Sara J. Scherr, Ecoagriculture Partners 2nd World Agroforestry Congress, Nairobi, August 24, 2009
Towards an Integrated Agroforestry Policy Agenda
21st century agricultural policy: Agroforestry can help
• Meet food & fiber demand for 10 billion people (↑50-100% by 2030)
• Reduce rural food insecurity and poverty; secure urban food supply
• Contribute to sustainable energy through biofuels
• Adapt to climate change• Restore degraded resources
critical for production
• Shift from a major source of greenhouse gases, to a net sink
• Contribute to and restore critical ecosystem services
Projected land use for agriculture with existing trends
21st century environmental policy in ag’l regions: Agroforestry can help
Agriculture and land use: 31% of global greenhouse gas emissions
GHG emissions by sector in 2004, Source: IPCC
Impacts of ecosystem degradation on agricultural productivity
Policymakers are paying attention …. Now is the moment!
Climate change and ag
Biofuels and biodiversity
Energy and food systems
Food price crisis & hunger
GMO controversy
Food safety
Consumer movements
Our VisionExpanding Ecoagriculture Potentials
Agricultural Goods and Services
Wild Biodiversity and
Habitat Quality
Figure 4.2 Expanding the Biodiverse Production Possibilities Frontier
Urgency to move towards ‘win-win-win’ solutions
Ecoagriculture landscapes for people, food and nature (thru AF)
Climate action– a potential driver for policy integration & investment
mitigation potential with carbon prices upto $20 and $100 (Source: IPCC)
Carbon in soils Perennials in
farming system Climate-friendly
livestock pdn Restoring
degraded lands & watersheds
Protecting natural forests & grasslands
Feed 10 billion, protect ecosystems? Integrating the policy agendas
1) Help farmers raise production in the context of climate risks
2) Mitigate climate threats by shifting agriculture from major source to net sink of greenhouse gases
3) Restore degraded farm, pasture and forest lands
4) Secure water for agriculture by protecting water quality and watershed functions
5) Support farming communities to be major stewards of biodiversity
Use production systems with ecosystem benefits => agroforestry
* Select crop varieties for shade tolerance, deep-rooting, high- yield polycultures, high biomass
* Diversify with perennial/ minor/ wild crops; polycultures, multi- product marketing; perennial livestock feeds & biofuels
• Use agroecological practices
• Reduce input pollution
• Support farmer innovation systems for diversified systems
Embrace diversity…..
Support and promote ecoagriculture landscape initiatives (agroforestry!)
1) Empower multi-stakeholder landscape action
2) Recognize farmers’ leading role as ecosystem service managers
3) Provide X-sectoral technical support
4) Pursue market development from a landscape perspective
5) Coordinate ag, env & rural dev. policies & programs
Embed ecosystem management in agricultural investments
Private sector investment (through standards, regulations, incentives)
International & regional development Banks & Funds
The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD—CAADP)
Bilateral donor investment for MDGs on Hunger, Environment
Foundation support (e.g., Gates, AGRA)
Promote “green” agricultural markets and value chains
Minimum regulatory standards
Eco-certification Public procurement Food industry standards
(Sust. Food Lab, Sust Ag Init, Keystone, Roundtables)
Include social standards
Expand payments for ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes
Shift agricultural subsidy systems to ecosystem service payments
Climate offsets with co-benefits for agriculture & ecosystems (e.g., in REDD, AFOLU, CDM)
Voluntary carbon & biodiversity offsets by companies/consumers
PES in GEF portfolio
United Nations: UNEP/UNDP/FAO/IFAD initiatives
Support farmer organizations to lead in ecosystem stewardship
Leadership emerging (IFAP, National Farmers’ Union, Indigenous Peoples Org’s, Landcare Int’l, CKS)
Address tenure and access to agr’l & natural resources
Help smallholders aggregate for market & info in ways that are efficient and inclusive
Align strategies for food sovereignty and urban supply
Research integrating agriculture & ecosystem management is essential
Targeted research initiatives, e.g.: AASTD, DIVERSITAS, CSIRO & USDA Ecosystems, IFOAM, Nat’l Academy Science
CGIAR system research Private sector research National public systems NGO-led research (ag, env) Farmer research networks
Ensure agroforestry research
is incorporated
Yale Univ/World Econ Forum National Environmental Performance Index
Global remote sensing and interpretation capacity (e.g., World Conservation Monitoring Center)
Spatial organization of FAO agriculture data
Google map applications for local landscape management
Landscape Measures Initiative (www.landscapemeasures.org)
Get the data: Integrate monitoring of agriculture, environment, well-being
Communicate the benefits and costs to policymakers
• They don’t care about:o Tons of soil (sorry…!)o Tree growtho Biodiversity indexes
• They do care about:o Increased and stable
food supplyo Food securityo Increased incomeo Reliable, clean watero Wildlife for touristso Human health
Mobilize policy action at the scale required to make a difference …..
Agroforestry Policy Initiative Engage leaders at all levels
who embrace X-sectoral action Have agroforestry champions at
the table for all key policy dialogues (not just AF policy)
Design research to answer policymakers’ questions
Craft core, simple messages of how AF achieves policy goals
Be prepared to quickly provide guidance for implementation
www.ecoagriculture.org
Please visit our website at…
Thanks….
www.ecoagriculture.org
Agroforestry - the future of global land use …… It really is!
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