Author: Kate Williams
More infoSounds impossible? Not according to the experts.
The global food supply chain is a major contributor to climate change. Our current unsustainable model of food production and land use causes greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, water pollution and biodiversity loss. It’s also bad for our health.
While we've made tremendous strides in reducing emissions from energy and industry, agriculture has been slower to transform. Change is coming, however, and it starts with rethinking how we produce, distribute and consume food.
As an example, the Alentejo region in Portugal is on the frontlines of climate change, which threatens food security and local livelihoods. This vast, sparsely populated area is particularly susceptible to desertification as rising temperatures and decreasing rainfall exacerbate its natural aridity. Coastal areas are also grappling with soil salinization due to rising tides.
These changes not only affect agricultural productivity but also threaten the very fabric of rural communities. It’s all exacerbated by low adoption rates of new and green innovations, plus the lack of skills necessary for the green and digital transition.
Rather than succumbing to these challenges, however, local leaders are developing innovative, highly localised strategies to build resilience. These include:
- Stronger biodiversity protection and food system resilience
- Ecosystem service preservation
- Promoting regenerative agricultural practices
- More efficient water resource management solutions for improved water security
- Fostering a circular economy
Speaking at the MAIA project’s policy event on sustainable agriculture, Maria Rosa Onofre of CCDR Alentejo noted how local leaders are also highly aware of the impact of climate change on local communities, particularly vulnerable populations like the elderly living in isolated areas.
Limited access to healthcare and basic infrastructure makes these populations especially susceptible to the negative effects of climate change. So the goal is to develop policies that enhance the resilience of these communities through climate solutions that consider social impacts.
You see, successful strategies aren't always about grand, sweeping policies but understanding local realities and tailoring policy strategies to their needs. Regions like Alentejo demonstrate that climate adaptation isn't a one-size-fits-all solution; it demands flexible, community-driven approaches that respond to specific environmental and social challenges.
Also central to achieving more sustainable agriculture are short food supply chains. By bringing producers and consumers closer together, we can dramatically reduce waste and emissions from transportation — and strengthen local economies. By fostering closer connections between those who produce and those who consume we support both food security and more resilient communities.
Transformation comes with challenges, however, including systemic barriers or "lock-ins" that keep food producers trapped in outdated models. According to Nelson Ekane of the BEATLES project, these include institutional inertia, fragmented policies and a lack of supportive financial mechanisms. And then there are the challenges of aligning the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) with climate goals and achieving harmonisation across diverse EU member states.
Transitioning to ‘climate-smart’ agriculture across the EU will, therefore, require integrated approaches across value chains, feedback mechanisms and continuous dialogue between stakeholders. Ekane is keen to stress that, as well as policy harmonisation, we need to put farmers at the centre of decision-making processes and give them a voice. It’s also crucial to provide powerful incentives like aligning CAP direct payments to producers with the EU's food security and environmental goals.
The good news is that solutions are available. For example, Clara Douzal explains how modelling tools like the FABLE Calculator allow policymakers to simulate scenarios and understand the potential impact of their decisions. By combining more than 1 billion scenarios on agricultural, economic and policy variables, the tool allows researchers and policymakers to evaluate distinct pathways for sustainable agri-food systems.
Collaborative platforms like the MAIA project’s Connectivity Hub also help break down silos between researchers, farmers and policymakers by facilitating knowledge sharing and accessibility for all.
According to Nikolai Pushkarev of Agora Agriculture, we could also achieve a 60% reduction in GHG emissions through changes in agricultural production methods and ecosystem restoration of agricultural peatlands by 2045. Pathways to achieving this include reducing livestock emissions through feed additives and improving manure management. Changes in consumption patterns, such as more people transitioning to a plant-based diet, could also achieve a further 50% reduction in demand for arable land.
So how do we achieve this vision?
Transitioning to more sustainable agriculture will take a combination of short-, long- and medium-term measures. For example:
Raising public awareness on the benefits of dietary shifts in terms of health, GHG emissions reduction and improved food security in the short term and institutionalising those changes in the long term
Incentivising the adoption and dissemination of advanced technologies in crop and livestock farming
Re-skilling and up-skilling of farmers and workers in related sectors
Supporting small producers and land users during the transition
Improving access to finance, both through public-private partnerships and European funds
Substantial investment in regenerative agricultural practices
Policies that prioritise sustainability over short-term productivity and which cover both emissions and incentives for carbon capture and removal
CAP reform focusing on supporting sustainable business models
A legislative framework that allows for changes in food policies and consumption environments
Initiatives aimed at rural development that ensure adequate funding to facilitate the transition and promote economic opportunities in rural areas
We have some huge challenges ahead, but also great opportunities to achieve sustainable, affordable food for all, while respecting planetary boundaries. Getting there will require multi-sectoral collaboration, public education, long-term vision and policies that align local and national objectives with global commitments.
It won’t be an easy road, but as we've seen from the innovative approaches in Alentejo and the promising scenarios presented by experts, change is not only possible – it's already happening.
Are you ready to be part of it?
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