Agriculture faces a wide array of threats: widespread pests, social unrest, unpredictable market dynamics, and extreme weather conditions to name but a few. When discussing these issues within the context of agri-food systems, here is where resilience usually enters conversations. It is a concept often discussed in relation to being either robust enough to resist shocks, or resourceful enough to recover to a pre-shock status. While obviously beneficial in the short-term, these outcomes are not necessarily sustainable. After all, a system or enterprise that can survive any shock will require ever more capacity as and when stresses increase. Especially in the face of the climate crisis, longer term solutions to enhance the resilience of agricultural systems are vital.

On October 6th, the Oxford India Centre for Sustainable Development (OICSD) will host the second OpenAg Symposium in partnership with UPL. The event will work towards carrying forward the conversation on the future of food and agriculture in a changing climate by exploring the theme “Enhancing Resilience: Interventions to Deliver Lasting Change in Agriculture”.

By bringing together leaders, thinkers, and decision makers from across academia, government, industry, and NGOs, the event will explore the intersections between resilience and livelihoods, sustainable productivity, nutrition, and policy in the pursuit of more equitable farming futures. Above all, it will ask how resilience concepts can assist in creating flexible, communicative and resourceful systems that equip farmers with the tools needed to adapt as demands on global agriculture change.