agriCultureACatalystforTransitioningtoaGreenEconomy

AUNEPBrief

the green eConomy approaChBold leadership and new approaches to business, investment and policy arerequiredtoconfrontthesecrises.Interventionsareneededtomobilizeandre-focus

theglobaleconomytowards investmentsandexpenditures ineconomicsectorsthatcancatalyzethecreationofdecentjobsandlivelihoods,sustainedeconomicdevelopment,povertyreduction,andtheregenerationoflife-sustainingnaturalresources.This is theobjective of the UnitedNationsEnvironmentProgramme’s(UNEP)“GreenEconomy”approachtosustainabledevelopment.Onesector ripefor“green”investmentisagriculture.

aChievements of agriCultureDuring the last few decades, there have been significant achievements in theagriculturalsector:

• Globalcropproductionhasmorethandoubledoverthe last40years,9andtheworld now produces enough food to feed six billion people,10 although thedistributionoffoodisuneven.11

• In 2006, an estimated 1.3 billion workers were engaged in the agriculturesector globally, 36 per cent of the total world population.12 In many partsof the world, and in most developing countries, agriculture is the largestsourceofemploymentandlivelihoods,13especiallyinareaswherepovertyisconcentrated.14

www.unep.org/greeneconomy

ConteXtThe world seems to be recovering from the most acute phase of the nancial crisis, but its social and development impacts are still unfolding. By the end of 2010, 64 million more people worldwide could be living in extreme poverty as a direct result of the nancial crisis.1 Formal unemployment around the world has increased by 34 million since 2007, with most of the increase occurring in 2009.2 It is estimated that between 30,000 and 50,000 additional children may have died of malnutrition in Africa in 2009 because of the crisis.3 More than 100 million people needed help from the World Food Programme in 2008,4 while at the same time, 57% of the potential edible crop harvest was lost during di� erent stages of conversion from crop to food or as food waste.5 Food losses and food waste a� ect the supply-demand ratio and contribute to rising food prices, which are expected to remain high, limiting access of the poor to food.6 After reaching record levels, oil prices fell by over 60 per cent in 2008, but were once again on an upward trajectory in 2009.7 From an environmental perspective, ecosystems are under severe stress in many areas of the world and the impacts of climate change, exacerbated by increasing populations and consumption levels, are evident.8

”The way the world grows its food will have to change radically to better serve the poor and hungry if the world is to cope with a growing population and climate change while avoiding social breakdown and environmental collapse.“

The International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge,Science and Technology for Development,2009.ii

Available for household

Meat and dairy

After harvest

Edible crop harvest

Kcal

A gross estimate of global food losses

Source: Nellemann et al., 2009.i

www.unep.org/greeneconomy

1 WorldBank,2009,‘GlobalEconomicProspects2010:Crisis,FinanceandGrowth,’ WorldBank,Availableathttp://go.worldbank.org/OE8NEB3JP0

2 International Labor Organisation (ILO), 2010,‘Global EmploymentTrends: January 2010,’ ILO, Available athttp://www.ilo.org/empelm/what/pubs/lang--en/docName--WCMS_120471/index.htm

3 WorldBank,2009,‘GlobalEconomicProspects2010:Crisis,FinanceandGrowth,’WorldBank,Availableathttp://go.worldbank.org/OE8NEB3JP0;

4 WorldFoodProgramme(WFP),2009,‘WFP AnnualReport:2009,’WFP,Availableathttp://www.wfp.org/content/annual-report-2009

5 Lundqvistetal.,2008,‘SavingWater:FromFieldtoFork–CurbingLossesandWastageintheFoodChain,’SIWI Policy Brief,SIWI,Availableat:

http://www.siwi.org/documents/Resources/Policy_Briefs/PB_From_Filed_to_fork_2008.pdf6 Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development-Food and Agriculture Organisation of the

United Nations (OECD-FAO), 2008, ‘OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2008-2017,’ OECD/FAO, Available athttp://www.agri-outlook.org/dataoecd/54/15/40715381.pdf;andNellemann,C.etal., (eds.),February2009, ‘The environmental food crisis – The environment’s role in averting future food crises,’ UnitedNations Environment Programme (UNEP), GRID-Arendal, Available at http://www.grida.no/_res/site/file/publications/FoodCrisis_lores.pdf.

7 EnergyInvestigationAgency–USDepartmentofEnergy(EIA),2008,‘KeyWorldEnergyStatistics2008,’EIA,Availableathttp://www.iea.org/textbase/nppdf/free/2008/key_stats_2008.pdf;andEIA,2010,‘WorldCrudeOilPrices,’Availableathttp://tonto.eia.doe.gov/dnav/pet/pet_pri_wco_k_w.htm

8 Nellemann, C. et al., (eds.), February 2009, ‘The environmental food crisis – The environment’s rolein averting future food crises,’ UNEP, GRID-Arendal, Available at http://www.grida.no/_res/site/file/publications/FoodCrisis_lores.pdf.;and,InternationalScientificCongressonClimateChange,12March2009,‘Key Messages from the Congress,’ University of Copenhagen, Available at http://climatecongress.ku.dk/newsroom/congress_key_messages/

9 Foley,J.A.,etal.,2007,‘Ourshareoftheplanetarypie,’ProceedingsoftheNational Academy of Sciences USAvol.104,no.31,p.12585–12586.

10 Tilman,D.etal.,8August2002,‘Agriculturalsustainabilityandintensiveproductionpractices,’Naturevol.418.11 Shapouri, S. and S. Rosen, 1999, ‘Food Security Assessment: Why Countries Are at Risk,’ Agriculture

Information Bulletinno.AIB754,September1999,Availableathttp://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/AIB754/12 WorldwatchInstitute,September2008,‘Greenjobs:Towardsdecentworkinasustainable,low-carbonworld,’

UNEP, p. 228, Available at http://www.ilo.org/global/What_we_do/Publications/Newreleases/lang--en/docName--WCMS_098503/index.htm

13 Ibid.14 World Bank, October 2007,‘World Development Report 2008: Agriculture for Development,’World Bank,

Availableathttp://go.worldbank.org/LBJZD6HWZ015 Ibid.;andBroca,S.S.,‘FoodandagricultureintheAsia-Pacificregion:pastperformanceandfutureprospects,’

FOA,Availableatftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/012/i1032e/i1032e01.pdf16 Ibid.17 FAO, 2007, ‘Paying farmers for biodiversity conservation services,’ Available at ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/

fao/010/i0112e/i0112e05.pdf18 FAO,4February2009,‘Farmingmustchangetofeedtheworld-FAOexperturgesmoresustainableapproach,’

Availableathttp://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/9962/icode/19 OECD, 2009 ‘Agricultural Policies in OECD Countries: Monitoring and Evaluation,’ OECD, Available at

http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/37/16/43239979.pdf20 Krebs,J.R.etal.,12August1999,‘ThesecondSilentSpring?:Thedrivetosqueezeevermorefoodfromthe

landhassentEurope’sfarmlandwildlifeintoaprecipitousdecline,’Naturevol.400,p.611-612;andGreen,R.E.etal.,2005,‘EstablishingIndicatorsforBiodiversity,’Sciencevol.308.

21 Nellemann,C.etal.,(eds.),February2009,‘Theenvironmentalfoodcrisis–Theenvironment’sroleinavertingfuturefoodcrises,’UNEP,GRID-Arendal,Availableathttp://www.ilo.org/global/What_we_do/Publications/Newreleases/lang--en/docName--WCMS_098503/index.htm

22 Ibid.23 UNEP, 2006, ‘Challenges to International Waters; Regional Assessments in a Global Perspective,’ Earth

Print,p.10,Availableathttp://www.unep.org/dewa/giwa/publications/finalreport/24 Ho,Mae-Wan,2010,‘China’sPollutionCensusTriggersGreenFive-YearPlan,’ InstituteofScience inSociety

(ISIS)Report,24March2010,Availableathttp://www.i-sis.org.uk/full/chinasPollutionFull.php25 WorldResourcesInstitute(WRI),2006,‘ClimateAnalysisIndicatorsTool(CAIT)on-linedatabaseversion3.0,’

WRI,Availableathttp://cait.wri.org26 International Emissions Trading Association, Available at http://www.ieta.org/ieta/www/pages/index.

