Agronomic practices for climate-resilient okra production in agroecological systems: a review

Okra is increasingly recognized as a climate-resilient crop within diversified agroecological systems; however, an integrated synthesis of its biophysical, agronomic, and socioeconomic dimensions is lacking. This review consolidates the current knowledge on okra physiology, production ecology, and value chains, with a focus on climate resilience under heat, drought, salinity, pest, and disease pressures. Evidence across regions demonstrates that agroecological practices such as crop diversification, mulching, conservation tillage, integrated pest management, and the use of organic and biological inputs consistently improve soil health, stabilize yields under climatic stress, and reduce dependence on external inputs, although with trade-offs in labor demand and short-term productivity. The second key finding is that enabling technologies, including remote sensing, crop modeling, and digital advisory platforms, can enhance climate risk management for okra systems when adapted to smallholder contexts, while unresolved challenges remain related to data quality, accessibility, and institutional support. Third, persistent socioeconomic and policy constraints, notably weak seed systems, limited credit access, and insufficient extension capacity, continue to restrict the large-scale adoption of resilient practices. The novelty of this review lies in its integrated agroecological climate-smart framework that links biophysical constraints, management trade-offs, digital innovations, and policy barriers into a unified roadmap. Based on this synthesis, priority research and policy actions are proposed, including targeted genetic improvement, climate impact assessment, sustainable intensification, labor-saving mechanization, post-harvest value addition, nutrition-sensitive interventions, and inclusive market development, positioning okra as a strategic crop for resilient and equitable food systems.