Washington, 28 mar ( EFE).-scientific international submitted today a road map for world leaders to articulate sustainable agricultural policies to ensure access to food and to include the impact of climate change as a risk factor.
“food insecurity and climate change are already hampering human well-being and economic growth throughout the world, and these problems tend to deepen it,” said the Chairman of the Committee of experts, sir John Beddington.
Beddington urged to take “vigorous action” to preserve the ability of the planet to “produce an adequate amount of food in the future”.
Commission on sustainable agriculture and climate change seeks to emphasise the need to take measures at a time when global demand and prices for agricultural products are increasing, while nearly a third of the food for human consumption is lost or wasted.
At the same time climate change has brought with it an increased frequency of droughts, floods and outbreaks of diseases, causing the loss of twelve million hectares of arable land due to the degradation of the soil, according to experts annually.
In this context, the concept of sustainable agriculture “it is revolutionary, is not something evolutionary (sic), since it changes the overall perception of the agriculture and food security,” said in statements to Efe Carlos Nobre, of the Ministry of science and technology and innovation of Brazil and member of the Commission.
Nobre emphasized the potential of Latin America to implement this idea of sustainable agriculture, because “there are still many areas untapped and those in which works could increase their productivity but with a plan to reduce emissions”.
His country has already launched measures focusing on enhancing sustainable production and the reduction of poverty as a central model of agricultural policy and seeks other countries join.
The expert pointed out that “has been huge successes in strengthening sustainable agricultural production, but there is still much to do”.
The Commission, formed by thirteen scientific specialists in agriculture, climate, food, nutrition, economics and environment, calls in its recommendations integrating food security and sustainable agriculture in national and global policies practices.
Also proposes to “significantly” increase global investment to agriculture and sustainable food systems in the next ten years, as well as reduce gas emissions greenhouse and other negative environmental impacts of agriculture.
“If not we promote the science and practice of a sustainable intensification, our forests and our agricultural economies will be at risk”, said Nobre.
Experts also advocates focus on communities and most vulnerable to climate change and food insecurity, redesign access and food consumption patterns to ensure the satisfaction of basic nutritional needs, and promote sustainable and healthy eating habits around the world.
In Mexico, for example, agricultural activities account for 77% of the water consumption of the country, in part because of the huge subsidies to the price of electricity and water used for irrigation tasks.
“we should redirect public subsidies to promote sustainable agricultural practices from the economic and environmental point of view and that preserve finite natural resources, said Meanwhile in a statement the Commissioner Adrian Fernandez, of the Autonomous Metropolitan University of Mexico.
The report was presented during the Conference “Planet under Pressure” (planet under pressure), which takes place in London, in which scientists from all the world work in the design of solutions to global sustainability challenges on which will be the Rio Summit, to be held from 20 to 22 June in Brazil.
The Chairman of the Committee on sustainable agriculture and climate change, sir John Beddington urged to take “vigorous action” to preserve the ability of the planet to “produce an adequate amount of food in the future”. EFE/file