php?IdSitePage=12327 International Labour Organization (ILO), 2000, ‘Safety and Health in Agriculture,’ ILO, Available at

http://www.ilo.org/public/english/standards/relm/ilc/ilc88/rep-vi-1.htm28 FAOandILO,2009,‘SafetyandHealth,’FAOandILO,Availableathttp://www.fao-ilo.org/fao-ilo-safety/en/;

Calvert,etal.,2004,‘Acuteoccupationalpesticide-relatedillnessintheUS,1998-1999:surveillancefindingsfromtheSENSOR-pesticidesprogram,’American Journal of Industrial Medicinevol.45,p.14-23;HenaoS.andM.P.Arbelaez,2002,‘EpidemiologicalsituationofacutepesticidepoisoningintheCentralAmericanIsthmus,1992-2000,’ Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Epidemiology Bulletin vol. 23, p. 5-9; and GenevaInternational Programme on Chemical Safety/World Health Organization (WHO), 2004, ‘Epidemiologyof pesticide poisoning: harmonized collection of data on human pesticide exposure in selected countries,’GenevaInternationalProgrammeonChemicalSafety/WHO.

29Scialabba,E-H.N.,3-5May2007,‘Organicagricultureandfoodsecurity,’ InternationalConferenceonOrganicAgricultureandFoodSecurity,FAO,p.13,Availableatftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/meeting/012/ah952e.pdf

30 Nellemann,C.etal.,(eds.),February2009,‘Theenvironmentalfoodcrisis–Theenvironment’sroleinavertingfuturefoodcrises,’UNEP,GRID-Arendal,Availableathttp://www.ilo.org/global/What_we_do/Publications/Newreleases/lang--en/docName--WCMS_098503/index.htm

31 Among other principles, sustainable agriculture emphasizes sustainable resource management – usingresourcesmoreefficientlyandproductively,e.g.lowornotillage,croprotation,bio-basedfertilisers,nativecrops,‘morecropperdrop’efficientirrigationsystemsandpost-harvestcropmanagementtoreducelosses.

32 Organic Monitor, ‘Organic Monitor Gives 2009 Predictions,’ Organic Monitor, Available at http://www.organicmonitor.com/r3001.htm

33 ExportPromotionofOrganicProductsfromAfrica(EPOPA),2007,EPOPA newsletter,no.5,May2007.34 Sahota,A.,2009,‘TheGlobalMarketforOrganicFood&Drink,’inH.WillerandL.Kilcher,(eds.),2009,The World of

Organic Agriculture: Statistics and Emerging Trends 2009,FIBL-IFOAMReport,Bonn:IFOAM;Frick:FiBL;Geneva:ITC.35 Willer,H.,M.RohwedderandE.Wynen,2009,‘OrganicAgricultureWorldwide:CurrentStatistics,’inH.Willer

andL.Kilcher,(eds.),2009,The World of Organic Agriculture: Statistics and Emerging Trends 2009,FIBL-IFOAMReport,Bonn:IFOAM;Frick:FiBL;Geneva:ITC.;andSahota,A.,2009,‘TheGlobalMarketforOrganicFood&Drink,’inH.WillerandL.Kilcher,(eds.),2009,The World of Organic Agriculture: Statistics and Emerging Trends 2009,FIBL-IFOAMReport,Bonn:IFOAM;Frick:FiBL;Geneva:ITC.

36 AnalysisdonebyUNEP-ETBbasedondatafromSahota,A.,2009,‘TheGlobalMarketforOrganicFood&Drink,’inH.WillerandL.Kilcher,(eds.),2009, The World of Organic Agriculture: Statistics and Emerging Trends 2009,FIBL-IFOAMReport,Bonn:IFOAM;Frick:FiBL;Geneva:ITC.

37 Padel, S. and N. Lampkin, 1994, ‘Conversion to organic farming: an overview,’ in N. Lampkin (ed.), Theeconomics of organic farming - an international perspective,Wallingford:CABInternational,p.295-311;andHird,V.,1997,Double Yield - jobs and sustainable food production,London:SAFEAlliance.

