Brussels, Belgium
5 June 2012

Plant science’s role in improving agriculture’s footprint recognized on World Environment Day

In observance of World Environment Day and the upcoming Rio+20 international discussion on green economy, CropLife International urges international policymakers to consider the role plant science innovations can play in enabling sustainable agriculture. Plant science innovations have played a significant role in supporting agricultural development worldwide, which in turn has enabled economic development for local, regional, and national governments and communities, while at the same time protecting natural habitats and conserving precious resources.

“Plant science products have provided incredible improvements in how farmers protect crops against pests and diseases,” said Howard Minigh, President and CEO of CropLife International. “Since the first Earth Summit in Rio in 1992 farmers have embraced plant science as a way to protect their land for their children and future generations while feeding their communities. Determining how to share these sustainable practices with more farmers will be a crucial step for developing a green economy framework at the Rio+20 Earth Summit.”

By increasing crop production, these technologies decrease the need to expand farmland. In fact, massive gains in agricultural productivity in the past 50 years have saved a landmass the size of North America from conversion into farmland. About 30-60 per cent of these increases are credited to improved crop varieties through plant breeding. From 1996 to 2009 alone, biotech crops worldwide prevented 75 million hectares of land from being used for farming.

At Rio+20, nations will create a green economy by charting a path for the globe to reduce poverty while protecting the environment in coming decades, and agriculture will be a significant factor. Examining how farmers are protecting the environment and conserving resources right now provides an opportunity for negotiations to build on demonstrated success.

Recent studies measuring agriculture’s environmental footprint indicate that modern farming has become more sustainable due to improved technology. A 2011 report found that Brazilian farmers who adopted biotech crops have reduced their carbon emissions by 357,000 tons since 1996 – the equivalent of planting an extra 2.6 million trees in the rainforest. Another initiative, Field to Market, discovered that, through the use of modern farming practices, U.S. soybean farmers have cut the energy required to grow an acre of soybeans by two-thirds compared to 20 years ago. With nearly 75 million acres of soybeans planted last year, this is a significant savings for U.S. natural resources. Expanding the global use of these practices and technologies could make agriculture a key contributor to a green economy.

“On World Environment Day, as global leaders prepare for discussions that will chart the course for sustainable development in the coming decades, nations must look at what has been successful since the first Rio conference in 1992,” said Minigh. “In the past 20 years, farmers have significantly reduced their footprint while feeding a population that has risen by 1.5 billion. With the help of crop protection and plant biotechnology, farmers are creating a green economy in agriculture today, and improving access to these tools will be critical to maintaining it in the future.”

To learn more about how plant science is helping to develop a green economy for agriculture, visit ActionforAg.org.
 

Website: http://www.croplife.org

Published: June 5, 2012