Sustainable Agriculture in a Changing Climate: Unlocking Climate-Smart Agriculture for Securing Global Food Systems

Md Maruf Billah; Ravi Naidu; Brajesh K. Singh; Mohammad Mahmudur Rahman

doi:10.63697/jeshs.2025.10044

Authors

Md Maruf Billah Global Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER), College of Engineering, Science and Environment, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia
Ravi Naidu Global Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER), College of Engineering, Science and Environment, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1520-2495
Brajesh K. Singh Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith South, NSW, Australia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4413-4185
Mohammad Mahmudur Rahman Global Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER), College of Engineering, Science and Environment, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3426-5221

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63697/jeshs.2025.10044

Keywords:

Sustainable agriculture, Climate change, Adaptation, Smart farming system, Food security

Abstract

Agriculture is the foundation of human civilization and the main source of livelihoods for millions. However, as global food demand rises to sustain the growing population, agricultural land is shrinking due to degradation and contamination. Additionally, farming practices are increasingly affected by natural and human-made factors, with climate change becoming a major threat to agricultural sustainability. To meet the food needs of a growing population and adapt to climate change, adopting climate-smart farming systems and empowering farmers to manage resources more effectively is crucial. Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) offers a promising way to tackle the urgent challenges of sustainable farming by improving resilience, lowering emissions, and boosting productivity. Although many farming communities have started adopting CSA innovations at the farm level, they still face various challenges, such as limited training resources, inadequate information, and poor extension services. To promote wider adoption and successful implementation of these practices, policymakers and relevant organizations must focus on enabling strategies like providing incentives for innovation, farmer training programs, and better access to agricultural services.

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Author Biographies

Md Maruf Billah, Global Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER), College of Engineering, Science and Environment, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia

Md Maruf Billah is a PhD researcher at the Global Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER), University of Newcastle, Australia. His research focuses on climate-smart agriculture, farmer adaptation, and agricultural extension. He has published several articles on sustainable farming systems and climate-resilient practices, contributing to environmentally sustainable food security.
Ravi Naidu, Global Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER), College of Engineering, Science and Environment, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia

Distinguished Laureate Professor Ravi Naidu has devoted more than 30 years to advancing research on environmental contaminants, establishing himself as a global leader in environmental sustainability, soil science, and remediation technologies. He earned both his PhD and Doctor of Science in Environmental Science from Massey University, New Zealand. Early in his career, he served as Senior Lecturer in Chemistry and Dean of the School of Pure and Applied Sciences at the University of the South Pacific (1985–1989). He later joined CSIRO Land and Water in Adelaide, where he rapidly rose to leadership positions, including Chief Research Scientist, Group Leader, and Head of the Remediation of Contaminated Environments Program. He also coordinated the national program on restoring contaminated environments and directed the Sodic Soils and Soil Contamination & Remediation initiatives within the CRC for Soil and Land Management.

Professor Naidu has been at the forefront of applying cutting-edge technologies, including nanotechnology, to improve environmental remediation and promote safer pesticide use. His prolific contributions include more than 950 peer-reviewed publications and 17 co-edited books that have shaped soil and environmental sciences. He holds fellowships with several prestigious organisations, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Society of Agronomy, the Soil Science Society of America, and the New Zealand Society of Soil Science. He is also a Fellow of the Academy of Science of several countries. His research has translated into tangible solutions, with two of his co-invented patents now fully commercialised and remediation facilities operational in multiple Australian states to treat contaminated wastewater.
Brajesh K. Singh, Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith South, NSW, Australia

Distinguished Professor Brajesh Singh is a world-leading soil ecologist and internationally recognised expert in functional ecology and soil biology. His pioneering research has transformed the understanding of soil microbial ecology, providing the first direct evidence that loss of microbial diversity leads to a decline in ecosystem functions at both local and global scales.

Singh’s work identifies the quantitative relationships between soil biodiversity and ecosystem functions, and how these are influenced by natural and anthropogenic pressures such as climate change. His global studies have demonstrated the central role of soil microbes in predicting, mitigating, and adapting to climate change.

Building on these fundamental insights, his applied research develops practical solutions to enhance farm productivity, environmental sustainability, and food security. This includes climate adaptation tools for agriculture, strategies to increase soil organic matter, improved market access for agricultural products, and capacity-building initiatives for farmers, consultants, and policymakers in sustainable agriculture and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Mohammad Mahmudur Rahman, Global Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER), College of Engineering, Science and Environment, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia

Dr. Mohammad Mahmudur Rahman is an Associate Professor at the Global Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER), University of Newcastle, Australia. With more than 20 years of academic and research experience, he is recognised for his expertise in assessing human exposure to toxic metals and metalloids via food and drinking water. He earned his doctorate in Environmental Science and has since developed a research portfolio that bridges environmental chemistry, soil and water sciences, hydrogeology, food safety, and remediation technologies.

His work has been central to understanding and mitigating arsenic and cadmium accumulation in rice, alongside advancing innovative, low-cost strategies for reducing contamination in water and crops. By integrating cross-disciplinary approaches, Dr. Rahman has contributed to the design of sustainable agricultural practices and remediation methods that address pressing environmental and public health challenges.

A committed mentor, he has supervised and collaborated with PhD students from diverse backgrounds, promoting inclusivity in scientific research and training. Widely published in leading international journals, his research has influenced global frameworks for food and water safety, environmental sustainability, and human health risk reduction.

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