38 Nemes,N.,2009,‘ComparativeAnalysisofOrganicandNon-OrganicFarmingSystems:ACriticalAssessmentofFarmProfitability,’FAO,p.3,Availableatftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/011/ak355e/ak355e00.pdf

39 Mäder,P.etal.,May2002,‘SoilFertilityandBiodiversityinOrganicFarming,’Sciencevol.296,no.5573,p.1694–1697.

40 PosnerL.J.etal.,26February2008,‘OrganicandconventionalproductionsystemsintheWisconsinintegratedcroppingsystemstrials:I.Productivity1990–2002,’Agronomy Journalvol.100,p.253-260;Horrigan,L.etal.,May2002,‘Howsustainableagriculturecanaddresstheenvironmentalandhumanhealthharmsofindustrialagriculture,’Environmental Health Perspectivesvol.110.;andBadgleyC.etal.,2007,‘Organicagricultureandtheglobalfoodsupply,’Renewable Agriculture and Food Systemsvol.22,p.86-108.

41 Mäder,P.,A.Fliessbach,D.Dubois,L.Gunst,F.PadruotandU.Niggli,2002,‘Soilfertilityandbiodiversityinorganicfarming,’Sciencevol.296,p.1694–1697.

42 Zarea, A., A. Koocheki and M. Nassiri, 2000, ‘Energy Efficiency of Conventional and Ecological CroppingSystemsinDifferentRotationswithWheat,’inT.Alföldi,W.LockeretzandU.Niggli(eds.),2000,IFOAM 2000 – The world grows organic,Proceedingsatthe13thIFOAMScientificConference,28August2000.

43 Küstermann,B.andK.-J.Hülsbergen,2008,‘EmissionofClimate-RelevantGasesinOrganicandConventionalCroppingSystems,’16thIFOAMOrganicWorldCongress,Modena,Italy,16-20June2008,Availableathttp://orgprints.org/12813/1/12813.pdf

44 Ibid.45 Hole D.G. et al., March 2005,‘Does organic farming benefit biodiversity?’ Biological Conservation vol. 122,

is.1,p.113-130;Bengtsson,J.,J.AhnströmandA.-C.Weibull,2005,‘Theeffectsoforganicagricultureonbiodiversity and abundance: a meta-analysis,’ Journal of Applied Ecology vol. 42, p. 261-269; and Mäder,Paul,A.Fliessbach,D.Dubois,L.Gunst,P.FriedandU.Niggli,2002,‘SoilFertilityandBiodiversityinOrganicFarming,’Sciencevol.296,p.1694-1697.

46 UNEP-UNCTAD Capacity Building Task Force on Trade, Environment and Development (CBTF), 2008,‘Organic Agriculture and Food Security in Africa,’ UNCTAD, Available at http://www.unep-unctad.org/cbtf/publications/UNCTAD_DITC_TED_2007_15.pdf

47 Scialabba,N.E.-H.,2007,‘OrganicAgricultureandFoodSecurity,’FAO,p.8.,Availableatftp://ftp.fao.org/paia/organicag/ofs/OFS-2007-5.pdf

48 Cruz,M.A.G.,R.S.Rindermann,L.G.Tomar,J.O.RufinoandE.Nelson,2009,‘Mexico,’inH.WillerandL.Kilcher,(eds.),2009,TheWorldofOrganicFarming:StatisticsandEmergingTrends2009,Frick:FiBL,Bonn:IFOAM,Geneva:ITC.

49 Worldwatch Institute, September 2008,‘Green jobs:Towards decent work in a sustainable, low-carbonworld,’UNEP,Availableathttp://www.ilo.org/global/What_we_do/Publications/Newreleases/lang--en/docName--WCMS_098503/index.htm

50 Feedingthe5000,2009,‘FoodWasteFacts’Availableathttp://www.feeding5k.org/food-waste-facts.phpi Nellemann, C. et al., (eds.), February 2009,‘The environmental food crisis –The environment’s role in

avertingfuturefoodcrises,’UnitedNationsEnvironmentProgramme(UNEP),GRID-Arendal,Availableathttp://www.grida.no/_res/site/file/publications/FoodCrisis_lores.pdf.

