A new report from French think-tank IDDRI says that agro-ecology farming techniques, which ecological concepts and principals to agriculture can make a major contribution towards keeping global warming below 2 deg. C. The report sets out how agro-ecological farming can make a 47% reduction in agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, alongside benefits for biodiversity, conservation and human health.
The new study follows IDDRI’sTen Years for Agroecology in Europestudy, published earlier this year in the UK. This concluded that sustainable farming is capable of feeding a growing European population.
Although agro-ecological farming does not have to be organic, the new study was welcomed by organic organisations, with Rob Percival, head of policy for food and health at the Soil Association, saying, “Agro-ecological farming, including organic, offers our best hope of responding to climate change. We urgently need to reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, but we must also protect soil health, nurture biodiversity, and build resilience into agricultural systems. Pesticide-hungry ‘intensification’ offers a false solution. The UK Government must prioritise agro-ecology within the Agriculture Bill and ensure farmers are adequately supported to transition to more climate-resilient systems. As the climate protests this week are highlighting, we’re running out of time.”
Photo Caption: Rob Percival of the Soil Association
Photo Credit: LiveWell for LIFE