On the agriculture thematic day at the COP21 meeting in Paris, leading global agribusiness leaders have outlined their ambition to tackle the challenge of making more food available for a growing population while reducing agriculture’s greenhouse gas footprint.
Leading companies PepsiCo, Monsanto, Olam and Kellogg Company have chaired a working group on Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) with the vision that by 2030 they will be able to make 50% more food available and strengthen the resilience of farming communities whilst reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50%.
“Agriculture and farmers are uniquely positioned to make a real difference in driving climate change solutions,” said Hugh Grant, Chairman and CEO of Monsanto.
“Through advanced technologies and better farming practices, like reduced tillage, farmers around the world have made great strides to reduce GHG emissions and reduce overall resource use. Working together, the global agricultural community has the opportunity to leverage its resources to mitigate the effects of climate change while still meeting the food needs of our growing planet.”
Under the banner of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s (WBCSD) Low Carbon Technology Partnerships initiative (LCTPi), Climate Smart Agriculture focuses on three pillars: productivity, resilience and emissions reductions.