Climate analogs for climate change communication and education: a case study with US Specialty Crops

Climate analogs for a target location are other locations whose current climate is similar to the target location’s projected future climate.  We explored using analogs as a convening tool to pair extension professionals and facilitate dialogue regarding concrete, actionable information for specialty crop climate adaptation. We aimed to build extension capacity and expertise to support climate change adaptation in U.S. specialty crops. Through an immersive training program that leverages climate analogs, we prepared agricultural educators, early-career professionals, and students using peer-to-peer learning, integrative knowledge activities, and applied projects. The goal was to use this as a means to overcome a critical climate change communication gap preventing climate change preparedness in the agricultural community. The idea that individuals will act if they receive the right “missing” climate change information and tools is an educational approach that has been shown repeatedly to be insufficient in complex situations where strategies and outcomes remain uncertain. Dialogues via analogs offer an alternative approach.  Twenty US Extension professionals are being trained. Our program evaluation features a phenomenological interview approach and qualitative analysis of participants’ lived-experiences, which provides insights beyond the typical scope of program evaluations. Preliminary interview feedback indicates that the experience has been transformative for participants, offering opportunities for autonomous learning surrounding critical adaptation concepts. We will describe the program, successes, adaptation insights obtained, and lessons learnt related to climate change communication from this unique training program.