45 countries want to restructure agriculture

At the World Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, forty-five governments pledged their commitment to achieving more sustainable agriculture and food production.

Governments want to invest money and effort into transforming agriculture into a greener and more sustainable sector. The UK government, which is hosting the global climate conference in Glasgow, said it was ready to commit a total of $4 billion (€3.46 billion) in public funds. The money will be used, among other things, to promote better soil management and other sustainable solutions available to hundreds of millions of farmers. However, which countries support the scheme has not yet been announced.

According to the UK Department of Agriculture (DEFRA), about a quarter of the world's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions come from agriculture, forestry and other forms of land use. Consequently, there is an urgent need to reform the way we produce and consume food, especially as the demand for agricultural products continues to rise due to the continued growth of the world's population.

Currently, forest lands, agricultural soils and other important ecosystems that have played a critical role in sequestering carbon and cooling the planet are still shrinking. In addition, farmers' livelihoods are also under increasing pressure as climate change has an increasing impact on farm productivity. To help farmers adapt and make food systems more sustainable in the future, more sustainable farming practices are needed.

Small farmers need support

In particular, countries' commitment to more sustainable agriculture includes a commitment to support internationally agreed “programmes of action”. According to DEFRA, they are designed to identify steps that governments, farmers and others can take to implement reforms and innovations to make the changes needed to build sustainable food systems. Agriculture Minister George Eustis stressed that all parts of society must take action to reach the goal of the Paris Climate Agreement. This requires progress, he said, especially in how ecosystems are managed and food is grown, produced and consumed around the world. Supporting smallholder farmers, in particular indigenous peoples and local communities, is critical, Eustis said.