FACTSHEET • APRIL 2023 FARMERS.GOV/CLIMATE-SMART | FARMERS.GOV/URBAN

CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY 1

CLIMATE-SMART OPPORTUNITIES FOR URBAN & 

SMALL-SCALE PRODUCERS AND COMMUNITIES 

Climate change affects everyone, rural and urban 

alike. Urban residents account for roughly 80% of the 

nation’s population. Thus, people in urban areas face 

unprecedented threats due to climate change, which 

can exacerbate existing challenges, such as aging and 

deteriorating infrastructure, stressed ecosystems, and 

social inequality. 

Climate change often disproportionately impacts vulnerable 

and socio-economically marginalized groups, including 

many urban populations, who may have limited capacity to 

adapt. Urban farmers and gardeners work among diverse 

populations to expand local access to nutritious foods, foster 

community engagement, provide jobs, educate communities 

about farming, and expand green spaces. Urban agriculture 

can help communities and producers respond to climate 

change, including support for local resilient food systems. 

Whether a farm is in a rural area or the middle of a city, 

USDA is here to help producers and communities as they 

respond to climate change.

Beginning in 2023, the Inflation Reduction Act provides 

$19.5 billion in additional funds over five years to 

support climate change mitigation through several NRCS 

conservation programs.

Urban communities can help limit landfill methane emissions 

by diverting food from landfills through USDA’s Composting 

and Food Waste Reduction agreements.

Increases in urban tree cover can help sequester carbon 

and also reduce the urban heat island effect. The U.S. 

Forest Service supports these efforts by working with 

state partners and community tree groups through the 

Urban and Community Forestry Program.

Climate Change Adaptation

NRCS conservation practices may help urban producers 

cope with shifting growing conditions and adapt to weather 

events. For example, high tunnels may help small-scale and 

urban producers protect against extreme rain events, early 

or late-season frosts or other impacts. Micro-irrigation and 

drip irrigation systems may improve water use efficiency 

and help producers adapt to changing growing conditions, 

while providing cost-saving benefits.

Additional benefits of urban agriculture include showcasing 

practices that improve soil health, air quality, and water 

quality to new audiences. Urban agriculture can also change 

how urban residents think about their role in community 

food production, nutrition and a healthy environment, by 

introducing and providing hands-on farming and gardening 

experience for multiple generations in urban areas. 

Climate Change Mitigation 

Regardless of the size, location, and type of an operation, 

agricultural producers and the communities they live in can 

play a role in delivering climate-smart mitigation solutions. 

While USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) 

offers a broad suite of voluntary conservation activities, 

the agency identifies a sub-set as critical to climate change 

mitigation because of their potential to reduce greenhouse 

gas emissions or increase carbon sequestration. Many of 

these Climate-Smart Mitigation Activities may be applicable 

on small-scale and urban operations, and may be supported 

through appropriate financial assistance programs.

Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry

Climate-smart agriculture and forestry is an integrated 

approach, that enables farmers, ranchers, and private 

forest landowners to respond to climate change by 

reducing or removing greenhouse gas emissions 

(mitigation) and adapting and building resilience 

(adaptation), while sustainably increasing agricultural 

productivity and incomes. 
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

FACTSHEET • APRIL 2023

CLIMATE-SMART URBAN AND SMALL-SCALE OPPORTUNITIES 2

Communities can build resilience to supply chain disruptions 

by growing locally. Urban forests enable communities to better 

adapt to climate change by helping to reduce the urban “heat 

island” effect, in which urbanized areas with limited greenery 

experience higher temperatures than outlying areas. Trees 

and shrubs can also provide fruits & nuts, building materials, 

medicinals, culturally significant plants, and pollinator habitat. 

Urban agriculture can help increase water infiltration and 

reduce water run-off from impermeable surfaces. USDA's 

Urban Agriculture Programs At a Glance includes additional 

programs that can help urban producers adapt to climate 

change and support more resilient food systems.

USDA Can Help

Are you gardening or farming in an urban environment? 

USDA can provide resources to start, expand, and operate 

your farm or garden, market what you grow, and help you 

recover in case of disaster. 

Producers and landowners should contact the NRCS 

office at their local USDA Service Center for additional 

information and one-on-one technical support specific to 

their natural resource objectives. USDA Service Centers are 

in nearly every county across the United States.

Helpful Resources

The Urban Agriculture Toolkit lays out the common 

operational elements that most urban farmers must 

consider as they start up or grow their operations. 

The Urban Agriculture Programs At a Glance

provides a summary of USDA programs available to support 

producers and food system partners with urban agriculture.

If you’re new to working with NRCS, see this 

Guide to USDA Resources and the Conservation at Work

Video Series that shows examples of conservation 

practices that may work well for your operation, including 

options that contribute to climate change mitigation 

and adaptation.

More Info

For additional information, visit farmers.gov/climate-smart

to learn how each NRCS program supports climatesmart agriculture and forestry. In addition, state-specific 

application ranking dates for NRCS programs are available 

on the NRCS Program Application Ranking Dates webpage 

at nrcs.usda.gov/ranking-dates.