Finding common ground: how do we make the case for climate action in agriculture?

In The News 06 Feb 2025

While many farmers might seem reluctant to participate in the green transition, reality tells a more complex story. In smaller family-run farms and away from the spotlight, people may have an inherent understanding of the importance of biodiversity and ecology for their survival and resilience. They’re also the ones experiencing first-hand the impact of the climate crisis on their revenues, health and well-being. How real is this divide, and how much of it rests on an unbalanced representation?

Framing trumps facts

It turns out that the way we talk about food and agriculture plays a substantial role in how we perceive these topics. “When people want to believe something, they ask, ‘Can I believe this?’. When they don’t want to believe something, however, they ask, ‘Must I believe this?’” says Caroline Hickson, founder of strategy consultancy Bridge to Impact. “The answer to the first is almost always ‘yes’, while the answer to the second is almost always ‘no’. People have strong built-in confirmatory biases.”

With over two decades of experience in campaigns across human rights, international development, and fair trade, Caroline has witnessed the positive power of reframing first-hand. One example she gives is Ireland’s recent referendums to legalise abortion and same-sex marriage. “Appealing to the values of people’s better selves – the side that most people want to believe themselves to be – can significantly reduce prejudices. Look at the poster of the Irish Marriage Equality referendum. Who wouldn’t want to see themselves in these words?”

In the climate debate, framing is not a new concept. Famously, the Bush administration’s word choice of ‘climate change’ over ‘global warming’ deliberately softened public perception. Turning to farming, research finds that farmers viewing an inherent value in nature and biodiversity, as opposed to a task ‘to get done’, are more likely to adopt holistic, long-term conservation strategies.

“I think this offers a really interesting insight into how, when we tap into people’s deeper value sets – in this case, a universalist value of unity with nature – we see a different outcome” notes Caroline. “Framing biodiversity and climate action within this idea of working with nature – something many farmers already instinctively do – could be a potential entry point to better connect farmers and environmentalists and help them see the common ground they share.”

Caroline and non-profit Future Narratives Lab helped Climate KIC uncover some of these shared ideas and values that may underlie debates around agriculture and food. The Reframing food futures initiative, part of Climate KIC’s demonstration of sustainable food systems in Ireland, focused on finding actual ‘common ground’ beyond a deceptively simple story of division and polarised opinions.

Over 230 among farmers, state agencies, community organisers and creatives took part in the conversation, from which three distinct threads emerged: how deep-rooted cultural ties to the land influence public perceptions and policy; the importance of foregrounding farmer voices leading the climate transition; and the need for innovative, collaborative, and creative approaches across sectors and generations.

Situating change in the national story

One powerful starting point for any transformative journey is the weight of collective, historical experience. “One thing that stood out to me in these conversations was the role of culture and the notion of pride in Ireland’s food production,” says P.J. Mathews, Professor at University College Dublin and Director of Creative Futures Academy. Among his research, P.J. has explored Ireland’s social and agricultural transformation during the Irish Revival a century ago, when cultural thinkers and agricultural innovators collaborated to reshape the nation’s identity after a traumatic period of famine and insecurity.

“The cooperative movement focused on three pillars: better farming, better business, and better living,” explains P.J. “I think that framework is still highly relevant. Better farming involves science and innovation, better business ensures financial security, and better living asks us to consider what kind of world we want to live in. The cultural sector has a huge role in helping us think differently and rediscover a mission for the future. My message is to have confidence in our traditions of resilience and innovation and use them as a springboard for change.”

Farmers at the forefront

Every story needs its heroes, and farmers are naturally at the frontline of the transition – though family-run farms (still the majority in Europe) may struggle to reconciliate sustainable practices with profitability.

However, sustainable farming businesses are on the rise. Ailbhe Gerrard, founder of Brookfield Farm, transitioned from conventional tillage into trees, sheep, beekeeping, and a small craft business. “As a new entrant to farming in 2010, I had to work out how to do this without many clear paths. There are more opportunities for collaboration now” she says. Last summer, Ailbhe worked with a neighbouring farmer, owner of a craft brewery, to produce organic beer for Brookfield’s Field Exchange Festival. She adds: “This is a practical demonstration of short food chains and collaboration.”

Despite this and other success stories, like Freshgraze and Tipperary Food Producers or, beyond Ireland, the Farming for Nature and Climate Farmers networks, economic concerns remain. “Many farmers feel they can’t do much more because incomes are decreasing in relation to rising input costs” explains Ailbhe. “Even in sectors where incomes are rising, like dairy, volatility is a major challenge. These are issues we need to address if we’re going to build sustainable farming practices.”

A creative, collaborative challenge

Farmers and small food producers cannot lead the transition alone; to support them in this challenge, voices from other sectors, including culture and the arts, are springing up. “The big question is: can we look more creatively at the challenges we face through the lens of different sectors?” says Laura Costello, Head of Sustainability and Planet Services at youth marketing agency Thinkhouse.

Creative, community-based solutions and intergenerational dialogue can help spark nation-wide discussions about ‘better living’. Laura notes: “Citizen assemblies, like those in Ireland, are great examples of democratic processes coming up with creative solutions that speak to the majority.”

One of Laura’s recent projects, Good Life 2030, launched in November – in open contrast to Black Friday ads – and encouraged people to actively envision a life focusing on connection rather than consumption. “We need to shift the narrative to focus on the better lives we can create,” she says. “It’s about using imagination to inspire action.”

This campaign, which received substantial coverage in Irish media, is an example of creative, collaborative solutions jumping from the local to national scale, which remains a challenge. Tangible infrastructure such as networks, communities, and physical spaces for ongoing collaboration could help bridge this gap.

“How do we elevate these new stories? It’s a communications challenge, but also a community-driven one,” says Laura. “The solutions we need are ones that help us scale, rather than creating divisions. We need to focus on what we can do together.”

Part of the quotes in this article have been edited for length and clarity from interventions during Climate KIC’s recent event Reframing Food Futures. Watch the full conversation and read the briefing paper “Making the case for climate transition in agriculture: Lessons from Reframing Food Futures Ireland”. To keep up-to-date with the Ireland Deep Demonstration, sign up to the dedicated newsletter.