Agroecology can delay effects of climate crisis on Brazilian crops
Excessive heat is impacting soybean, corn, and rice crops in southern Brazil, as well as coffee and fruit plantations in the southeast. Each year, climate change poses a growing threat to food production.According to climatologist Francis Lacerda, a researcher at the Agronomic Institute of Pernambuco, agroecology strategies can help slow these effects and mitigate the risk of food insecurity—at least for now. “There are practices that can still reduce these impacts. I say ‘still’ because soon, they may no longer be effective,” warns the expert.The first step is reforestation. “A common practice in agroecology is intercropping. You plant a fruit tree alongside legumes, beans, or corn—everything together. These plants interact in ways that benefit each other. Some have deep taproots that...