30 % of energy consumed in the food sector

In a new report “Energy-smart Food for People and Climate“, FAO analyses the links between energy, agriculture and food.

The food systems use as much as 30% of the global energy consumption. 80% of this consumption is beyond the farm gate

Clearly, there are huge opportunities to increase efficiency by reducing fossil fuel use, an by reducing losses and waste throughout the food chain.

Wall Street Journal recognizes FAO and partners’ efforts

The Agriculture and Rural Development Day is organized by a number of partners, including FAO, on 3 December in Durban.

The Wall Street Journal has acknowledged the joint communication by the organizers in the WSJ blog.

Forestry is not only about REDD

The focus on REDD+ in the UNFCCC, and the available finance for readiness, have tended to dominate forestry and forest management discussions way beyond the convention.

FAO and the National Forest Programme Facility have looked into the wider aspects of forestry and climate change. The publication Climate Change for Forest Policy-Makers provides an approach to integrating climate change aspects in sustainable forest management.

The approach covers six areas:

• Policies and strategies
• Institutions
• Legislation
• Information, communication and research
• Capacity
• Financial arrangements

Climate-smart Knowledge Day 29 November

How does one transition to climate-smart agriculture? How much energy is used in the food systems and what can we do about it? How do we know how much forest is actually lost, and what does agriculture have to do with it? What guidelines are available for forestry, fisheries and agriculture? And what is climate-smart agriculture anyway?

At the climate-smart knowledge day on 29 November you will get some of the answers.

Gender – critical for success

Gender must be included in solutions for climate change and food security. To get there, we must emphasize gender at all stages. FAO and partners are working on a research manual to help ensure that the production of knowledge is onboard as well.

REDD+ and Agriculture: What is deforestation about?

The drivers of deforestation is not a new topic. Neither is the fact that deforestation is mainly caused by expanding agriculture, see for example Fig 1-7 on page 8 in the FRA 2000 report where the remote sensing survey illustrated the relationship between deforestation and agriculture expansion for different regions.

REDD+ discussions are increasingly focussing on the links between agriculture and forests. This is further discussed in this policy brief from FAO.

On Wednesday 30 November, the new FRA remote sensing survey will be released, providing a completely fresh picture on land use changes and deforestation for the period 1990-2005. Stay tuned.

FAO @ COP-17

We at FAO are finalizing our preparations for Durban. This year we expect a lot of attention on agriculture and the “Climate-smart agriculture” concept.

As you may know, climate-smart agriculture:

• increases farm productivity and income
• improves resilience of livelihoods and ecosystems, and
• reduces or removes greenhouse gas emisisons.

Read more about Climate-smart agriculture and FAO’s activities at Durban.

And if you are in Durban next week, welcome to the Climate-smart Knowledge Day on 29 November!