The Worldwatch Institute has released a new report demonstrating how agriculture – when sustainable – can help to mitigate climate change.

Agriculture contributes an estimated 25 to 30 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and is highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

Sustainable agricultural practices such as agroforestry, which reduces soil erosion and sequesters carbon, has the potential to significantly reduce these emissions as well as help farmers to adapt to climatic variability.

“By adopting more sustainable approaches, small-scale agriculture in developing countries has the potential to contribute 70 per cent of agriculture's global mitigation of climate change,” says the report.

The report, Innovations in Sustainable Agriculture: Supporting Climate-Friendly Food Production, outlines 6 sustainable approaches to land and water use that are helping farmers and other food producers mitigate or adapt to climate change. Among these are agroforestry for storing carbon as well as improving soil health, providing shelter for livestock and crops and creating animal and insect habitat.

To read more about the report and purchase a copy, visit the Worldwatch Institute’s website