Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
agriculture in developing countries where crop inputs (chemical
fertilisers and pesticides) are costly and unavailable. Further,
this requires special equipment and knowhow for their proper
application which is not widespread.
Productive and ecologically sustainable agriculture is cru-
cial to reduce trade-offs among food security, climate change
and ecosystem degradation. Organic agriculture therefore rep-
resents a multi-targeted and multi-functional strategy. It offers
a proven alternative concept that is being implemented quite
successfully by a growing number of farms and food chains.
Currently, 1.2 million farmers practice organic agriculture on
32.2 million ha of land (Willer and Kilcher
,
2009). Many com-
ponents of organic agriculture can be implemented within other
sustainable farming systems. The system-oriented and partici-
pative concept of organic agriculture combined with new sus-
tainable technologies (such as no tillage) offer greatly needed
solutions in the face of climate change (Niggli et al., 2009).
1.12
Strategy recommendations
International Food Policy Research Institute 2009 suggested
the below-given policy and mitigation programme recommen-
dations (Nelson et al., 2009).
efficient
developmental
policies and
programmes
Given the current uncertainty about location-specific effects of
climate change, good development policies and programmes are
the best climate-change adaptation investments. A pro-growth,
pro-poor development agenda that supports agricultural sus-
tainability also contributes to food security and climate-change
adaptation in the developing world.
higher
investments
Climate change places new and more challenging demands on
agricultural productivity, requiring investments for enhancing
research on rural and irrigation infrastructure and technol-
ogy dissemination. The International Food Policy Research
Institute recommends at least $7 billion per year additional
fund support to finance the research, rural infrastructure and
irrigation investments to offset the negative effects of climate
change on human well-being.
Reinvig orate
research and
extension
programmes
Partnerships with other national systems and international cen-
tres along with investment in laboratory scientists and infra-
structure are needed. Strong extension linkages among the
stakeholders is essential for transferring technology, facilitating
