administrative burdens.
• Interdependence, such as pooling labor and equipment or using custom farming, allows producers to reduce input costs and financial risk, thereby increasing their resilience to weather shocks.
• The report identifies a trend of rural depopulation and an aging producer population, noting that second-generation children often seek more stable employment in cities due to the perceived instability of farming.
• Resilience is characterized by three main factors: increasing options (e.g., niche crops, new technology), flexibility to switch practices, and a lack of dependence on government programs.

APA

Pearce, K. T. W. (2009). Living With Climate Change: How Prairie Farmers Deal with Increasing Weather Variability. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/living_with_cc_weather_variability.pdf

Chicago

Pearce, Kent Terrence Whitney. Living With Climate Change: How Prairie Farmers Deal with Increasing Weather Variability. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2009. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/living_with_cc_weather_variability.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Pearce |first1=Kent Terrence Whitney |title=Living With Climate Change: How Prairie Farmers Deal with Increasing Weather Variability |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=March 2009 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/living_with_cc_weather_variability.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{pearce2009living, author = {Pearce, Kent Terrence Whitney}, title = {{Living With Climate Change: How Prairie Farmers Deal with Increasing Weather Variability}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2009}, month = mar, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/living_with_cc_weather_variability.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }