Background Notes On Sustainable Productive And Resilient Agro Food Systems Value Chains Human Capital And The 2030 Agenda

This report, prepared by FAO and the OECD with inputs from ERIA, IFPRI, IFAD, and WTO, has been submitted to the G20 Presidency of Japan in response to the Presidency’s request for background notes on Sustainable, Productive and Resilient Agro-Food Systems: value chains, human capital, and the 2030 Agenda.

This work provides a preliminary analysis of the key climate risks affecting agrifood value chains and opportunities for climate services that reach stakeholders involved in all stages of the value chain, from agrifood production to harvest, storage and refrigeration, processing and packaging, transportation, markets, trade and consumption. Climate services provide opportunities to effectively and comprehensively mainstream climate risk management across the entire agrifood value chain, in addition to increasing sustainability and efficiency in the face of changing climate conditions. This report provides significant primary information and recommendations on the development of climate services across the agrifood value chain with a view to systematically enhance sustainable and resilient opportunities. It also provides a basis for further research and investment funding in this area. Its findings could spark follow-up research and public and private investment.

This book provides a non-technical, accessible primer on sustainable agricultural development and its relationship to sustainable development based on three analytical pillars. The first is to understand agriculture as complex physical-biological-human systems. Second is the economic perspective of understanding tradeoffs and synergies among the economic, environmental and social dimensions of these systems at farm, regional and global scales. Third is the understanding of these agricultural systems as the supply side of one sector of a growing economy, interacting through markets and policies with other sectors at local, national and global scales. The first part of the book introduces the concept of sustainability and develops an analytical framework based on tradeoffs quantified using impact indicators in the economic, environmental and social domains, linking this framework to the role of agriculture in economic growth and development. Next the authors introduce the reader to the sustainability challenges of major agroecosystems in the developing and industrialized worlds. The concluding chapter discusses the design and implementation of sustainable development pathways, through the expression of consumers’ desire for sustainably produced foods on the demand side of the food system, and through policies on the supply side such as new more sustainable technologies, environmental regulation and payments for ecosystem services.

This book aims to provide a collection of early ideas regarding the results of applying risk and resilience tools and strategies to COVID-19. Each chapter provides a distinct contribution to the new and rapidly growing literature on the developing COVID-19 pandemic from the vantage points of fields ranging from civil and environmental engineering to public policy, from urban planning to economics, and from public health to systems theory. Contributing chapters to the book are both scholars and active practitioners, who are bridging their applied work with critical scholarly interpretation and reflection. The book's primary purpose is to empower stakeholders and decision-makers with the most recent research in order that they can better understand the systemic and sweeping nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as which strategies could be implemented to maximize socioeconomic and public health recovery and adaptation over the long-term.

“This book provides new insights into the important and developing agricultural value chains, including on current constraints and the enormity of opportunities, emanating in the dynamic GMS, especially through to their main giant market of China. Analysis in the GMS countries forms comparable case studies of major crops using mappings of their key processes and actors, as well as both qualitative and quantitative data, including primary data collection such as from new surveys. The analysis uses understandable methodologies, such as graphical cross-country comparisons, and established ratios, such as on comparative advantage, to provide useful insights into GMS agricultural value chains. A particular focus in the case studies is better understanding of the role Non-Tariff Measures (NTMs) might play in constraining agricultural exports to China and approaches to addressing these that are more inclusive and economically rewarding. I recommend this valuable book to those interested in agricultural trade in GMS countries and China, as well as the characteristics of their agricultural value chains, and their contribution to these countries’ development.” -- Dr Ray Trewin, Former Fellow, ANU and editor of Crucial Agricultural Policy (World Scientific, 2016). “The Greater Mekong Subregion encompasses several open, dynamic, latecomer economies. Over the past thirty years, they have benefited immensely from the restoration of peace, their re-engagement with the regional and global economies, and the rise of China. The region as a whole is a net food exporter with a strong comparative advantage in agriculture. How they manage their international commercial relations, with China in particular, will significantly influence their future socio-economic dynamics. The authors and contributors, all leading researchers in the field, are to be congratulated for this timely and authoritative volume that comprehensively examines the issues and charts a productive way forward. A must-read for anybody interested in these important issues and countries.” -- Professor Hal Hill, H.W. Arndt Professor Emeritus of the Southeast Asian Economies, ANU

Ending hunger, achieving food security and promoting sustainable development are at the top of the list of United Nations (UN) sustainable global development priorities. In the times of high population growth and increasing pressure of agricultural systems, efficiency in use of natural resources has been at the epicenter of sustainable agricultural. The concept of ‘Input efficiency’ implies production of high quantity and quality of food, from using only finite natural resources as inputs, in the form of mainly land, water, nutrients, energy, or biological diversity. In this book, editors provide a roadmap to the food, nutritional, and environmental security in the agricultural systems. They share insight into the approaches that can be put in practice for increasing the input use efficiency in the cropping systems and achieve stability and sustainability of agricultural production systems. This book is of interest to teachers, researchers, climate change scientists, capacity builders and policymakers. Also the book serves as additional reading material for undergraduate and graduate students of agriculture, agroforestry, agroecology, and environmental sciences. National and international agricultural scientists, policymakers will also find this to be a useful read.

The world is currently experiencing increased environmental contamination with solid waste, which is one of the greatest environmental threats today. Although solid waste is harmful, proper management and profitable recycling can make it beneficial to the environment. In this regard, estimation of the true quantities of solid wastes generated annually in developed and developing countries is important for evaluating suitable strategies for economic and sustainable procedures of waste management. This book presents an interesting review of the economics of solid waste management in various developing and developed countries. It examines several economic applications of solid waste, such as innovative methods to generate bioelectricity from organic waste using microbial fuel cells and using solid waste as an alternative fuel in cement kilns.

This edited book provides a comprehensive review of the current agricultural waste disposal techniques focusing on the ongoing research in the production of various agro waste-derived value-added products. Further topic includes the techno-economic aspects in up-scaling the technology from lab scale to commercial/pilot scale. Sustainable waste management and alternative renewable energy sources are the most important requirements in this era of rapid industrialization and urbanization. Agricultural waste, which is one of the major contributors to overall waste production, has the ability to be an essential source of renewable energy and other valuable products. The ongoing research and technical advancements in agro-waste treatment lead to the efficient conversion of waste into different value-added products. This book is of primary interest to academicians, researchers, scientists and engineers working in the field of agro-residue management, and biomass to bio-energy conversion technologies. Also, the book serves as reading material for students of Environmental Engineering/Civil and Environmental Engineering and Agricultural Engineering. Rural Management authorities, Industrial and Government policy-making agencies may also find it useful read.