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Sustainable agriculture: is it optional, and can it feed the world?
The document discusses sustainable agriculture and its ability to feed the world. It notes that over 1 billion people currently experience hunger daily and that food production will need to double in the next 25-50 years to meet demand. However, business as usual approaches will not work due to threats like climate change, water scarcity, and loss of biodiversity. Advanced technologies may help boost yields but risks need to be carefully evaluated. Policies should promote sustainability, small farmers, and rural development through improved access to resources, markets and knowledge.
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Sustainable agriculture: is it optional, and can it feed the world?
- 1. Sustainable Agriculture: Is it optional, and can it feed the world? Bob Watson Chief Scientific Advisor, UK Defra Director of the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and technology for Development (IAASTD) IFAD Rome 30 March, 2010
- 2. Current Situation andFuture Challenges Current Situation Future Challenges
- 3. Current Situation andFuture Challenges Current Situation
- 4. Current situation Morethan one billion people go to bed hungry every day People have benefited unevenly from these yield increases across regions, in part because of different institutional and policy environments – rural development, market and trade policy failures Emphasis on increasing yields and productivity has in some cases had negative consequences on environmental sustainability – soils, water, biodiversity, climate change
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- 6. Sub-title here Bullettext here Bullet text here Bullet text here Bullet text here Agriculture and Environmental Degradation Can GHG emissions be reduced without impacting productivity How will the loss of genetic diversity affect future agriculture? Can soil and water degradation be reversed and productivity enhanced? Can crop, animal and fish traits be improved to address the projected changes in climate – what are the roles of traditional breeding and modern forms of biotechnology – genomics?
- 7. Underlying causes ofrecent food price increases Poor harvests due to variable weather - possibly related to human-induced climate change High energy prices, hence fertilizer prices Low stocks Export bans from some large exporting countries Increased demand and changing diets from rapidly developing countries Increased use of biofuels, e.g., US maize for bio-ethanol Speculation on the commodity markets Value of the US dollar Key question is how to address these factors in the future?
- 8. Current Challenges Access to current technologies Access to best seeds, Inputs – irrigation and agro-chemicals Knowledge about agro-ecological practices – INRM, IPM Rural development Extension services Financing Roads – access to markets Trade reform Eliminate OECD production subsidies Eliminate tariff escalation on processed products Recognize the special needs of the least developed countries through non- reciprocal market access
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- 10. Current situation andFuture Challenges Future Challenges
- 11. Future Challenges The demand for food will double within the next 25-50 years, primarily in developing countries, and the type and nutritional quality of food demanded will change We need sustained growth in the agricultural sector (crops, livestock, fisheries, forests, biomass, and commodities): to feed the world to enhance rural livelihoods to stimulate economic growth Meet food safety standards environmentally and socially sustainable manner
- 12. The Context -Limitations Less labor - diseases and rural to urban migration Less water – competition from other sectors Yield increases are slowing dramatically Less arable land – competition, e.g., bio-energy Increasing land policy conflicts Loss of biodiversity: genetic, species and ecosystem Increasing levels of pollution – ozone and acid deposition A changing climate
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- 15. Can 1 st Generation Biofuels be Sustainable? Two major sources of biofuels Bioethanol from sugar and maize Biodiesel from palm oil, soy and rapeseed Rarely economic - normally heavily subsidized – issue of co-products key Serious questions regarding environmental sustainability Greenhouse gas emissions - direct and indirect emissions Loss of biodiversity, soil and water degradation Serious Questions regarding social sustainability Competition for land - food price increases Involuntary displacement of small-scale farmers by large-scale plantations Need enforceable sustainability criteria for first generation biofuels and an aggressive R&D program in second and third generation biofuels to assess their economic, environmental and social sustainability
- 16. Unprecedented change: Ecosystems
- 17. Changes in cropland and forest area under MA Scenarios Crop Land Forest Area
- 18. Changes in ecosystemservices under MA Scenarios Demand for food crops is projected to grow by 70–85% by 2050, and water withdrawals by 30-85% Food security is not achieved by 2050, and child under-nutrition would be difficult to eradicate (and is projected to increase in some regions in some MA scenarios) Globally, the equilibrium number of plant species is projected to be reduced by roughly 10–15% as the result of habitat loss over the period of 1970 to 2050 Child undernourishment in 2050 under MA Scenarios
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- 20. Agricultural emissions aresignificant in developing countries
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- 23. Percent change inrunoff by 2050 Many of the major “food-bowls” of the world are projected to become significantly drier
- 24. Water withdrawal foragriculture
- 25. Climate induced percentagechange in production in 2050: Irrigated Wheat Global production = -42% NCAR A2
- 26. Climate induced percentagechange in production in 2050: Rainfed Wheat Global production = -28% NCAR A2
- 27. Impact on WheatProduction Page
- 28. Impact on ChildhoodMalnutrition
- 29. Climate Change likelyto increase the spread of animal diseases Ectoparasite infections Arthropod vector-borne diseases Diseases caused by anaerobic spore-forming bacteria Avian diseases   Liver flukes and parasites
- 30. Agriculture and climatechange: adaptation and mitigation Reduce the vulnerability and increase resilience to increased incidence of extreme events and greater climate variability Breed new varieties (temperature, drought, pest, salinity tolerant traits) Water harvesting, irrigation Agricultural practices, e.g., change crops and planting times Adaptation Mitigation Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from especially methane and nitrous oxide Non exceedance of crop N requirements Appropriate timing/conditions for manure application Increase livestock nutrient use efficiency Anaerobic digestion technology for manures/slurries Nitrification inhibitors Feed supplements
- 31. Agricultural S&T Challengesto produce, by region, the diversified array of crops, livestock, fish, forests, biomass (for energy) and commodities needed over the next 50 years in an environmentally and socially sustainable manner to address water deficit problems, e.g., through improved drought tolerant crops, irrigation technologies, etc to address soil fertility and salinzation of soils to improve the nutritional quality of food to improve the temperature tolerance of crops to combat new or emerging agricultural pests or diseases to reduce external and energy-intensive inputs to reduce post harvest losses to improve nutrient cycling to improve food safety
- 32. Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology
- 33. Options to increaseproduction Today’s hunger problems can be addressed with appropriate use of current technologies, emphasizing agro-ecological practices (e.g., no/low till, IPM, INRM), coupled with decreased post-harvest losses Small-scale farmers need access to the best seeds, financing and access to markets Advances in S&T are always a needed but cannot be fully utlilzed without rural development, institutional and governance reform Advanced biotechnologies (genomics) may be needed to address future demands for increased productivity and emerging issues such as climate change and new plant and animal pests – but the risks and benefits must be fully understood
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- 35. Genomics is thebasis of improved crop traits – classical plant breeding and GM Potential to improve productivity, drought, temperature and pest tolerance and enhanced nitrogen use efficiency Insertion of genes is continuing to cause concern for some consumers and governments even though GM plants undergo extensive testing Health risks – little evidence, robust EU safety processes in place Environmental risks – need to understand gene transfer and manage Role of companies – some lack consumer trust Potential negative impact on poor farmers in developing countries – reliance on large multi-nationals Role of Genomics and GM
- 36. Maize C 4Rice (C 3 C 4 ) Genes Climate Change, ©JES © IRRI © IRRI Adaptation to Climate Change
- 37. Climate Change, ©JESC 4 and C 3 comparison for current CO 2 conditions. WUE (transpiration) is water-use efficiency, RUE is radiation-use efficiency, PNUE is photosynthetic nitrogen-use effectiveness Maize is C 4 --- Rice is C 3
- 38. Basis for Policy Safety must be the top priority Evidence-based approach and case-by-case assessment Open to the potential benefits – therefore research, coupled with open and transparent field trials, is needed to assess the potential risks and benefits Support proportionate and enforceable GM labelling rules to facilitate consumer choice Need to develop measures to manage the coexistence of GM and non-GM crops to minimise unwanted GM cross-pollination Consumers will need to see real benefits before they are accepted – at least in Europe
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- 41. In Summary: Options for Action Embed economic, environmental and social sustainability into agricultural policies, practices and technologies Address today’s hunger problems with appropriate use of current technologies, emphasizing agro-ecological practices (e.g., no/low till, IPM and INRM), coupled with decreased post-harvest losses Advanced biotechnologies may be needed to address future demands for increased productivity and emerging issues such as climate change and new plant and animal pests – but the risks and benefits must be fully understood Provide payments to the farmer for maintaining and enhancing ecosystem services
