You are here

The concept of climate-smart agriculture as a model of combining digital technologies and sustainable practices

The article considers the concept of climate-smart agriculture as a model of combining digital technologies and sustainable practices and justifies the directions of its dissemination in domestic practice. The main tasks of the CSA are revealed, related to the sustainable increase in productivity and income of agricultural producers, their adaptation and increase in sustainability, reduction and/or elimination of greenhouse gas emissions, which should become a priority for the development of the agricultural sector of the economy during the post-war recovery period. It is emphasized that the CSA model is a flexible approach and should be adapted to local agro-ecological, socio-economic, natural-climatic and other conditions.

A comparative analysis of the differences between the CSA model and similar, often interrelated concepts of regenerative agriculture, conservation agriculture, and climate-neutral agriculture is made. The elements of the CSA model that are currently used in the practice of agricultural production in the following areas are characterized: agronomy and soil management - soil conservation agriculture, agroforestry, precision irrigation, rainwater harvesting technology; livestock systems management - feed and feeding, manure management, grazing management. It is summarized that the CSA concept is a comprehensive risk management system for agriculture, a proactive strategy for building resilience at the level of agricultural production.

The integrated nature of the CSA model, which allows balancing economic, social and environmental goals through its own key objectives, is proven, which allows the agricultural sector to develop practical actions to contribute to the achievement of national sustainable development goals. It is argued that investments in CSA will not be able to ensure the achievement of the SDGs if they are not combined with investments in strengthening local and national institutions, improving policy coherence and ensuring fair participation of all stakeholders.

The components of digital technologies used in the CSA model are highlighted, which provide tools for monitoring complex technological processes of production, managing trade-offs, and applying resources with high accuracy, which ensures increased efficiency of agricultural enterprises. It is substantiated that in the future the trend towards automation of technological processes from sowing and weeding to harvesting will accelerate based on the use of robotic systems, AI, digital twins, biotechnology, and circular bioeconomy technologies.

It is concluded that the state policy for the development of the agricultural sector should take into account national agro-climatic, economic and social conditions and have a reliable system of monitoring, reporting and verification based on the provision of mandatory standards, voluntary incentives. It is substantiated that in domestic conditions it is advisable to intensify investments by agricultural producers in remote sensing of the land, precision agriculture and digital technologies, as well as the creation of an effective system of knowledge transfer and technical support, which can accelerate the implementation of the CSA model in the practical activities of agricultural enterprises. In order to spread the CSA model in the practice of agricultural production by domestic enterprises, it has been proposed to develop and implement the following measures: create a digital platform for automated assessment of climate impact and the effectiveness of state support programs; provide for the inclusion of special «green» criteria in the conditions for providing loans under the state program «Affordable loans 5-7-9%» and provide for preferential lending; a national program of voluntary environmental commitments for agricultural producers, financed from the state budget.

Keywords: climate-smart agriculture, digitalization, agricultural enterprises, climate change, sustainability, state support.

