Global Food Policy Report 2022

Food systems are both impacted by climate change and themselves major contributors to climate change. This report highlights a range of policies and innovations that should be prioritised and implemented now to tackle adaptation and mitigation in food systems.

The Global Food Policy Report 2022, entitled Accelerating food systems transformation to combat climate change, was published by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in May.

Eleven thematic chapters and a regional section, covering six major developing regions, examine policy options and opportunities for change. These are arranged in three broad groupings: 1) Global frameworks for policies and incentives, 2) Inclusion and diversity, livelihoods, and resilience and 3) Sustainable production and consumption.

In the report, researchers from IFPRI, the Alliance of Bioversity and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture as well as the International Water Management Institute and other partners identify six policy priorities that can be implemented now to make food systems more resilient to climate change. This broad range of recommendations for accelerating food systems transformation holds potential to build resilience and adaptation in developing countries.

The six policy priorities identified in the report focus on developing countries, many of which are expected to suffer the worst impacts of climate change but have less capacity to support adaptation and sustainable food systems transformation.

Investments in R&D for innovation:
Many current technological innovations — including solar power for irrigation pumps and cold storage, genome-editing technologies and digitisation along the value chain — have shown potential to reduce emissions while also raising productivity and, as such, present win-win opportunities in the fight against both hunger and climate change.

Improved governance of resources:
Integrated landscape management approaches have the potential to boost sustainable resource management, but they are complex, pointing to the need for holistic and inclusive approaches to governance.

Healthier diets and more sustainable production:
To support healthier global diets, the report recommends all countries to adopt national food-based dietary guidelines, prioritise R&D for nutrient-rich foods and support changes in the food environment (such as through appropriate labelling, certifications and food standards) that nudge consumers toward healthy and sustainable choices.

Stronger value chains:
Investments in climate-smart practices throughout value chains are also crucially important to help value chain players adapt to climate change and drastically cut down on food loss and waste. Recommendations include ensuring that non-discriminatory trading rules for agriculture and food are aligned with in climate-smart policies, while investing in low-emissions solutions for safe, efficient storage and transportation along value chains.

Inclusion and social protection:
Social protection helps poor people better manage risks, including climate risks, and provides them with means to diversify livelihoods to gain resilience.

Climate-smart finance:
Repurposing government support to agricultural sectors provides a major opportunity to do away with harmful subsidies and border measures, reorient finance towards R&D in green innovations, provide farmers and other producers with incentives and investment resources to adopt innovations, and provide consumers with incentives and wherewithal to make sustainable and healthy food choices. In addition, the report recommends creating new financial resources through innovative mechanisms such as publicly-backed “green bonds”.

(IFPRI/ile)

Read more on the Global Food Policy Report at IFPRI website

Visit the website of the Global Food Policy Report

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