Research
Authors
Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) aims to enhance productivity, build resilience to climate change, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It has been proposed as a foundational approach for agricultural systems to address the challenges of climate change while ensuring food security. While research has identified practices aligning with CSA, effective science communication and extension are essential for translating these discoveries into practical applications. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service plays a key role in this effort. The purpose of this study was to explore what educational materials about CSA are available from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension online outlets. Using a researcher-developed codebook, we conducted a quantitative inventory audit of online communication materials produced by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. Key search terms such as “climate-smart agriculture,” “sustainable,” and “regenerative agriculture” were used to identify CSA practice materials. Results indicated that research publications were the most common type of content available, with few materials explicitly referencing CSA practices in their titles. The lack of easily accessible, action-oriented materials may limit extension agents’ ability to identify and share relevant information with producers. Further research is needed to assess the quality of and the level of trust in the content. These two factors influence people's decisions when sharing information. Further research is needed to evaluate how content availability affects extension agents' information-seeking and sharing behavior on CSA practices with farmers.
Keywords: Climate-smart Agriculture, Content Analysis, Extension, Science Communication
How to Cite: Anderson, K. M. , Meyers, C. , Burke, J. A. , Irlbeck, E. & Fischer, L. M. (2026) “Inventory Audit of Texas A&M AgriLife Climate-Smart Agriculture Communication Materials”, Journal of Applied Communications. 110(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.4148/jac.20857
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