Climate-resilient Arable Farming

This Nuffield Scholarship report explores which alternative arable farming strategies can be implemented in regions with less structured soils, such as the German state of Brandenburg, to address the challenges of climate change. The aim is to derive sustainable cropping systems and mechanization concepts for local agriculture from international travel experiences and practical examples.

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change”. (Charles Darwin)

An analysis of global climate trends shows that Brandenburg region is increasingly affected by droughts, heavy rainfall and higher temperatures. Crops respond to these stress factors with various adaptation strategies and differ in their ability to cope with changing conditions. The technology used on farms plays a crucial role in enabling flexible responses to climatic fluctuations, particularly through direct seeding, resource-conserving tillage and irrigation.

Visits to countries in Europe, South America and Australia, demonstrate that intercropping, cover crops and adaptive crop rotations can enhance or stabilize yield reliability and soil fertility. Intercropping combines plants with different rooting depths and physiological traits, optimizing water and nutrient use while reducing disease and pest pressure. Cover crops maintain soil cover, improve microbial activity and support sustainable nutrient cycles.

From these findings, specific recommendations can be derived for Brandenburg: combining intercropping systems (deep-rooted, drought-tolerant plants with legumes), targeted use of cover crops, direct seeding or low-till systems (reduced tillage) and precise irrigation can increase the resilience of agricultural enterprises. Such strategies help reduce yield risks, stabilize soils over the long term and improve resource efficiency.

Overall, the report highlights that an integrated approach of combining plant diversity, sustainable soil management and modern mechanization offers a practical and future-oriented strategy for adapting Brandenburg’s agriculture to climate change.