ii International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD),2009,‘Global Report,’ IAASTD, Beverly D. McIntyre, Hans R. Herren, JudiWakhungu and RobertT.Watson(eds.),Availableathttp://www.agassessment.org/reports/IAASTD/EN/Agriculture%20at%20a%20Crossroads_Global%20Report%20(English).pdf

iii UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (ESCAP), 2009, ‘Sustainable Agriculture and FoodSecurityinAsiaandthePacific,’ESCAP,p.15,Availableathttp://www.unhcr.org/refworld/pdfid/49f589db2.pdf

iv Baumert,K.,T.HerzogandJ.Pershing,2005,‘NavigatingtheNumbers:GreenhouseGasDataandInternationalClimatePolicy,’WorldResourcesInstitute,Availableathttp://pdf.wri.org/navigating_numbers.pdf

v Vasilikiotis, Christos, 2000,‘Can Organic Farming‘Feed theWorld’?’ University of California, Berkeley, p. 6,Availableat:http://nature.berkeley.edu/~christos/espm118/articles/organic_feed_world.pdf

vi Sahota,A.,2009,‘TheGlobalMarketforOrganicFood&Drink,’inH.WillerandL.Kilcher,(eds.),2009,TheWorldofOrganicAgriculture:StatisticsandEmergingTrends2009,FIBL-IFOAMReport,Bonn:IFOAM;Frick:FiBL;Geneva:ITC.

Forcomments,feedbackandmoredetails:

Asad Naqvi UNEP-Economics and Trade Branch - Asad.naqvi@unep.org

WewouldliketoacknowledgetheinputsandcontributionsprovidedbyCBD,FAO,ILO,ITC,UNCTAD,UNDESA,andWHOforthisBriefUNEP

promotesenviron-mentallysoundpractices

globallyandinitsownactivities.Thispublicationisprintedon100%

recycledpaper,usingvegetable-basedinksandothereco-friendlypractices.Ourdistributionpolicyaimstoreduce

UNEP’scarbonfootprint.

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• Agriculture is the largest contributor to gross domestic product (GDP)inmanydevelopingcountries. Insub-SaharanAfricaandSouthAsia, itcontributesanaverageof34percentand20percent,respectively,toGDP.15

• Increased prosperity brought about by advances in agriculturehasreducedpoverty.16

• Many farmers have made significant contributions to theconservation of biodiversity and have been at the forefront indevelopingmoresustainableapproachestofarming.17

Theseachievementsnotwithstanding,theagriculturalsectortodayisatacrossroads.

Challenges for agriCultureAgriculturefaces,andcontributesto,severalchallengesthatinvolveenormouseconomic,socialandenvironmentalcosts:• Globally,thegrowthrateofagriculturalproductivityisdeclining,

andinmanycountriesproductivityisactuallyfalling.18

• Agricultural production is dependent on subsidies, particularlyin developed economies. In 2008, agricultural subsidies inOrganisation for Economic Co-operation and Development(OECD)countriesamountedtoUS$265billion.19

• The impacts of unsustainable agro-chemical use are increasinglyevident.Agricultureisnowamajorcauseofbiodiversityloss.20Landscarcityandlanddegradationassociatedwithagriculturearerising.21Increasederosionandthelossofkeyecosystemservicescanalsobelinkedtochemical-basedagriculturalpractices.22

• Agricultureaccountsfor70percentofglobalfreshwateruseandisalsoresponsibleformostsurfacewaterpollution.23Areportrecentlyreleased by the Chinese government reveals that agriculture is alargersourceofpollutionthanindustryinChina.24

• About13-15percentofglobalgreenhousegasemissionscomefrom agriculture, mainly due to its heavy reliance on nitrogenfertilizers.25 Nitrous oxide has global warming potential that is310timesgreaterthanCO2.26

• “Agriculture [...] is ranked as one of the three most hazardousindustriestogetherwithminingandconstruction.[...]Exposuretopesticidesandotheragrochemicalsconstitutemajoroccupationalhazards.”27 Every year, despite being highly underreported, anestimated 2 to 5 million agricultural workers suffer from severepesticide poisoning and related illnesses, of which 40,000 arefatal.28

• Increasing numbers of suicides, a phenomenon reported amongfarmersinAsia,canbeattributedinparttoincreasingcostsofinputsandincreasingindebtedness,leadingtoshrinkingprofitmargins.29

