[This article is also available in Spanish – Este artículo también está disponible en español]
Agriculture has various negative impacts on the environment. For example, to increase production extensive forest areas are converted into cultivation zones. Deforestation leads to the loss of critical ecosystem services such as air, water, and biodiversity. In Latin America, agriculture significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions through land-use changes. The indiscriminate use of water for crops has resulted in overexploitation, decreasing water levels in rivers and aquifers.
Unsustainable use of natural resources, deforestation, air pollution, and agrochemical use are closely tied to climate change. In turn, climate change exacerbates the emergence of pests in plants and diseases in animals, and affects agricultural productivity, food prices, critical infrastructure, and the income of vulnerable populations. A study from Cornell University estimates that Latin America and the Caribbean has lost 26% to 34% of agricultural productivity since 1961 due to climate change.
The agricultural sector in the region faces various climate risks, including droughts, floods, shortened crop growth seasons, high temperatures, pest invasions, and non-native species (Lipper, 2023).
The global climate crisis impacts worldwide food security, with nearly 248 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean experiencing food insecurity, and over 43 million facing hunger (FAO, 2023). Climate change affects food security in its four dimensions: access, availability, use and stability of food. Women, children, migrants, and indigenous peoples are the groups most affected by climate change and food insecurity. Furthermore, the countries that are most vulnerable to climate change are also those that have the highest levels of food insecurity in the region.
To address these challenges, it is crucial to promote sustainable, resilient, and inclusive food systems capable of tackling climate change. In this regard, climate change adaptation in the agricultural sector plays a crucial role. Broadly, adaptation to climate change refers to “adjustments in ecological, social or economic systems in response to actual or anticipated climate stimuli and their effects or impacts. It refers to changes in processes, practices, and structures to moderate potential harms or to benefit from opportunities associated with climate change” (UNFCC).
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) defines adaptation as the process of avoiding, resisting and recovering from the negative impacts of climate risks. These risks fall into three categories:
- Hazard: A physical event or impact.
- Exposure: Presence of people, associated livelihoods, environmental services and infrastructure that could be adversely affected.
- Vulnerability: The characteristics of a person or group that affect their ability to anticipate, cope with, resist and recover from the adverse effects of climate hazards.
During COP28, 134 countries signed the “Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems and Climate Action”. Through this signature, in an unprecedented way, governments commit to including food and agriculture in their national plans against climate change. Although the text is not legally binding, the signatory nations committed to updating their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) by 2030, and their adaptation plans and biodiversity strategies by 2025 (France 24).
It is essential to promote the adoption and development of climate-smart technologies for small and medium farmers, in order to promote and achieve sustainable food production. For this, it is key to increase investment in agricultural research. In the case of Latin America and the Caribbean, most countries invest less than 1% of their agricultural GDP in research, an essential item for the generation of technologies and the adaptation of sustainable practices.
At the IDB, we are committed to supporting countries in the region in developing sustainable, inclusive and resilient food systems, and achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger by 2030. To this end, we finance evidence-based interventions and policies, under a multisectoral approach and that cover the whole agri-food system.
Our action plan includes:
-Promote agricultural policies that increase climate resilience, environmental sustainability, and productivity of the agricultural sector.
– Implement interventions that strengthen social protection systems, regional integration, agricultural safety and health, and resilient infrastructure.
-Promote investments that prioritize the populations most vulnerable to food insecurity such as women, children, indigenous peoples, and Afro-descendants.
– Generate data, information and knowledge products that allow governments to make timely and relevant decisions.
-Develop innovative topics such as nutrition-sensitive agriculture, agroecology, and digital innovation for food security.
Knowledge and information are the pillars for developing sound policies. For this reason, monitoring agricultural policies, conducting impact assessments of agricultural projects, and disseminating these findings to the international development community is key to offering solid solutions with long-term impacts.
Image credits: Shuttertock
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Thank you. The approach to address the gaps and challenges should be intersectorial and territorial. Otherwise it would be very difficult to upscale the solutions ( see carlos h betancourth. Going beyond tge notuon of a recycle circular economy to a territorial econony: the case of food systems and city regions. 2023. Presented at the forum circular economy. Brazil. Nov 22_28)
This article brilliantly highlights the urgency of prioritizing food systems in climate discussions. As COP28 approaches, it’s crucial to recognize the interconnection between food production and environmental sustainability. Let’s advocate for meaningful action to address this critical issue!