Strapline: India, along with 26 countries signed sustainable agriculture action agenda for less polluting farming practices
During the first week of the 26th Conference of Parties (COP26) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), India signed up for sustainable agriculture action agenda. The ‘Sustainable Agriculture Policy Action Agenda for the Transition to Sustainable Agriculture’ and ‘Global Action Agenda for Innovation in Agriculture’ were the highlight action pledges by the participating countries at the COP26.
India has an agrarian economy with 58 per cent of the total population’s livelihood depending on agriculture. For a country with more than half of its population relying on agriculture as a primary source of income, this step can turn out to be revolutionary.
“The commitments being made today show that nature and land use is (are) being recognized as essential to meeting the Paris Agreement goals and will contribute to addressing the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. Meanwhile, as we look ahead to negotiations in week two of COP, I urge all parties to come to the table with the constructive compromises and ambitions needed,” said Alok Sharma, UK Cabinet minister and President of COP26.
Others besides India to sign up to the action plan include Australia, Uganda, Madagascar, Tanzania, Vietnam, Nigeria, Lesotho, Laos, Indonesia, Guinea, Ghana, Germany, Philippines, Ethiopia, UK, Colombia, Costa Rica, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Philippines, Sierra Leone, Spain, Switzerland, and the UAE.
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“If we are to limit global warming and keep the goal of 1.5 degrees Celsius alive, then the world needs to use land sustainably and put protection and restoration of nature at the heart of all we do.”
– Alok Sharma, UK Cabinet minister and President of COP26.
