Patenting Trends in Agricultural Climate Innovation: A Global Analysis with a Focus on China

Agriculture faces mounting pressure to both adapt to climate change and mitigate its environmental impact. Green technology innovation is central to this challenge, yet little is known about how global patenting trends reflect the balance between adaptation and mitigation efforts. This study analyzes 13,727 agricultural climate-related patent families to assess temporal, geographical, and institutional patterns in innovation. The results reveal that adaptation technologies dominate the patent landscape, with innovations focusing on water management, soil stabilization, and climate-resilient crops, whereas explicit mitigation technologies, such as carbon sequestration and low-emission fertilizers, remain limited. China emerges as the overwhelming leader in agricultural climate patents, driven by state-led research funding and policy incentives, particularly during the 2016–2017 surge. However, the high abandonment rate of Chinese patents suggests a short-term, institution-centric patenting strategy rather than sustained commercialization. In contrast, U.S., German, and Japanese firms maintain patents as strategic assets with stronger long-term retention. The study highlights key policy and market implications, emphasizing the need for greater industry engagement and cross-sector collaboration to ensure that green agricultural technologies transition from research outputs to commercially viable solutions.