Methane Mitigation in Agriculture: A Call for Sustainable Action at COP29 and Beyond

This research paper by the Africa Policy Research Institute examines strategies for reducing methane emissions in global agriculture, emphasizing the need for equitable policies that balance climate goals with food security and economic development, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

• Agriculture is responsible for 40% of all human-made methane emissions, totaling approximately 150 million tonnes annually. The primary sources are livestock—specifically enteric methane (73%) and manure methane (7%)—and rice production (20%).
• Methane emissions are disproportionately distributed; 84% of agricultural methane originates from low- and middle-income countries, despite high-income countries having higher per capita emissions due to significantly higher consumption of animal products.
• The African continent contributes 13% of global agricultural methane emissions while housing 19% of the global population. In Africa, 46 of 53 countries include agriculture in their Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets, but only six (Benin, Côte D’Ivoire, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, and Togo) have set specific methane reduction targets and implementation plans.
• Financial gaps significantly hinder methane mitigation in sub-Saharan Africa, where 83% of the estimated USD 90 billion annual financing need for small and medium agri-enterprises remains unmet. Livestock farmers face particular challenges due to a lack of proper collateral for credit.
• Different economic regions require distinct policy approaches: wealthy nations use incentives, subsidies, and taxation (e.g., the US Inflation Reduction Act and Denmark's carbon tax), while low- and middle-income countries utilize sectoral plans like Brazil's ABC+ Plan or Uruguay's Plan Ganadería y Clima.
• To meet climate goals, global agriculture must reduce emissions by 30 to 38 million tonnes per year by 2030. The author argues that COP29 presents a critical opportunity to shift from intentions to tangible actions by costing agricultural methane reduction strategies and increasing climate finance for developing countries.

APA

Ferreira, F. (2024). Methane Mitigation in Agriculture: A Call for Sustainable Action at COP29 and Beyond. Africa Policy Research Institute. https://afripoli.org/methane-mitigation-in-agriculture-a-call-for-sustainable-action-at-cop29-and-beyond

Chicago

Ferreira, Fernanda. Methane Mitigation in Agriculture: A Call for Sustainable Action at COP29 and Beyond. Africa Policy Research Institute, 2024. https://afripoli.org/methane-mitigation-in-agriculture-a-call-for-sustainable-action-at-cop29-and-beyond.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Ferreira |first1=Fernanda |title=Methane Mitigation in Agriculture: A Call for Sustainable Action at COP29 and Beyond |publisher=Africa Policy Research Institute |date=11 November 2024 |url=https://afripoli.org/methane-mitigation-in-agriculture-a-call-for-sustainable-action-at-cop29-and-beyond |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ferreira2024methane, author = {Ferreira, Fernanda}, title = {{Methane Mitigation in Agriculture: A Call for Sustainable Action at COP29 and Beyond}}, institution = {Africa Policy Research Institute}, year = {2024}, month = nov, url = {https://afripoli.org/methane-mitigation-in-agriculture-a-call-for-sustainable-action-at-cop29-and-beyond}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }