OECD Outlines Global Framework to Track Agricultural Adaptation to Extreme Weather
SDG 2: Zero Hunger | SDG 13: Climate Action
Institutions: Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare | Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
OECD 2025 report, Measuring Progress in Adapting the Agricultural Sector to More Variable and Extreme Weather Conditions, introduces a new global indicator-based framework to assess how well countries are preparing their farm systems for intensifying droughts, floods, and heatwaves. The framework proposes 17 core indicators covering exposure, resilience practices, and enabling policies.
Key insights:
Uneven progress: While irrigation efficiency and soil-moisture management have improved in several OECD members, adaptation planning remains fragmented.
Data gaps: Few countries systematically track losses from extreme weather or farmer adoption of climate-resilient technologies.
Investment shortfall: Public and private adaptation finance lags far behind risk levels, especially for small farms..
The OECD advocates for shifting focus toward outcome-based metrics and better data collection, specifically recommending:
Risk Management: Policies should move beyond simple crop insurance toward integrated risk management strategies that address both short-term variability and long-term climate trends.
Knowledge and Innovation: Greater emphasis is needed on developing, delivering, and tracking the uptake of localized, climate-resilient technologies and practices, especially for smallholder farmers.
Policy Coherence: Success depends on coordinating agricultural policy with broader climate, water, and land-use policies.
The framework offers a roadmap for governments—including emerging economies such as India—to measure adaptation outcomes across farm infrastructure, water use, and climate-smart technology adoption. It aligns closely with India’s National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture and State Action Plans on Climate Change, which could incorporate similar tracking systems for drought resilience, early-warning coverage, and yield stability.
Follow the full report here: OECD Publication (2025)