Mark Rosegrant
Director of the Environment and Production Technology Division at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in Washington, DC. He currently directs research on climate change, water resources, sustainable land management, genetic resources and biotechnology, and agriculture and energy. Bio
The build-up to the UN climate change talks in Copenhagen united a variety of groups eager to ensure that agricultural adaptation and mitigation are included in a final agreement at the COP-15. The world’s poor people, most of whom live in rural areas and depend on agriculture for a living, will be devastated by climate change’s effects on crop yields and livestock, and only if a Copenhagen accord represents their voices can a crisis be averted. Farmers will require assistance adapting to climate change—both in terms of policies and financing—while developing country agriculture also provides a significant opportunity to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions through improved farming methods, with potential income benefits for farmers. At the same time, despite the challenge of climate change, crop production must meet the needs of a global population expected to reach 9 billion by 2020.
After a full year of intense efforts to send these messages to negotiators, organizations focused on agricultural research and development issues—including IFPRI, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Federation of Agricultural Producers (IFAP), and many others—joined forces to organize the first ever Agriculture and Rural Development Day (ARDD) during the Copenhagen conference. The event—as well as the coalition—was inspired by the high profile of Forest Day in years past and the success of forestry groups in pushing for an end to emissions from deforestation, otherwise known as REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation).
ARDD, held on December 12, aimed to produce a work plan for agricultural adaptation and mitigation that can be implemented regardless of the Copenhagen outcome. Over 350 participants—including policymakers and negotiators, rural development practitioners, producers, and civil society—engaged in roundtable discussions and brief presentations on innovative solutions at an “Ideas Marketplace”. They also heard from prominent voices in the field, such as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) President Kanayo F. Nwanze, and IFAP President Ajay Vashee on the difficulty of achieving food security and reducing poverty while also combating the negative impacts of climate change on crop yields, food prices, and nutrition. Lindiwe Sibanda, the CEO of the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN), capped the day by summarizing the key components of how to move forward and embrace climate change as an opportunity, rather than a setback, for small farmers in developing countries.
The agriculture and forestry partnerships teamed up on December 14 to issue a statement to negotiators indicating which critical issues need to be addressed in the arena of poverty reduction, food security, and climate change. This final joint statement is a signal to both developed and developing countries that regardless of how the COP-15 ends, a staunch coalition is in place to ensure that the needs of poor farmers are represented in the years to come.
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