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Sustainable and Digital Agriculture

Climate change poses significant challenges to global food security, exacerbated by population growth and unsustainable agricultural practices. The Global Centre advocates for sustainable agriculture through digital technologies like AI and blockchain. Initiatives include Cultiv@te, promoting innovation in agriculture, and Blockchain for Food Traceability to enhance supply chain transparency. Digital Farming and The Digital Feed explore the potential of digital technologies in agriculture. The Centre seeks partnerships to address agricultural challenges and promote sustainable food systems.

Supporting a just transition to sustainable agriculture

The agriculture sector, vital for livelihoods, faces challenges from unsustainable practices, including biodiversity loss and climate change. Reforming fiscal policies, such as subsidies, can incentivize sustainable practices, reflecting production costs and environmental impacts. UN Environment advocates for policy reforms to support the transition to sustainable agriculture through analysis, advice, and capacity building.

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Driving innovation investments for sustainable agriculture in the Global South

The COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with climate change and population growth, underscores the urgent need for sustainable food production. The Commission on Sustainable Agriculture Intensification (CoSAI) advocates for increased investment in sustainable agricultural intensification (SAI) to ensure food security, environmental health, and poverty reduction, particularly in the Global South. CoSAI aims to redirect funding towards innovation in SAI, aligning with UN Sustainable Development Goals and climate agendas. Through research, partnerships, and advocacy, CoSAI seeks to transform global food systems for a more sustainable future.

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A beginner’s guide to sustainable farming

Industrialized farming’s cost—$3 trillion yearly—and environmental toll prompt a shift to sustainable agriculture. Sustainable Gastronomy Day highlights eco-friendly food production. It balances present and future needs, reducing energy use by 56%, greenhouse gas emissions by 64%, and fostering biodiversity. Policy support and consumer awareness are vital for widespread adoption.

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Agriculture – Sustainable Development Issues

Chapter 14 of Agenda 21 emphasizes the urgency of sustainable agriculture and rural development (SARD) in the face of a growing global population, with 83% expected to reside in developing nations by 2025. This necessitates maximizing production on existing land while preserving marginal areas. The Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) has long underscored the need for policy adjustments at national and international levels to foster SARD, noting slow progress since 1995. Prioritizing food security, especially by halving undernourishment by 2015, remains paramount. CSD-8 in 2000 identified 12 action priorities to advance SARD, stressing the intertwining economic, social, and environmental aspects. Strengthened coordination and cooperation, as advocated in the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), are vital for realizing sustainable agricultural production and food security, with FAO playing a pivotal role in this endeavor.

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Contract farming, smallholders, and Rural Development in Latin America: The organization of agroprocessing firms and the scale of outgrower production

Demonstrates how contract farming functions as an economic institution in Latin America. Causes of the observed variation in the scale of outgrower production in Latin America; Contract farming as a response to market imperfections; Case study; Conclusions.

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Private regulation and global economic change: The drivers of sustainable agriculture in Brazil

In exploring the uptake of private sustainability regulation in developing countries, conventional wisdom points to local context as pivotal. Yet, a nuanced examination of Brazil’s soy and sugarcane industries reveals a surprising departure. Despite similar local conditions, divergent industry responses unveil the decisive role of evolving transnational dynamics, reshaping regulatory landscapes.

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Management of Sustainable Rural Development In Pakistan: Possible Options

Depending upon rural sector, Pakistan has an agrarian-based economy. Its contributions to GDP have been great in the past although in the recent years economy has skewed towards industries. The country is self-sufficient in food grains, fruits and vegetables and exports the significant portions of its production. The country produces the best quality cotton and rice, enjoying monopolies in the international market. Among the fruits – mangoes and citrus meet the world’s quality standards. Unfortunately, the country has not paid enough and due attention to its highly valuable rural commodities and precious resources that could not only be the viable tools for development but also the source of reasonable foreign exchange. In the article, it is argued that scientific management of rural resources can help improving the rural livelihoods and realizing sustainable development. The article examines various management and developmental options.

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‘Mobile’izing Agricultural Advice Technology Adoption Diffusion and Sustainability

Mobile phones promise to bring the ICT revolution to previously unconnected populations. A two-year study evaluates an innovative voice-based ICT advisory service for smallholder cotton farmers in India, demonstrating significant demand for, and trust in, new information. Farmers substantially alter their sources of information and consistently adopt inputs for cotton farming recommended by the service. Willingness to pay is, on average, less than the per-farmer cost of operating the service for our study, but likely exceeds the cost at scale. We do not find systematic evidence of gains in yields or profitability, suggesting the need for further research.