Repurposing Agricultural Subsidies to Restore Degraded Farmland and Grow Rural Prosperity
Evidence shows that subsidies for low-carbon agricultural techniques can improve food security while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
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Agriculture and land use change account for up to a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions and are a major cause of deforestation and ecosystem degradation. The misallocation of farm subsidies is driving much of this destruction. Without reform, these subsidies will render vast expanses of healthy land useless. Given that the world will have 10 billion people by 2050, the loss of this land will make it impossible to feed the global population, leading to increased food insecurity.
What is one major way to fix this systemic problem and build a more sustainable food system? Incentivizing farmers to restore their land through techniques like agroforestry, silvopasture and low-carbon agriculture.
This report highlights why governments should reinvest underperforming public agricultural subsidies in land restoration. Evidence from Africa, Asia and Latin America shows that subsidies for low-carbon agricultural techniques can improve food security and rural incomes, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and protecting vulnerable ecosystems. By investing in the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030), governments can grow rural prosperity and empower millions of smallholder farmers.
This report was authored by: Helen Ding (WRI Europe), Anil Markandya (WRI), Rafael Feltran-Barbieri (WRI Brazil), Miguel Calmon (WRI), Manuel Cervera (WRI Mexico), Marie Duraisami (WRI India), Ruchika Singh (WRI India), Javier Warman (WRI Mexico) and Will Anderson (Global Restoration Initiative)
