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Posted on December 23, 2012
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Agriculture/Food
Innovations in Sustainable Agriculture: Supporting Climate-Friendly Food Production
Given that agriculture is the human endeavor most vulnerable to the effects of climate change as well as a major driver of human-caused climate change, it follows that sustainable agriculture will play an increasingly important role in climate change mitigation and adaptation, a report from the Worldwatch Institute argues. Innovations in Sustainable Agriculture: Supporting Climate-Friendly Food Production (44 pages, PDF) highlights six sustainable approaches to land and water use that are helping farmers and other food producers mitigate or adapt to climate change: developing fertile soil while reducing the need for chemical fertilizers; agroforestry, or growing trees on farmland to reduce erosion and store carbon dioxide; urban farming, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions caused by the transportation, processing, and storing of food and makes cities more resilient to flooding; planting cover crops to improve soil fertility and moisture as well as deter pests and diseases; improving water conservation and recycling; and preserving biodiversity and indigenous breeds. Nevertheless, for sustainable agricultural practices to make a significant impact on climate change mitigation and adaptation, the report's authors suggest, the public and private sectors need to encourage more research on, awareness of, and investment in the issue.
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