Why Supporting Food Systems and Protecting Biodiversity Need to Go Hand in Hand

This research paper examines the critical need to phase out or repurpose agricultural subsidies that harm biodiversity, as mandated by Target 18 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). It highlights the paradox where food systems rely on biodiversity but are the primary drivers of its loss, and provides case studies from the United Kingdom, India, and Brazil to illustrate how public funding can be redirected toward sustainable land management and climate resilience.

• Global food systems are the primary drivers of biodiversity loss, threatening 86% of at-risk species and expected to cause approximately 70% of projected terrestrial biodiversity loss. This degradation undermines essential ecosystem services—including soil health, natural pest control, and pollination—that support global food security and roughly 2.5 billion livelihoods.
• Governments provide USD 700 billion in annual domestic agricultural support, much of which incentivizes harmful practices. Subsidies for chemical fertilizers and pesticides are linked to deforestation, land conversion, groundwater pollution, and depleted soil health. Public support for agriculture is projected to rise to USD 1.8 trillion by 2030, making the repurposing of these funds urgent.
• The United Kingdom is transitioning from the EU Common Agricultural Policy to the Environmental Land Management Schemes (ELM) between 2024 and 2027. This shift replaces untargeted direct payments based on acreage with funding for 'environmental public goods' through three instruments: the Sustainable Farming Incentive, Countryside Stewardship, and Landscape Recovery. By 2028, public support will target only environmental and animal welfare outcomes.
• India's Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), launched in 2015, promotes organic agriculture by supporting farmers in organic 'clusters.' The program provides up to USD 612/ha over three years for training, marketing, and certification, with over 60% of support dedicated to organic inputs. India aims to convert 14 million ha to organic farming by 2025.
• Brazil's Agricultural Policy for Climate Adaptation and Low Carbon Emission (ABC), specifically the ABC+ phase (2020–2030), focuses on increasing sustainable productivity. It targets three pillars: integrated landscape management, interlinkages between mitigation and adaptation (such as intercropping), and the adoption of sustainable systems like agroforestry and integrated crop-livestock-forestry systems.
• There is a significant economic risk associated with the decline of natural capital. While produced and human capital grew by 50% and 13% respectively between 1992 and 2014, natural capital declined by nearly 40%. The UN estimates that the resulting loss of ecosystem services could reduce annual global GDP by as much as USD 2.7 trillion by 2030.
• To operationalize Target 18 of the GBF, the author argues for two primary actions: providing policy-makers with practical, accessible guidance and data on harmful subsidies, and increasing coherence across international frameworks. Specifically, World Trade Organization negotiations could be used to discipline environmentally harmful coupled subsidies and scale up positive incentives.

APA

Calvo,, C. M. (2023). Why Supporting Food Systems and Protecting Biodiversity Need to Go Hand in Hand. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/why-supporting-food-systems-and-protecting-biodiversity-need-go-hand-hand

Chicago

Calvo,, Claire McConnell,Facundo. Why Supporting Food Systems and Protecting Biodiversity Need to Go Hand in Hand. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2023. https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/why-supporting-food-systems-and-protecting-biodiversity-need-go-hand-hand.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Calvo, |first1=Claire McConnell,Facundo |title=Why Supporting Food Systems and Protecting Biodiversity Need to Go Hand in Hand |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=6 November 2023 |url=https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/why-supporting-food-systems-and-protecting-biodiversity-need-go-hand-hand |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{calvo2023why, author = {Calvo,, Claire McConnell,Facundo}, title = {{Why Supporting Food Systems and Protecting Biodiversity Need to Go Hand in Hand}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2023}, month = nov, url = {https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/why-supporting-food-systems-and-protecting-biodiversity-need-go-hand-hand}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }