Agriculture is a necessary yet significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for 14-31 per cent of total emissions. The world’s 1.5 billion members of farm families also manage the planet’s water, soil and carbon systems.
Yet unlike the forestry sector, agriculture still does not have a dedicated work programme for addressing how it can be incorporated into the broader climate agreement. Such a programme is the starting point for allowing scientists, policy-makers, farmers and industry to refine understanding of key issues for mitigation and adaptation in the farming sector.
On December 4, more than four hundred experts from across the world, including policy-makers, farmers, scientists and representatives from the private sector and civil society, attended Agriculture and Rural Development Day 2010 to identify and discuss best practices and technologies for climate change mitigation and adaptation in agriculture.
Howard Minigh, a Farming First spokesperson and President and CEO of CropLife International, said, “Over the last forty years, advances in high-yield agriculture have prevented vast amounts of greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere. Yield intensification should be a high priority in these climate negotiations, helping to address the joint climate change–hunger challenge.”
More and better aligned research, investments and knowledge sharing could help mitigate against future emissions from the agricultural sector and to enable farmers to better adapt to changing temperatures and rainfall patterns, reduced soil fertility or limited access to vital resources for supplying the world’s food. This is especially relevant in less developed countries where farmers have fewer coping mechanisms in place.
Lindiwe Majele Sibanda, Chief Executive Officer of the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN), said, “Unless action is taken now to help African farmers respond, the impacts of climate change could derail the region’s recent efforts to transform the agricultural sector.”
Innovations in both technology and in knowledge sharing should be supported by harmonized policy environments and streamlined regulatory frameworks relevant to local contexts.
Morgane Danielou, Director at the International Fertilizer Industry Association (IFA), said, “Solutions to climate change and food security need to be tailored to local conditions and local needs. Public-private partnerships between research organizations, governments and industry are important collaborations to help adapt agricultural technologies to the unique climate situations faced around the world.”
Minigh continued, “The good news is that science is already helping farmers to do more with less, and we can intensify that effort to help reduce agriculture’s carbon emissions.”
As the international climate change conference continues into next week, world leaders must not overlook agriculture in negotiations for a global climate agenda. Responding to climate change is an imperative to help farmers who are face increasing difficulties producing enough food in the erratic weather patterns brought on by climate change.
Click here to read more about Agriculture & Rural Development Day: www.agricultureday.org.
About Farming First
Farming First is a coalition of multi-stakeholder organizations, not an organization. The coalition exists to articulate, endorse and promote practical, actionable programmes and activities to further sustainable agricultural development worldwide. There is no secretariat and it is not intended that one will be created. Farming First enjoys the support of 131 organizations representing the world’s farmers, scientists, engineers and industry as well as agricultural development organizations. With one shared voice, Farming First highlights the importance of improving farmers’ livelihoods and agriculture’s potential contribution to global issues such as food security, climate change, and biodiversity. It also aims to build synergies amongst its supporters in promoting Farming First’s mission. For more information, visit www.farmingfirst.org.
Source: Farming First Press Release dated December 8, 2010.
