**3. Resource smart interventions**

#### **3.1 Water smart**

Water is limiting resource throughout the world and must be used professionally to ensure a safe and plentiful food supply. Explanations to water shortage glitches will necessarily include adoption of innovative water conservation measures, flexible water delivery systems and precision irrigation. Better control and management of water applications are important components for any crop in this action [20]. Irrigation efficiency of system is 40% which is quite poor in Pakistan. Smart water management practices aim to enhance the efficiency and productivity of water which are very important interventions. These might be comprised of water course improvement, precision land leveling, bed planting, furrow planting of row crops and high efficiency irrigation systems, aquifer recharge, community management of water and water conservation [30] which have potential to save water in the range of 20–70%. These interventions can be resulted into increase in crop yields by 20–30% and increase in net income to the farmers by 20% under changing climate scenarios of Pakistan. In climate smart water, irrigation plays a major role in stabilizing agricultural production. Climate smart irrigation is good irrigation approach for the given agro-climatic and societal context that may result directly or indirectly from the different aspects of climate change, it aims to increase per unit production and income from irrigated cropping systems. These interventions through climate smart agriculture, aim to reduce the exposure of farmers and their irrigation systems to short term risks. Adaptations are generally developed to strengthen resilience by developing their capacity in the face of shock and other stresses.

Irrigation is applied usually to overcome the stress due to spatial and temporal variability in rainfall on crop growth and its quality. Characteristically, climate smart irrigation practices are founded in the mix of technical and non-technical measures. These may be included;

**27**

*Climate Smart Interventions of Small-Holder Farming Systems*

• The source of water must be reliable; however, the reliability of water sources largely depends on the policy interventions for regulating, protecting and

• Building of sound infrastructure to extract and convey water from the source to where it is needed. The policy interventions again play an important role in

• Drainage infrastructure is often needed to reduce the risks of waterlogging and

managing and maintaining all types of irrigation conveyance systems.

• The role of irrigation management systems and water user association is important to implement the innovations like; weather or soil sensors, control

• Farmers must be given land and water tenure that gives right to use both resources and, the incentives to invest in activities aimed at improving the

• The agriculture production system is declared to be climate smart, when the cropping systems are well adapted to relevant biophysical factors (agroclimatic conditions, soils, extreme events) and societal factors (markets, labor availability). Policy interventions to support farmers and farming systems, credit services, suppliers of seeds and irrigation related infrastructure, suppli-

• Value chains are the most important aspects that connect farmers to markets. They ensure returns on investment and minimize risks of post-harvest losses. In these context, the interventions are needed to support farmers and traders

Total organic carbon is the amount of carbon related to living organisms or derived from them. Increasing carbon content in the soil may reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide and improve soil quality. Recent interests in carbon sequestration have raised many questions about how much carbon can be stored in the soil. The organic carbon content in soil can be improved through agricultural practices such as agroforestry, livestock, manure management, conservation tillage, diversified land use systems and residue management. As millet crop is grown on mostly marginal land with low organic matter (OM). Improving OM using different interventions can boost the pearl millet yields in Pakistan where soils of most areas are low

Conventionally, climate resilient crops (pearl millet, sorghum, quinoa etc.) are grown on marginal soils (low fertility) without application of nitrogen. Nitrogen application should be considered as an important component of dryland, rain-fed and irrigated systems. Soil fertility along with climatic risks are obstructing crop productivity in arid and semi-arid environments of Pakistan. Nitrogen smart interventions are those strategies in precision agriculture where most of the people do not focus before growing crops, especially the ignoring

productivity and resilience of their irrigation systems.

ers of irrigation and agricultural equipment, etc.

in trading related legislation.

**3.2 Carbon smart**

in organic matter [31].

**3.3 Nitrogen smart**

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.82872*

sustainability of natural resources.

devices etc. according to certain schedule.

soil salinization.

*Climate Change and Agriculture*

at district level [10].

**3.1 Water smart**

designed agro-ecological zones.

**3. Resource smart interventions**

energy resources should be accentuated to mitigate the impact of changing climate. Climate compatible agriculture should be endorsed as an adaptation strategy in country. Genetic divergence and biotechnology can also play an imperative role to develop crop varieties which can tolerate drought, heat stress and submerge conditions. Use of information technology (IT) in agriculture has become crucial to quantify the impact of climate change. Monetary protection of farmers by insurance companies and government should be promoted in the country against natural catastrophes. An index-based insurance schemes should be introduced to cover risks associated with changes in rainfall and temperature at the different stages of crop growth. Early warning systems and automatic weather stations to alert farmers with weather data are good tools those must be installed

Globally, all research institutes are non-profitable and funded with sufficient finance to carry smooth research activities. Contrarily to the facts, most of the research institutes in Pakistan are considered profit-oriented by fixing financial targets each year. Hence, as a policy intervention, research institutes in Pakistan should be declared as non-profitable. This approach enables scientists to work without restrictions rather than making profit. In addition to this, investment in research and development must be increased in country to develop site specific adaptation strategies for changing climate. These adaptations must be fit in new

Water is limiting resource throughout the world and must be used professionally to ensure a safe and plentiful food supply. Explanations to water shortage glitches will necessarily include adoption of innovative water conservation measures, flexible water delivery systems and precision irrigation. Better control and management of water applications are important components for any crop in this action [20]. Irrigation efficiency of system is 40% which is quite poor in Pakistan. Smart water management practices aim to enhance the efficiency and productivity of water which are very important interventions. These might be comprised of water course improvement, precision land leveling, bed planting, furrow planting of row crops and high efficiency irrigation systems, aquifer recharge, community management of water and water conservation [30] which have potential to save water in the range of 20–70%. These interventions can be resulted into increase in crop yields by 20–30% and increase in net income to the farmers by 20% under changing climate scenarios of Pakistan. In climate smart water, irrigation plays a major role in stabilizing agricultural production. Climate smart irrigation is good irrigation approach for the given agro-climatic and societal context that may result directly or indirectly from the different aspects of climate change, it aims to increase per unit production and income from irrigated cropping systems. These interventions through climate smart agriculture, aim to reduce the exposure of farmers and their irrigation systems to short term risks. Adaptations are generally developed to strengthen resilience by developing their capacity in the face of

Irrigation is applied usually to overcome the stress due to spatial and temporal variability in rainfall on crop growth and its quality. Characteristically, climate smart irrigation practices are founded in the mix of technical and non-technical

**26**

shock and other stresses.

measures. These may be included;