  1. Gardezi Maaz, Michael Semhar, Stock Ryan, Vij Sumit, Ogunyiola Ayorinde, Ishtiaque Asif. (2022). Prioritizing climate‐smart agriculture: An organizational and temporal review. WIREs Climate. Vol. 13, Issue 2. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.755
  2. Gemtou Marilena, Kakkavou Konstantina, Anastasiou Evangelos, Fountas Spyros, Pedersen Soren Marcus. Isakhanyan Gohar, Erekalo Kassa Tarekegn. Pazos-Vidal Serafin. (2024). Farmers’ Transition to Climate-Smart Agriculture: A Systematic Review of the Decision-Making Factors Affecting Adoption. Sustainability. Vol. 16(7). DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su16072828.
  3. FAO (2016). Climate-smart agriculture policy instruments. Available at: https://www.fao.org/climate-smart-agriculture-sourcebook/enabling-frameworks/module-c3-policy/chapter-c3-5/en/
  4. Climate-smart agriculture. Managing Ecosystems for Sustainable Livelihoods. Available at: https://www.fao.org/4/an177e/an177e00.pdf
  5. ASEAN Climate Resilience Network. What is CSA? Climate-Smart Agriculture. Available at: https://asean-crn.org/what-is-csa-climate-smart-agriculture/
  6. Rozporiadzhennia KMU vid 15 lystopada 2024 r. N 1163-r. Pro skhvalennia Stratehii rozvytku silskoho hospodarstva ta silskykh terytorii v Ukraini na period do 2030 roku ta zatverdzhennia operatsiinoho planu zakhodiv z yii realizatsii u 2025-2027 rokakh. Iz zminamy i dopovnenniamy, vnesenymy rozporiadzhenniam Kabinetu Ministriv Ukrainy vid 20 serpnia 2025 roku N 880-r [Order of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated November 15, 2024 No. 1163-r. On approval of the Strategy for the Development of Agriculture and Rural Areas in Ukraine for the period until 2030 and approval of the operational plan of measures for its implementation in 2025-2027. As amended and supplemented by Order of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated August 20, 2025 No. 880-r]. Available at: https://ips.ligazakon.net/document/KR241163
  7. FAO. Sourcebook-FAO Knowledge Repository. Available at: https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/e9a8f414-b49e-4896-a0c1-1a45710322cc/content
  8. ASEAN-CRN. What is CSA? Available at: https://asean-crn.org/what-is-csa-climate-smart-agriculture/
  9. World Bank. Climate-Smart Agriculture. Available at: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/climate-smart-agriculture
  10. Suchasni silskohospodarski praktyky dopomahaiut fermeram [Modern agricultural practices help farmers]. Available at: https://agroexpert.ua/19766-2/
  11. Kakkavou, K., Gemtou, M., Fountas, S. (2024). Drivers and barriers to the adoption of precision irrigation technologies in olive and cotton farming - Lessons from Messenia and Thessaly regions in Greece. Smart Agricultural Technology. Vol. 7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atech.2024.100401
  12. Adegbola, T. Adesogan, Mulubrhan Balehegn Gebremikael, Padmakumar Varijakshapanicker and Diwakar Vyas. (2025). Climate-smart approaches for enhancing livestock productivity, human nutrition, and livelihoods in low- and middle-income countries. Perspectives on animal biosciences. Animal Production Science. Vol. 65 (2). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/AN24215
  13. FAO. B2 – 3 Climate-smart livestock production systems in practice. Available at: https://www.fao.org/climate-smart-agriculture-sourcebook/production-resources/module-b2-livestock/chapter-b2-3/en/
  14. OON. Tsili staloho rozvytku [UN Sustainable Development Goals]. Available at: https://www.undp.org/uk/ukraine/tsili-staloho-rozvytku
  15. FAO. The 3 pillars of Climate-Smart Agriculture and the Sustainable. Available at: https://openknowledge.fao.org/items/d353b8f0-5c11-45db-8bce-17bb2d281113
  16. ISAAA. Sustainable Agriculture Contributes to Achieving Zero Hunger. Available at: https://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/article/default.asp?ID=21184
  17. Andualem Muche Hiywotu. (2025). Advancing sustainable agriculture for goal 2: zero hunger – a comprehensive overview of practices, policies, and technologies. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems. Vol. 49. Issue 7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/21683565.2025.2451344
  18. Hazuda, M. V. (2024). Kliuchovi aspekty tsyfrovizatsii silskoho hospodarstva [Key aspects of digitalization of agriculture]. Naukovyi visnyk Uzhhorodskoho universytetu. Seriia «Ekonomika» [Scientific Bulletin of Uzhgorod University. Series «Economy». No. 1 (63). Available at: https://doi.org/10.24144/2409-6857.2024.1(63).79-86
  19. Internet rechei (IoT) v silskomu hospodarstvi: 9 prykladiv [Internet of Things (IoT) in agriculture: 9 examples]. Available at: https://www.agrilab.ua/internet- rechej-iot-v-silskomu-gospodarstvi-9-prykladiv-vykorystannya-tehnologij-dlya-tochnogo-zemlerobstva-i-vyklyky-yaki-slid-vrahuvaty/
  20. Vykorystannia analityky danykh ta shtuchnoho intelektu v upravlinni suchasnym ahrarnym biznesom [Use of data analytics and artificial intelligence in the management of modern agricultural business]. Available at: https://agrostartup.pp.ua/blog/vykorystannya-analityky-danykh-ta-shtuchnoho-intelektu-v-upravlinni-suchasnym-ahrarnym
  21. Stoianova, A. Innovatsiini transformatsii ahrosektoru v umovakh hlobalnykh vyklykiv [Innovative transformations of the agricultural sector in the context of global challenges]. Available at: https://agroperemoga.com.ua/innovatsiyni-transformatsiyi-ahrosektoru-v-umovakh-hlobalnykh-vyklykiv/
  22. Agtecher. Blokchein u silskomu hospodarstv [Agtecher. Blockchain in agriculture]. Available at: https://agtecher.com/uk/blockchain-agriculture/
  23. Jingjuan Zhao, Yanping Yang, Huaiguo Zheng, Yu Dong. (2020). Global Agricultural Robotics Research and Development: Trend Forecasts. Journal of Physics Conference Series. Vol.1693(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1693/1/012227
  24. Popova, O. (2025). Conditionality of farmer support under the EU CAP: changes and lessons for Ukraine. Economy of Ukraine. Vol. 68 (764). DOI: https://doi.org/10.15407/economyukr.2025.07.067
  25. European Commission. Agriculture and rural development. An environmentally sustainable CAP. Available at: https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/cap-mycountry/sustainability/environmental-sustainability/cap-and-environment_en
  26. USDA NRCS. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) - Improved GHG Measurement, Monitoring, Reporting and Verification. United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service. Available at: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2023-07/nrcs-ira-mmrv-factsheet-23.pdf
  27. USDA. Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Project Summaries. United States Department of Agriculture. Available at: https://www.usda.gov/partnerships-climate-smart-commodities-project-summaries
  28. Australian Government. The Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) Scheme – DAFF. Available at: https://www.agriculture.gov.au/agriculture-land/farm-food-drought/climatechange/cfi
  29. International Carbon Action Partnership. New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme – International Carbon Action Partnership (ICAP). Available at: URL: https://icapcarbonaction.com/system/files/ets_pdfs/icap-etsmap-factsheet-48.pdf
  30. Ukrainski fermery otrymaiut pidtrymku Svitovoho banku [Ukrainian farmers to benefit from World Bank support]. Available at: https://www.worldbank.org/uk/news/press-release/2023/10/30/farmers-in-ukraine-to-benefit-from-world-banksupport
  31. Agroreview. Prohrama USAID AHRO rozshyryt dostup ukrainskykh ahrovyrobnykiv do kredytiv [Agroreview. USAID AGRO program to expand access to credit for Ukrainian agricultural producers]. Available at: https://agroreview.com/content/programa-usaid-agro-rozshyryt-dostup-ukrayinskyh- agrovyrobnykiv-do-kredytiv-cherez-partnerstvo-z-pryvatnym-sektorom/
AttachmentSize
PDF icon ekon_2_2025_3_33-47.pdf598.83 KB