Agriculture and Climate Change

The infographic provides a comprehensive overview of barriers and recommendations for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the agricultural sector at various levels: farm, national, international, and consumer. Here’s a summary and analysis of the key points:

Categories of Barriers

1. Economic Barriers
2. Institutional Barriers
3. Policy/Legal Barriers
4. Biophysical/Environmental Barriers
5. Technical Barriers
6. Socio-Cultural Barriers

Farm Level

Barriers

• High Costs: Implementing sustainable practices can be expensive.
• Lack of Access to Credits: Farmers may struggle to obtain financial support.
• Regulation of Land Tenure: Unclear or insecure land rights can discourage investment in sustainable practices.
• Lack of Institutional Support: Limited assistance from agricultural institutions.
• Lack of Awareness and Knowledge: Farmers might not be aware of sustainable practices.
• Personal Attitudes, Local Traditions: Resistance to change due to established customs.
• Emission Reductions and Carbon Sequestration are Reversible: Benefits can be lost if practices are not maintained.
• Saturation Levels: Soils can only store a limited amount of carbon.

Recommendations

• Capacity Building: Enhance capacity-building to disseminate information.
• Financial and Training Support: Provide financial support and training tailored to local contexts.
• Economic Incentives: Increase microfinancing and incentives for sustainable practices.

National Level

Barriers

• Food Security Concerns: Yield losses should not threaten food security.
• Tax Exemptions: Input subsidies and tax exemptions may promote unsustainable practices.
• Support for Larger Farms: Policies may favor large-scale operations over smallholders.
• Monitoring and Verification Systems: Lack of robust systems to measure agricultural practices.
• Institutional Awareness: Lack of knowledge among policymakers.
• Climate Policy: Absence of a well-designed climate policy.
• Regulatory Gaps: Inadequate regulation for unsustainable practices.

Recommendations

• Subsidy Reforms: Redirect subsidies to promote sustainable practices.
• Decoupling Payments: Reform agricultural subsidies to decouple payments from production volumes.
• Incentives for Sustainability: Implement policy measures that favor sustainable agricultural practices.

International Level

Barriers

• Carbon Leakage: Emissions may shift to other countries with less stringent regulations.
• Supply Chains: Long supply chains and indirect drivers like deforestation.
• Market Prices and Trade Structures: Low world market prices and asymmetric trade structures can hinder sustainable practices.
• Metrics and Indicators: Lack of common metrics for sustainable agriculture.
• Scientific Targets: Need for clear scientific targets for healthy diets.

Recommendations

• Global Frameworks: Establish global frameworks for sustainable agriculture.
• Trade Policies: Change trade policies to enhance fair trade and support sustainable practices.
• Research Enhancement: Enhance research on common definitions, metrics, and indicators.

Consumer Level

Barriers

• Freedom of Choice: Consumers’ preferences can drive unsustainable practices.
• Food Culture and Habits: Cultural and social habits influence consumption patterns.
• Food Standards: High standards for food appearance can lead to waste.

Recommendations

• Behavioral Changes: Promote behavioral changes through better packaging and nudging consumers.
• Standards and Food Waste: Lower standards for food appearance to reduce waste.
• Education: Increase education and knowledge on sustainable diets.

The infographic highlights the multifaceted barriers to reducing GHG emissions in agriculture and offers targeted recommendations to address these challenges. By tackling these issues at multiple levels farm, national, international, and consumer sustainable practices can be more effectively implemented and maintained.

source :

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