- 42. In Summary: Optionsfor Action Reform international trade, e.g., eliminate OECD production subsidies, eliminate tariff escalation on processed products, recognize the special needs of the least developed countries through non-reciprocal market access Increase public and private sector investment in research and development, extension services, and weather and market information Improve public-private-CSO involvement in AKST with accountability for social and environmental outcomes Build and reform AKST skill base (basic sciences, social, political and legal knowledge) and innovation capacities of rural communities and consumers
- 43. Thorny Issues Howdo we assess risks and benefits – who decides what is an acceptable risk, e.g., GM (an American, European, a sub-Saharan African) – what is our perception of risk How do we trade off development/food security/poverty alleviation for environmental damage or social disruption Should we care about future generations – how do we discount the future – do we have an ethical obligation to future generations when we do not seem to care about equity within our current generation – we have not solved the inequalities of poverty, access to food, water, modern energy, healthcare, education
- 44. Conclusions Food availabilityneeds double in the next 25-50 years to alleviate hunger and poverty Global food security is achievable but business-as-usual policies, practices and technologies will not work Climate change poses challenges to the agricultural sector – reducing GHG emissions and adapting to climate change Innovation along the whole food chain, involving all relevant stakeholders, is critical The farmer must be in the middle – especially the small-scale farmer – participatory processes are critical Science and technology is critical – the risks and benefits of all technologies must be evaluated
Editor's Notes
- #5Â Over the past 40 years, globally, intensification of cultivated systems has been the primary source (almost 80%) of increased output. But some countries, predominantly found in Sub-Saharan Africa, have had persistently low levels of productivity, and continue to rely on expansion of cultivated area. in sub-Saharan Africa, however, yield increases accounted for only 34% of growth in production
- #6Â Over the past 40 years, globally, intensification of cultivated systems has been the primary source (almost 80%) of increased output. But some countries, predominantly found in Sub-Saharan Africa, have had persistently low levels of productivity, and continue to rely on expansion of cultivated area. in sub-Saharan Africa, however, yield increases accounted for only 34% of growth in production
- #16 The UK has long recognised the nature of the problem facing mankind and has over the years taken a various steps to tackle its emissions. As you can see from this slide we have a range of commitments to reduce emissions, including the initial Convention commitment, the Kyoto target, our near term CO2 (-20% ) and our longer term 2050 target of -60%. Under the climate change Bill which I will discuss later we area also likely to commit to a medium level target of -26 to – 32% by 2018/2022.
- #21 While energy use accounts for the lion’s share of GHG emissions in developed countries, agriculture (including livestock waste) and deforestation associated with land use conversion to agriculture account for almost 70% of GHG emissions from developing countries. At the same time, given its dependence on rainfall and other climatic factors, agriculture is particularly subject to the dynamics of climate change
- #31Â ADAPTATION Defra has a long running research programme (ÂŁ5m p.a.) to assess what climate change will mean for UK agriculture and how land managers will be able to adapt to these changes . We know that crop yield will increase generally in UK but with greater variability due to extreme weather events. Hence our research focus on extreme weather . For example, research by Rothamsted and Warwick HRI has shown that: Different wheat varieties have different abilities to mitigate climate change. Those that mature early avoid risk of summer drought and heat stress, in comparison to slower developing varieties. High temperatures at flowering can substantially reduce yield. Sugar beet crop performance is unlikely to fail due to extreme weather, but yield variations are likely to increase with extended summer drought and changes in disease incidence. Options for adaptation can be very simple, such as sowing crops earlier, or winter shearing, but some options that require changes to the farm infrastructure will come at a higher financial cost. As part of our programme, a research and innovation Network has been established that will act as a catalyst and focal point for stakeholders involved in climate change adaptation in the UK and to develop innovative solutions, such as new plant breeds and technologies to improve water use efficiency. MITIGATION In parallel to the work on adaptation, we are also looking at ways to reduce GHG emissions from agriculture . A review commissioned in 2007 identified the current options available to farmers and what might be possible in the future. Current options available include increasing livestock nutrient use efficiency and making use of anaerobic digestion technology. Future options include using nitrification inhibitors from the soil, and feed supplements to reduce methane production from cows. The work also highlighted the need to improve the UK GHG inventory for agriculture , so that it can take account of emissions reductions from these activities, and we have work going on to do just that.