LANDSUPPORT ProResilience

The LANDSUPPORT ProResilience project, undertaken from June 2017 to March 2023, aimed to evaluate the potential of proso millet as a climate-resilient crop that could promote sustainable agricultural diversification in Sri Lanka. Led by a team at the University of Nottingham, the project leveraged data science and climate modeling techniques to assess the suitability and adaptability of proso millet under current and future climate scenarios.

A key component of the project involved developing a robust modeling framework based on the Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM). The team calibrated the APSIM model for 95 locations across Sri Lanka, allowing them to simulate proso millet yields under different climate conditions. This data-driven approach enabled the researchers to generate detailed yield maps for the country, highlighting areas where proso millet could thrive as an alternative crop.

In addition to the technical modeling work, the project also focused on translating the research findings into practical knowledge for extension workers in Sri Lanka. By equipping these front-line agricultural advisors with insights on proso millet’s climate resilience, the project aimed to empower them to effectively guide and support millet farmers in adopting this underutilized yet promising crop. The LANDSUPPORT ProResilience project exemplifies the power of interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing the complex challenges of sustainable agriculture and climate adaptation.