April 30, 2010 - World Association of Soil and Water Conservation

and the U.S. - Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) and the United States Agencyfor International Development (USAID) - as well as with cocoa trader, Armajaro, to support sustainable cocoaproduction in Cote d’Ivoire, West Africa. This project, the “Market-Oriented Promotion of Sustainable CertifiedCocoa Production” project, has enabled six Ivorian cooperatives, representing over 2,000 farmers in theDaloa/Issia and Abengourou areas, to earn the Rainforest Alliance-certified seal. As a result, the last cropyear improved yields and made significant productivity gains, in some cases above 50%, according to theproject. The incidence of cocoa ‘black pod’ disease was also reduced by one third and farmer incomes haveimproved. Read more here from Environmental Leader.▲ Certified sustainable palm oil trade exceeds 250,000 tonsMore than 250,000 tons (metric tons) of certified sustainable palm oil have been purchased since it becameavailable late last year, indicating the emergence of a market for sustainable palm oil. From September toNovember alone, more than 100,000 tons of palm oil or corresponding certificates were acquired bycompanies globally. The rise in sales of sustainable palm oil coincides with a growing number of companiespublicly pledging to fully switch to sustainable palm oil within a certain time frame - most by 2015 - as allRSPO members are required to do. Read more here from Environmental Leader.▲ Farmers are granted official status within the UNFCCCThe UNFCCC granted the request from the International Federation of Agricultural Producers (IFAP) forFarmers, as an organized group, for official status within the Convention. Subject to a 1 1/2 year trial period,the status includes privileges such as a dedicated Farmers office at UNFCCC meetings, access and speakingslots in restricted plenary sessions. This recognition indicates that the UNFCCC secretariat believes thatfarmers and agriculture will be play a significant role in the Convention in the future. IFAP has been a veryeffective advocate for the agriculture and farmers agendas under the UNFCCC.▲ FAO launches report on food security and climate change in developing countriesDuring the UNFCCC Barcelona Climate Change Talks in November, the Food and Agriculture Organization ofthe United Nations (FAO) launched a report, Food Security and Agricultural Mitigation in DevelopingCountries: Options for Capturing Synergies , that argues that the twin battles to improve food security for agrowing world population and contain climate change can be fought on the same front – the world’sfarmland. According to FAO, agriculture not only suffers the impacts of climate change, it is also responsiblefor 14% of global greenhouse gas emissions. But agriculture has the potential to be an important part of thesolution, through mitigation – reducing and/or removing – a significant amount of global emissions, FAOsays. Some 70% of this mitigation potential could be realized in developing countries.▲ FAO reports examine the potential of organic agriculture and grasslands to mitigate climatechange The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has released reports examining the potential fororganic agriculture and sustainable management of grasslands to mitigate climate change. The report onorganic agriculture, Organic Agriculture and Carbon Sequestration: Possibilities and constraints for theconsideration of organic agriculture within carbon accounting systems, discusses the ways in which organicsystems can meet carbon accounting requirements, including permanence, leakage and additionality, andhow organic agriculture might be treated under existing carbon accounting standards. The report advocatesfor the development of guidelines for measurement and verification strategies suitable for organic agricultureand the development of pilot programs.The second paper, Review of Evidence on Drylands Pastoral Systems and Climate Change, explains thatgrasslands have vast untapped potential to mitigate climate change by absorbing and storing CO2, and thatthis could be greater than forests if properly managed. Covering some 30% of the earth’s ice-free landsurface and accounting for 70% of its agricultural land, the world’s 3.4 billion ha of grasslands can also play amajor role in supporting the adaptation and reducing the vulnerability to climate change of over one billionpeople who depend on livestock for a living.▲ Australian scientists researching burp-less livestockAustralian scientists hold out hope that breeding a burp-less sheep can help the country reduce its emissions.About two-thirds of Australia’s agricultural greenhouse emissions are produced from the guts of grazinglivestock such as sheep and cattle. Scientists are testing different strains of sheep to find out which belch lessmethane. The Sheep Co-operative Research Centre is conducting a world-first study into about 700 sheepwith 20 different genetic lines – each is fed, then shepherded into a booth where scientists measure theirburp outputs. If a particular gene controls can be found for methane production, breeders may be able toselect sheep that belch less and less methane. They also are considering a similar program for cattle. Readmore here from the Herald Sun.▲ World Bank publishes note on reduced emissions and enhanced adaptation in agriculturallandscapes The World Bank has published a note emphasizing the role of good agricultural practices andintegrated natural resource management in addressing both mitigation and adaptation to climate change inproduction landscapes. The note focuses on the role of good agricultural practices in protecting existingstocks of soil carbon in croplands, peatlands and wetlands; replenishing soil and biomass carbon and21