Ensuring sustainable food productions systems, and consumption, for a growing world population is a formidable challenge. This is particularly important in the context of climate change, wherein climate vagaries have affected crop production adversely in different parts of the world. Sustainable food production and consumption is the key to address such issues so as to achieve food security in the face of climate change. For this, a multi-pronged strategy has to be developed which encompasses climate resilient agriculture practices, integrated supply chains, free and fair trade in food products, value addition and above all an enabling and integrated policy framework to realise sustainable food systems.
The Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has projected that without adaptation, a two-degree increase in temperature would adversely affect crops like rice, wheat, maize in tropical and temperate regions. It has also projected a reduction in renewable surface water as well as ground water resources and has predicted a significant reduction in marine biodiversity in sensitive areas. To adapt to climate change and build resilient crop production systems, there is a need for targeted research, awraness-raising and capacity building, and multi-stakeholder approaches to better understand the nexus among food and agriculture, climate change and trade policies at the national, regional and multilateral levels.
Sustainable consumption would require minimising post-harvest losses through efficient supply chain management and value addition. There is an increasing demand for processed foods both in developed and developing countries. Yet, mostly bulk commodities are exported from developing countries as they lack necessary infrastructure, skills, technology and investment. Assured market for agricultural commodities (both bulk and processed) will have implications on farmer’s income which will ensure household food security and enable them to integrate newer technologies.
The nexus among food and agriculture, climate change and trade has to be recognised in the relevant international negotiations also, particularly in the WTO and UNFCCC. While being fully conscious of the mandates of these organisations, the policy makers and negotiators should be able to understand the linkages, for example, between the negotiations in the WTO and UNFCCC, to have climate-aware, trade-driven and food-security enhancing outcomes. Such outcomes, complemented by coherent and synergetic policies at the national and regional levels will lead to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
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