The Quaker UN Office has published a paper (REALIZING THE RIGHT TO FOOD IN AN ERA OF CLIMATE CHANGE – THE IMPORTANCE OF SMALL-SCALE FARMERS) that identifies industrial agriculture as a major contributor to climate change (30-35% of global greenhouse gas emissions), environmental degradation, and the loss of on-farm genetic diversity, local knowledge and farmer innovation, which in turn undermine our critical capacity to adapt to already-changing conditions.
The paper recommends agroecology as the framework for integrating local and scientific innovation systems and mitigating the negative environmental effects of industrial agriculture, with small-scale farmers leading the development of research agendas.
