Weather, climate, and agriculture: Historical contributions and perspectives from agricultural meteorology

Abstract

All over the world, farming communities need to adapt to a changing climate. At the same time, they are confronted by the necessity to increase food availability for a growing population, but also to ensure a sustainable use of natural resources. In this process, agriculture is not just the fiend responsible for an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, nor the victim of rising temperatures and extreme weather events. Agriculture is also an ally in climate change mitigation and adaptation because the selection of ad hoc crop varieties and livestock can lower the environmental impact of farming and the implementation of better management practices can promote soil conservation. Whether agriculture will have a positive or a negative impact on climate change adaptation and mitigation will depend on the rural policies implemented, but it will also be contingent on an adequate understanding of the interconnections existing between weather, climate, and farming. This review explores such interconnections by focusing on the history of agricultural meteorology, which is the research field that studies the impact of weather and climate on crops, livestock, farming operations, and plant and animal pests and diseases. The article discusses stakeholders, institutions, and main developments in agricultural meteorology, and describes how the agenda of agricultural meteorology has shifted over time. At the beginning of the 20th century, research in agricultural meteorology focused on increasing the profitability of farming. In the 21st century, instead, the main goal of agricultural meteorology is to ensure food security and guarantee sustainability.