Mexico will be a beneficiary of the agricultural initiative signed at COP26

An important part of the climate challenge revolves around feeding and the farming. Agriculture accounts for about 25% of all greenhouse gas emissions generated by humanity globally. Reforms in the sector are essential to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals related to poverty, hunger, gender equality, safe drinking water and sanitation, the reduction of inequalities, responsible consumption and production, life under the water and life on land.

The report of the Sixth Assessment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) directly links human activity with climate change and highlights that the world’s food supply will be affected if temperatures exceed 1.5 ° C.

With more than 2 billion people employed in agriculture, this is a sector that requires more attention.

The growing global population is increasingly dependent on climate-vulnerable food production. Climate change undermines current agricultural practices, threatening to affect the sector and keep millions in poverty.

In the framework of COP26, the countries participating in the Agricultural Innovation Mission for the Climate (AIM for Climate), a joint initiative of the United Arab Emirates and the United States, supported by the presidency of the COP26 from the UK, jointly announced a $ 4 billion “early harvest” in investments for smart farming for the environment and food systems innovation over the next five years (2021-2025).

To date, 33 government partners participate in this initiative, including Mexico, who are committed to increasing public investment in agricultural innovation, Sprint de Innovación partners, such as the Melissa Foundation and Bill Gates and PepsiCo, and knowledge partners, such as the FAO and prestigious universities and research centers.

Mexico is a beneficiary country of one of the Sprint de Innovación partners that are part of AIM for Climate: Opportunities for carbon sequestration from organic soil in soils of Latin America and the Caribbean. The objective of this project is to contribute to the design of the use and management of land with high potential for capturing soil organic carbon (SOC) in the agricultural production systems of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and to build capacities for the quantification and monitoring of COS actions. The project is expected to be completed in May 2025; with a total investment of approximately 1.5 million dollars.

The focus areas of AIM for Climate they include sustainable improvements to productivity, efficient use of land, water, carbon and other inputs; resilient agricultural and livestock production; better digital tools; and inclusive, equitable and sustainable food systems.

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