Model: Fostering Climate Resilient Communities
Vision: Extension will accelerate education and adoption of climate-smart practices in service of climate change adaptation and mitigation for its diverse clientele. It will incorporate science-based information, best practices, and artificial intelligence techniques and approaches, as well as Indigenous knowledge into research activities, technical education and assistance, and shared expertise to help clients make informed decisions. Extension will further leverage its expertise in working with communities in place to strengthen local resilience and ensure economic prosperity through facilitated climate planning, listening sessions, demonstrations, and corresponding goal-driven action plans. Long-term outcomes envisioned through this work over the next decade and beyond include reducing carbon emissions in the natural resource and agriculture sectors and fostering increased climate resilience and reduced climate risk in communities as a result of Extension programming and resources.
Short-Term Outcomes: Over the next one to three years, Extension seeks to deliver climate outcomes including:
Capacity Building and Training
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o Within the next 12 months, capacity funding will be secured and climate Extension personnel in at least 20 states are mobilized to do training on climate-smart practices o 40% of Extension personnel (an interdisciplinary core team in every state) will be trained to facilitate communities through the planning process o By 2025: Complete a pilot training that includes 5% of all Extension personnel to create interdisciplinary core teams in pilot states. Personnel will be trained to facilitate pilot counties/communities through the planning process o By 2027: 40% of Extension personnel (interdisciplinary core teams in every state) will be trained to facilitate the planning process with countries/communities
o Extension personnel will develop skills to facilitate community-level climate resilience planning
o Extension personnel will become aware of Extension climate resilience resources
Collaboration and Networking
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o Build and strengthen a network to improve collaboration around needs assessments that identify challenges and programs for producers, and technical service providers (TSPs)/peers to build capacity, data, and resources that lead to improved, regionally relevant climate-informed decision making o Increase connectivity and trust between Extension and USDA service centers, including USDA Climate Hubs
o Increase connectivity among the three Land-grant university systems
o Strengthen relationships between Extension and community partners
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