About the RTP on Green Agriculture

Why do we need a Regional Technical Programme on Green Agriculture?

Green agriculture involves the good management of natural resources, biodiversity and ecosystem services while building sustainable, productive and resilient agroecosystems capable of tackling current and future challenges. It helps transform agrifood systems by reducing the toll on natural resources and avoiding environmental degradation through high recycling rates and low use of external inputs. Sustainable green agriculture policies and practices help reduce poverty, improve livelihoods and ensure nutritional needs.

In 2023, according to the Stockholm Resilience Centre, six of the nine planetary boundaries have been transgressed, with human activity exceeding the safe limits of the Earth’s system in the following key areas: climate change, biosphere integrity, land-system change, freshwater change, biogeochemical flows and novel entities. That has increased the risk of irrevocable environmental changes. As if that weren’t enough, according to Planetary Health Check, the planet is on the verge of trespassing a seventh planetary boundary: ocean acidification.

Agrifood systems in Europe and Central Asia are facing multifaceted threats, including from pandemics, climate change, deforestation, water scarcity, biodiversity loss, natural resource degradation, adverse weather events and natural disasters. Regional agrifood systems are affected by geopolitical and economic uncertainties causing negative impacts on food supply chains and markets and, thus, on food security.

In general, traditional regional agrifood systems lead to natural resource overuse and unsustainable farming practices. They cause the loss of biodiversity and forestry, increase greenhouse gas emissions and lead to soil and water pollution and degradation. Their intensive use of energy and inputs affects agricultural production and ecosystem services. Globally, agrifood systems account for one-third of total human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, according to research from Crippa et al. and Tubiello et al.

Food loss and waste also is a persistent challenge in the region, and small-scale producers and agricultural enterprises lack access to viable markets. The socioeconomic impacts of these systems lead to increased poverty (in both rural and urban areas) and food insecurity.

Change is needed. Enhancing the sustainability of the food and agriculture sectors will require a systemic move towards higher productivity and lower output variability in the face of climate and socioeconomic risks. Profound transformations are required along the entire agrifood system, from production to distribution to consumption, to achieve more productive and resilient agriculture.