(Durban, 7 December 2011) As the World Bank, former UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan and President Zuma of South Africa
promote ‘Climate Smart Agriculture’ at COP17, ActionAid has today
warned that the initiatives on the table are false solutions, fraught
with social, environmental and economic risks.
The World Bank claims Climate Smart Agriculture – the latest proposal
to slash carbon emissions, climate proof harvests and boost
agriculture through private investment – is a ‘triple win’.
ActionAid’s Climate Justice Coordinator, Harjeet Singh says it is a
distraction created by rich countries to avoid filling the Green
Climate Fund with public money:
“Climate Smart Agriculture is the latest in a number of decoys
designed to divert attention from filling the Green Climate Fund with
public money.
“Farmers need reliable and constant streams of revenue to effectively
climate proof their harvests. It is dangerous to leave the fate of
farmers in poor countries at the mercy of financial markets in rich
ones.”
Soil carbon capture – the core of Climate Smart Agriculture – is the
process of transferring carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into the
soil through organic material such as manure. Markets are being set
up alongside the schemes that will allow rich nations to buy carbon
credits in poor ones and count these towards their own carbon emission
cuts.
“The World Bank should not be creating opportunities for rich
countries to shirk their climate responsibilities.
“It is scandalous that poor countries, which are first and worst
affected by climate change, are being forced to shoulder the burden of
rich countries’ emissions cuts. Rich nations must overhaul their own
industries on their own soil,” says Singh.
The World Bank claims Climate Smart Agriculture will benefit small
farms in poor countries, but ActionAid’s report “Say No to Soil Carbon
Markets” reveals that the long-term contracts farmers will be expected
to sign, will prevent them from having the flexibility they need to
climate proof their harvests in the long term.
“With nearly a billion hungry people in the world, the priority for
poor farmers should be feeding their communities, not capturing
carbon.
“Climate Smart Agriculture could tie farmers to contracts for up to 20
years. When bound by one farming method, how can farmers adapt their
crops to changing weather?
“Soil carbon capture is easily reversible. One hail storm, drought or
other extreme weather event will not only destroy their crops, but
will render the soil carbon void,” says Singh.
ActionAid’s report also reveals poor farmers will receive little
income from soil carbon capture schemes.
“Most smallholders own less than two hectares of land. This means they
will earn less than $3 a year from soil carbon markets at the current
rate. How is this financially viable?”
ActionAid is calling on governments at COP17 to halt the World Bank’s
plan until the social, economic and environmental benefits to the poor
have been proven. The aid agency is calling on governments to de-link
Climate Smart Agriculture techniques from soil carbon markets and
instead focus on providing smallholders with access to: weather
forecasts; climate resistant local seeds; schemes to improve soil
quality, irrigation services and appropriate green technology.