Transforming Agriculture for Climate Resilience: A Framework for Systemic Change

The document defines transformative adaptation in agriculture as intentional responses that fundamentally alter production systems, locations, or technologies. It argues that while incremental adaptation is often preferable, severe climate impacts will increasingly necessitate transformative shifts to avoid maladaptation and conflict. The paper proposes the use of 'transformative pathways'—coordinated sequences of short- and medium-term actions—and 'decision windows' based on climate projections and crop models to signal when systemic change is required. It calls for governments to integrate these considerations into national adaptation plans (NAPs) and for international bodies, including the UNFCCC, FAO, UNDP, and UNEP, to align their guidelines and funding to support these systemic transitions, emphasizing that such processes must be inclusive and gender-responsive to prevent inequitable outcomes.

• Transformative adaptation for agriculture is defined as intentional responses to climate impacts that fundamentally change agricultural systems, specifically by shifting production locations, introducing new technologies and methods at scale, or altering key system aspects.
• Transformative approaches are necessary when climate impacts are currently or projected to be severe enough to undermine the viability of existing agricultural systems, though incremental adaptation remains preferable where possible.
• The paper introduces 'transformative pathways' as coordinated sequences of short- and medium-term projects that enable a transition to more resilient systems, utilizing 'decision windows' to evaluate indicators and signal when systemic change is needed.
• Implementation of transformative adaptation is inherently subjective and may benefit some groups over others, necessitating an inclusive, equitable, and gender-responsive approach that centers the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable rural populations.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Transforming Agriculture for Climate Resilience: A Framework for Systemic Change. https://www.wri.org/research/transforming-agriculture-climate-resilience-framework-systemic-change

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Transforming Agriculture for Climate Resilience: A Framework for Systemic Change. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/transforming-agriculture-climate-resilience-framework-systemic-change.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Transforming Agriculture for Climate Resilience: A Framework for Systemic Change |url=https://www.wri.org/research/transforming-agriculture-climate-resilience-framework-systemic-change |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendtransforming, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Transforming Agriculture for Climate Resilience: A Framework for Systemic Change}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/transforming-agriculture-climate-resilience-framework-systemic-change}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }