From Asia to outback Australia, farmers are challenged by climate change | Anika Molesworth

Not a day goes by that I don't stand in awe at under-resourced and vulnerable farmers committed to moving mountains despite the odds against them

For those standing on the precipice of life the impacts of climate change are an ever present reality. The rural poor in Southeast Asia are some of the most vulnerable to climate extremes and seasonal vagaries. For these farmers, many who live at subsistence level and survive on less that $1US a day, life is a high-wire act with no safety net.

One stroke of bad luck - a drought, flood or pest outbreak - and they tumble further into hardship. Yet, here in Cambodia I work at an agricultural research centre with the most humbling and inspiring people. Not a day goes by that I don't stand in awe at an under-resourced team committed to moving mountains despite the odds lined up against them.