Resilient Communities Built on Farmer Flourishing: Policy Frameworks for Climate-Ready Local Food Systems

The rural communities surrounding Duke sit at the center of one of the most dynamic small-farm ecosystems in the country. Here, farmers are pushing the boundaries of what agriculture can do—not just to feed people, but to drive climate mitigation, adaptation, and resilience. Yet even with this unusually dense network of working farms, the region needs many more climate-resilient growers if it hopes to build a steady, nutritious local food supply and transform the landscape into a living drought management, flood mitigation, and carbon sequestration technology. These farmers carry enormous potential, but they operate against long odds in a national policy environment that has rarely supported small, sustainable agriculture.

Because most of the benefits they generate—ecological restoration, community wellbeing, and healthy food—are felt locally, it became clear that local policy should play a bigger role. This project engaged farmers across Orange and Durham Counties to understand the policy, environmental, and social factors that make it possible to farm sustainably and, critically, to keep going against structural headwinds. Through interviews and community convenings, the work focused on where local governments can meaningfully support resilient, place-based food systems. A parallel research effort analyzed county-level policies across the United States to surface models and strategies that could strengthen small-farm viability here at home.

Looking ahead, the project aims to deepen relationships between rural and urban communities, build trust and partnership with historically underserved growers, and strengthen community resilience in the face of accelerating climate change. Its long-term viability rests on Duke University’s sustained commitment to the Durham region—and the potential for this work to shape a new blueprint for rural futures across the country.

This research was funded by the Duke University Climate Research Innovation Seed Program (CRISP), the Duke Office of Durham and Community Affairs, and the Office of Interdisciplinary Studies.