Farmers the missing link in climate change talks

Despite its contribution to climate change, agriculture has been relegated to the backseat in global warming negotiations, and farmers are not considered an important link in the fight against effects of greenhouse gas emissions.

US-based International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), a global farm policy think-tank, says that unless this thinking changes, the war against greenhouse gas emissions is unlikely to be won.

Currently, countries are preparing for the conference of parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change at Copenhagen, in December.

A policy brief issued by IFRI points out that with suitable technology and management, agriculture, which now contributes about 15 per cent to greenhouse gas emissions, can become an important sink for the carbon it produces and even that produced by other sectors.

Besides, agriculture will be adversely affected by climate change and millions of poor farmers will need help in adapting to the weather patterns.
IFRI therefore calls for the inclusion in the Copenhagen talks of mechanisms for funding research on climate adaptation and mitigation by the agricultural sector.

Apart from agriculture’s direct contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, land use -related changes such as forest loss account for an additional 19 per cent to harmful emissions.

“While reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation has been formally included in the current negotiations on climate change, agriculture has been left out. This should now be put on the agenda for the Copenhagen meet,” said IFPRI director general Joachim Braun.

The developing world accounts for 50 per cent of agricultural emissions and 80 per cent of land use change and forestry emissions.

“The ongoing negotiations to address climate change provide a unique opportunity to combine low-cost mitigation and essential adaptation outcomes with poverty reduction,” Mr Braun said.

Pointing to the dramatic consequences of climate change for agriculture, he noted that water sources will become more variable, droughts and floods will stress agricultural systems, some coastal food producing areas will be inundated by the seas and food production will fall in some places in the interior.

Developing economies and the poorest of the poor are likely to be hit the hardest.

IFPRI has called for funding research to improve understanding and create capacity for predicting the interactions between climate change and agriculture.
“Agriculture has huge potential to cost-effectively mitigate greenhouse gases through changes in agricultural technologies and management practices,” argues IFRI.

Changing crop mixes to include more plants that are perennial or have deep root systems increases the amount of carbon stored in the soil.

Also, cultivation systems that leave residue in the fields and reduce land tilling, encourage the build up of soil carbon.

It has been pointed out that agricultural production differs qualitatively from other sources of greenhouse gases. The sources of emission in the farm sector are individually small, geographically dispersed and often served by inadequate physical and institutional infrastructure.