A cohort-based learning opportunity for farmers and agricultural advisors who are interested in climate change adaptation and mitigation.
The Climate Adaptation Fellowship (now Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Fellowship) was launched in 2019 in response to farmers’ need for information and technical assistance related to climate change. The first iteration of the program focused on the Northeast region of the United States. A team of collaborators including researchers from land grant universities, farmers, extension professionals, and personnel from USDA Agricultural Research Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service worked together to create a set of peer-reviewed, climate-focused curricula for dairy, small fruit and vegetables, tree fruit, and forestry.
“CAMF has made me less hesitant to talk about climate change. Our approach has been to just talk about it in a matter of fact way, no drama, no gloom and doom. I feel like this approach has reduced tension in conversations that I have had about climate change.”
- Emmalea Ernest, Agricultural Advisor Fellow (‘21-22)
In 2021, the small fruit and vegetable program was piloted, supported by a Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NE-SARE) professional development grant. Thirty fellows participated in the pilot. Over the course of a year, fellows met for two workshops and a series of informal meetings. They worked in pairs (one farmer and one agricultural advisor) to conduct risk assessments, generate adaptation plans, set up field demonstrations, and attend outreach events. Fourteen farmer fellows reported making climate-adaptive changes on their farms as a result of participating in the fellowship program, and twelve technical service provider fellows reported changing their outreach programming to integrate more climate-focused information. Since the program ended in 2022, many fellows have continued to act as climate leaders within their communities. Farmers fellows have spoken at conferences and workshops, and service provider fellows have created their own climate-focused programming within their home-organizations.
“I feel like climate conversations are more central to my work [now] and a goal is to express that more clearly.”
- Becky Maden, Agricultural Advisor Fellow (‘21-22)
“I applied for and received a Climate Smart Grant from [the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources]...A lot of the language that I used in that application was influenced by what we learned in the early sessions of the fellowship, and the project design was also influenced by the session, especially in regards to the need for irrigation.”
- Abby Ferla, Farmer Fellow (‘21-22)
Beginning in 2023, four new climate adaptation and mitigation fellowship programs will begin in the Northeast and Midwest regions of the United States. Cohorts of farmers and agricultural advisors will learn about climate impacts, adaptation and mitigation strategies, and other topics including financing adaptation and mitigation plans, and climate communication. Working together and with support from Educator Teams, farmer and advisor pairs will create climate adaptation and mitigation plans for farmer fellow’s farms. This fellowship also includes a stipend for farmer fellows, drop in support meetings for fellows during the planning process, and guest speakers covering requested topics.
“I am now in a network of knowledgeable people who are also working on global warming solutions, and hope to reach out to them in the future.”
- Ben Crockett, Farmer Fellow (‘21-22)