Whatiscertainisthatincreasingyieldsforthenext40yearscannotrelyona“businessasusual”modelthatreplicatesthepracticesofthelast40years.Thisiscriticalbecauseby2050levelsoffoodproductionmust increase to meet the demand that will result from increasingincomes,urbanization,dietarychangesandpopulationgrowth.30

agriCulture: a Catalyst for transitioningto a green eConomyEvidenceismountingfromaroundtheworldthat,sustainablesystemsfor agricultural production present viable alternatives to existing,unsustainablefarmingpractices.31Thesesystemsofferopportunitiesforcompetitiveeconomicreturns,thesupplyofessentialandlife-supportingecosystemservices,thecreationofdecentjobsandlivelihoods,smallerecological footprints, increased resilience to climate change, andenhancedfoodsecurity.Somecommontypesofsustainableagricultureinclude:organic,biodynamic,Fairtrade,andGlobalGAP.

eConomiC opportunities• PurchasingpatternsofFairtradeproductshaveremainedstrong

despitetheglobaleconomicdownturn.In2008,globalsalesofFairtradeproductsexceededUS$3.5billion.32

• Sustainable products command high price premiums, resultingin higher income for farmers and others in the supply chain.For example, in Uganda farmers earned up to 100 per centmore for vanilla that is produced organically, compared withconventionallyproducedvanilla.33

• Themajormarketsfororganicfoodandbeveragesexpandedonaverageby10to20percentperyearbetween2000and2007,whileglobaltradein2007stoodatalmostUS$50billion.34

• Sustainableproductsoffertradepromotionandpovertyreductionopportunities.Forexample,while80percentoforganicproducers(a significant proportion of them women) are in developingcountries, about 97 per cent of sales revenue is generated inindustrialized countries.35 This offers the possibility for smallfarmerstobecomepartofthenearlyUS$50billionglobalorganicfoodmarket.36

A. Subsector

Agriculture 15%

Rest of GlobalGHGs 85%

B. Gas

Soils (N2O) 40%

EntericFermentation(CH4)

27%

Rice (CH4) 10%

Energy-Related(CO2)

9%

Manure Mgmt(CH4) 7%

Other (CH4, N2O) 6%

N2O 46%

CH4 45%

CO2 9%

Greenhouse Gases from Agriculture

Source: Baumert et al. 2005.iv

www.unep.org/greeneconomy

• Shifting to organic farming can create between 10 and 30 per cent moreemploymentopportunities,dependingonfarmsizeandcrop.37

• AnUNFoodandAgricultureOrganization(FAO)studythatanalysed50differentcases,mostlyfromtheUnitedStates,reportsthat:“Theoverwhelmingmajorityofcasesshowthatorganicfarmsaremoreeconomicallyprofitable.”38

environmental Benefits• Sustainablymanagedlandsaroundtheworldmaintainhighersoilfertilitythan

othersystems.39Theyalsoproduceyieldsthat,dependingonarangeoffactors,canbeequivalentto,orhigherthan,conventionalfarmingsystems.40

• Organic and biodynamic farming uses 20 to 56 per cent less energy perproducedunitofcropdrymatter.41Resultsindevelopingcountriessuggestthattheenergyefficiencyoforganicfarmingisbetween70and100percent.42

• Greenhousegasemissions,perhectare,fromorganicagriculturalsystemswereonaverage64percentlowerthanemissionsfromconventionalfarms.43

• Thecarbonsequestrationefficiencyoforganicsystemsintemperateclimatesisalmostdoublethatofconventionalmethods.44

• Higherlevelsofbiodiversityhavebeenrecordedonsustainablymanagedfarmsaroundtheworldintermsofbothterrestrialcomponentsandsoilbiodiversity,leadingtoimprovedlong-termsoilfertilityandhealthyecosystems.45

enhanCed food seCurity• A joint UNEP-United Nations Conference onTrade and Development (UNCTAD)

study, conducted by the University of Essex, analysing 114 cases, showed thatfarmers inKenya,TanzaniaandUgandahavedoubledtheirproductivity–andensuredfoodsecurity–byshiftingtheirproductiontoorganicornear-organicmethods.46

