Jan 28, 2025

Agrifood value chains key to climate action

A policy forum article published in Science by Michigan State University distinguished professor Thomas Reardon emphasizes the role agrifood value chains (AVCs) can play in helping farmers adopt climate-smart practices.

Coauthored with Jo Swinnen, director general of the International Food Policy Research Institute, and Loraine Ronchi, global lead for agriculture and food at the World Bank Group, the article highlights AVCs’ potential to mitigate climate challenges by transforming how food is moved from “farm to fork.”

Reardon noted that agriculture and agrifood systems have long been overlooked in global climate discussions. The 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) brought new attention to the issue, with leaders signing the Emirates Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems and Climate Action.

“Despite the recent attention… there is widespread pessimism in international circles about agriculture becoming part of the solution,” Reardon said, citing challenges in incentivizing smaller farms to adopt climate-smart methods.

The authors argue that AVCs, involving food distributors and processors, can help small- and medium-scale farmers access resources and incentives to transition to sustainable practices, making agriculture a critical part of the climate solution.

To read the full article here.