The Community Agricultural Resilience through Extension project (CARE) aims to help farmers and their communities deal with floods, droughts, saltwater intrusion, and other weather-related challenges. The project is a collaboration across universities, non-profits, and local government partners in Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware. Our goal is to help Extension professionals become more effective partners in building resilience in coastal farming communities.

Vision

We envision a future where farmers, landowners, and community members have the knowledge and capacity to sustainably and effectively deal with weather-related challenges.

Goals

  • Create a collaborative of Land Grant, local government, community, and nonprofit partners to create a strategic plan for building Extension’s capacity to address resilience in agricultural communities

  • Determine current capacities and programs within Extension related to resilience and identify challenges and opportunities

  • Develop a more complete understanding of community concerns and goals regarding resilience efforts

  • Create an enduring capacity among Extension professionals and rural localities to more effectively engage in resilience building activities

Activities

  • Extension Needs Assessment:  How do Extension professionals currently address extreme weather in their work? What kinds of support could help them become partners in building agricultural community resilience? We are conducting surveys and interviews to find out.
  • Community Listening Sessions: What kinds of difficult or extreme weather are farming communities facing? What resources, values, and practices can help them deal with extreme weather? Community members can share their thoughts at the 18 listening sessions we’ll be hosting from 2025 to 2026.
  • Capacity Building: What practical steps can farmers, landowners, and community members take to reduce weather risks? We’ll develop factsheets, a website, trainings, and other educational resources that outline realistic solutions for Extension and communities.

Get Involved in CARE

CARE is leading many initiatives where we want to hear your perspective on agricultural community resilience and weather-related hazards.

  • If you are a farmer, agricultural community member, or Extension agent, we will be hosting community listening sessions and Extension interviews where you can share your experiences to highlight the major needs and opportunities for resilience in rural agricultural communities

  • If you are a professional or community member also working on the topic of agricultural community resilience, we welcome the opportunity to learn about your efforts and how our work can align with or support them

  • If you are interested in learning about practical ways to build resilience in your operation or community, let us know and we will inform you of educational programs developed through the project

Sign up today on our contact and interest form below!

Contact and Interest Form

Project Partners and Acknowledgements

CARE is led by Virginia Tech, University of Delaware, and University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Our steering partners are Delaware State University, University of Maryland, Virginia State University, Maryland Sea Grant, Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, Delaware Wild Lands, Mid-Atlantic Black Farmers Caucus, Resilient Virginia, and the Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission. This project was funded by the NOAA Climate Resilience Regional Challenge grant. This project is made possible through funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Resilience Regional Challenge.

 Virginia Cooperative Extension is a partnership of Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and local governments, and is an equal opportunity employer. For the full non-discrimination statement, please visit ext.vt.edu/accessibility.