Sustainable development is possible in Africa through ‘low-carbon climate resilient development’ and increased national and donor funding.

Inter Press Service reports that the concept involves engaging in projects that will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, help in climate change adaptation while boosting incomes.

In the area of agriculture, which accounts for 19 to 29 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, climate-smart agriculture practices offer the potential to significantly reduce emissions. Such approaches were outlined during a side event at the United Nations climate change talks in Warsaw by Henry Neufeldt, head of climate change research with the World Agroforestry Centre. He discussed options such as minimum tillage, rotation with legumes, intercropping with legumes, growing drought tolerant crops, the growing of multipurpose trees and the use of improved storage and processing technologies.

If well executed, climate-smart agriculture has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by between 1 and 4 billion tonnes by 2020, said Merlyn Van Voore, an adaption specialist with UNEP, at a side event during the conference.

Climate-smart villages, where farmers are being assisted to produce more from small pieces of land using appropriate technologies are discussed in the article. The villages are coordinated by the CCGIAR Research Programme on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS).

“The low-carbon climate development concept involves all the sectors of economy,” says the article.

Read the full story: Africa Urged to Use Multilateral Approach to Achieve Sustainable Development