• DatafromtheFAOsuggestthatinsubsistenceagriculturalsystems,conversiontoorganicfarmingcanincreaseyieldsbyupto180percent.47

• In2007,Mexicanfarmerscontributedtothecreationofanadditional172,000jobsby converting some agricultural production to organic.48 Creation of betterandmoresustainablejobsinruralareascandiscouragerural-urbanmigrationand support community development, while increasing and sustaining foodsuppliestocities.49

investing in agriCulture for a green eConomyEvidence and analysis suggest that investments in greener and sustainablemultifunctionalagricultureofferhighreturnsaswellasmultipleeconomic,social,andenvironmentalbenefits.GovernmentsandbusinessesarethereforeencouragedtoinvestinsustainableagricultureasacatalysingforceforaglobalshifttoaGreenEconomy.Severalinvestmentopportunitiesexist,includinginthefollowingareas:• Storage and transport infrastructure, especially in developing countries, to

reducepost-harvestlosses;• Greenindustrialisation,foraddingvaluethroughprocessingrawharvestedproduce;• Infrastructure for production, marketing and trade in green inputs, such as

organicfertilizersandbiologicalandintegratedpestcontrolmethods;• Improving irrigation infrastructure and its efficiency, including at the farm

level,toreducewaterlosses;and• Establishing Green Banks and/or micro-credit programmes for farmers and

small-andmedium-sizedenterprisestooffersmall“green” loanstobuyorganicinputsorpayfororganiccertification,forexample.

enaBling ConditionsChangesinbehaviourarerequiredtopromotetheshifttoanevergreenagricultureandthesecanbeencouragedbynewpoliciestomoveawayfromthe“businessasusual”approachthathasdominatedtheagriculturalsectorforthepast40years.Lookingtothefuture,governmentsandstakeholdersshouldfocustheireffortsinthefollowingareas:• Re-directingagriculturalsubsidiestowardssupportingmoresustainableagriculture;• Re-aligningtraderegimestosupportdiversificationofagriculturalproduction

andreducepoverty;• Lobbyingandadvocacyeffortstoencouragegovernments,theprivatesector,

and consumers to reduce food waste, and procure and purchase sustainablyproducedagriculturalproducts;

• Supporting and redirecting agricultural research, academic institutions andtraining of extension workers and farmers to make sustainable agriculture amodelsectorforaGreenEconomy;

• Assistinginstitutionsandfacilitatingpartnershipstobuildsupply-sidecapacities;• Building capacity to meet the requirements of major markets – especially

health and environment requirements – at all stages of supply chains, butparticularlyattheproductionlevel,resultinginthecreationofadecentworkenvironmentandimprovedoccupationalhealthandsafety;

• Building institutions that can train policymakers and negotiators to usea holistic approach to economic decision-making and address issues andnegotiations related to subsidies, fiscal and monetary instruments, andtrade-distortingmeasures,amongothers,astheyrelatetoagriculture;and

• Creatingandstrengtheninginstitutionsandentrepreneurialskillsthatcanensurecontinuityandsustainabilityinagriculture’scontributiontoaGreenEconomy.

All the world’s nearly one billion hungry people could be lifted out of malnourishment on less than a quarter of the food that is wasted in the US, UK and Europe.50

”Conversion to small organic farms would lead to sizeable increases of food production worldwide. Only organic methods can help small family farms survive, increase farm productivity, repair decades of environmental damage and knit communities into smaller, more sustainable distribution networks — all leading to improved food security around the world.“

Christos Vasilikiotis,2000.v

University of California, Berkeley.

15.2

20.925.5

33.2

46.1

0

10

20

30

40

50

Billions of US$

1999 2001 2003 2005 2007

Global Market for Organic Food and Drinks

Source: Sahota, 2009.vi

”The Governments of the region [Asia-Pacific] stand at a crossroads: business as usual, continuing with short-term profits for the few through chemically cultivated, irrigation and energy-intensive monoculture, with the burden of long-term costs shouldered by the many; or, a new, long-term commitment to ecologically balanced, socially just and economically equitable agriculture to ensure food security for all.”

UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific,2009.iii