Why is it in the news?
- World Bank released ‘Recipe for a Livable Planet: Achieving Net Zero Emissions in the Agrifood.
About the Report
- The report presents a comprehensive global roadmap for addressing the agrifood system’s impact on climate change.
- The agrifood system refers to the entire lifecycle of food, covering processes from cultivation and harvesting to processing, packaging, consumption, and disposal.
- It extends beyond food products to include non-food items like forestry, animal rearing, and the use of feedstock.
- The roadmap likely offers strategies and recommendations aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions throughout the agrifood system.
- It may propose initiatives to enhance sustainability in agriculture, promote renewable energy use, minimize food waste, and encourage more eco-friendly practices.
Key findings
- Agrifood systems contribute nearly one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions.
- Developing countries, including China, Brazil, and India, are major contributors, accounting for three-quarters of agrifood emissions.
- In India, 60% of emissions stem from the farm gate, primarily due to enteric fermentation in the livestock sector.
- Climate financing for agrifood systems remains suboptimal, with only 4.3% of total climate financing allocated to such projects, totalling $28 billion.
- Annual investments need to reach $260 billion to halve agrifood emissions by 2030 and achieve Net Zero emissions by 2050.
- Carbon sequestration in agriculture holds the greatest potential for mitigation, involving actions like reducing enteric fermentation, enhancing synthetic fertilizer efficiency, and implementing water management practices in rice cultivation.
