Unlocking progress towards food security and climate: 100 million farmers

At the Annual Meeting of New Champions of the World Economic Forum In Tianjin, China, world leaders will focus on how to build greater economic strength, including addressing the challenges posed by climate change and extreme weather conditions, and their implications for the availability and affordability of nutritious food.

According to a report published in the journal Science, El Niño weather patterns are expected to have a significant impact on weather patterns and global average temperatures around the world, which could pave the way to exceed the 1.5 increase. ºC in 2024.

In addition, El Niño and La Niña weather patterns are projected to generate global economic losses of $84 trillion by the end of the 21st century, even if current commitments to reduce carbon emissions are met.

One of the sectors that will be most severely affected is food and agriculture and, in particular, the livelihoods of millions of growers and farmers around the world. As in previous years, the impact will be felt especially in countries with a large number of small farmers, indicated the analysis of the World Economic Forum.

Meeting the pressing need to produce food and feed a growing population – and to do so while reversing greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss – will require strong multi-stakeholder commitment to pivot from current production systems. unsustainable to others that are economically viable and environmentally sustainable.

Achieving a nature-positive food future can only be achieved through partnerships across the entire food value chain. That future centered on sustainable food security, climate neutrality and stakeholder prosperity will require a consolidated and joint effort from everyone – business, government, experts, non-governmental organisations, farmers and consumers – to apply the global frameworks and advance this paradigm shift.

How can we build resilience to ensure food security and improve the livelihoods of producers and farmers around the world?? We can start to address this issue through the following key actions:

1. Recognize that the feedback loop between food security and climate is critical to building resilience

Food and agriculture systems are crucial for economic growth, accounting for more than 25% of gross domestic product (GDP) in some countries, while being responsible for about a third of global greenhouse gas emissions, of the extractions of fresh water and the causes of the loss of nature.

The interconnectedness between food production, livelihoods and climate therefore requires a holistic approach that brings together solutions for sustainable land management, mitigation, adaptation and biodiversity conservation.

A set of agricultural practices – known as “climate smart” and “regenerative” – ​​can positively transform the impact of food and agricultural systems on the planet and people, reducing the number of people at risk of hunger by 12%, At the same time, the cultivated area decreases by 10 million hectares and GHG emissions related to food are reduced by 17%.

2. Small and medium agricultural entrepreneurs at the center of the transformation

As we embark on deep transitions, farmer training is essential. This includes ensuring they have access to the best agronomic knowledge and data, finance and insurance, technology and buyers that can help them improve their livelihoods, while contributing to sustainable food security in their country and around the world. Reassessing the farmer’s economy will also be essential to your success.

Catalyzed by the World Economic Forum and driven by the private sector and farmer organizations, the 100 Million Farmers platform supports and amplifies this agenda, placing farmer and producer communities at the center of this transition.

The initiative supports the adoption of regenerative agriculture and climate adaptation practices on farms. Targeting one fifth of the world’s farming population, the platform aims to reach a tipping point, with untapped potential, to meet food security targets, provide farmers with economic livelihoods and lead the race towards achieving of climate goals.

The international community has a great opportunity to push for more global attention to the importance of putting farmers at the center of transforming food and water systems.

For example, Yara focuses on empowering smallholder farmers and relies heavily on digital technology and the company’s global digital hubs. In 2021, Yara launched its Wenwennong (Farmer Connect) platform in China. After just 18 months, 2.5 million eco-users, farmers, agronomists and local experts are already connected, sharing knowledge on soil and crop nutrition, as well as AI-based crop diagnostics.

3. Focus on financing farmers

It should be noted that food systems generate about a third of global emissions, but only receive less than 4% of climate finance. Most smallholder farmers do not have a bank account and, as they are often subsistence farmers, are considered too risky to be allowed to obtain financial loans and risk mitigation insurance.

Without them, farmers cannot invest in machinery or advanced technologies that could help them expand their production capacity. Lack of insurance increasingly exposes small farmers to extreme risk of financial ruin, due to unpredictable climate change and/or man-made catastrophes.

However, farmer financing has the potential to generate $4.5 trillion in new market opportunities each year. Access to finance that can help farmers achieve optimal soil health and more sustainable food production will help achieve the emissions reductions of around 20% needed to meet the climate goals of the Paris Agreement.

Providing solutions and models to broaden the transformation of the agricultural economy and identify financing channels to reduce risks and encourage conservation agriculture is key to the widespread adoption of agricultural practices for climate adaptation and mitigation, positively influencing agricultural production and the food availability.

Alternative and complementary income-enhancing opportunities, such as carbon sequestration, can further mitigate livelihoods at risk – especially for smallholder farmers and growers – while contributing to global carbon emissions reductions. .

These programs are being successfully applied in North America. This could also be a great opportunity for China, whose government has been working to increase the organic carbon content of the country’s soil. Since the year 2000, China has added 25 million tons of carbon to the national soil each year. As a result, the country is sequestering 100 million tons of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) per year.

4. Soil matters

The role of soil health has multiple benefits in ensuring this transition. We know that 95% of our food supply depends on healthy soils, but almost a third of the world’s agricultural land is degraded. It is essential to look for solutions that encourage better and more efficient application, improved on-farm management, policy development and partnership building for healthy soils.

Understanding the power and necessity of the components of healthy soil, including stored organic carbon, nutrient density, biodiversity, and water retention, is critical to growing healthier and more nutritious food, and transforming the global food system into a carbon sink rather than a carbon emitter.

By prioritizing soil health and employing regenerative agricultural practices, farmers can contribute to the production of crops that are not only bountiful, but also rich in essential nutrients, promoting human health and well-being.