Integrating Mitigation and Adaptation in the Agriculture Sector

The report argues that agricultural management practices often provide simultaneous benefits for climate mitigation and adaptation, particularly through soil carbon sequestration. It identifies financial, institutional, and technical barriers to adopting an integrated approach and proposes policy options, including the creation of a dedicated work programme on agriculture under the UNFCCC's Subsidiary Body on Scientific and Technical Advice (SBSTA).

• The agricultural sector is a significant source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, directly responsible for approximately 14 per cent of global emissions, with an additional 17 per cent coming from land-use changes like deforestation for agricultural expansion.
• There is a strong synergetic relationship between mitigation and adaptation because increasing soil carbon—which represents 89 per cent of the sector's global mitigation potential—simultaneously improves soil quality and productivity, especially in developing countries facing soil erosion.
• Specific integrated management practices that deliver both mitigation and adaptation co-benefits include cropland management (e.g., agroforestry, cover crops, and reduced tillage), soil and water management (e.g., improved rice water management), livestock management (e.g., rotational grazing), and the restoration of degraded lands.
• Widespread adoption of integrated approaches is hindered by financial barriers (upfront costs and lack of credit for smallholders), institutional gaps (weakened agricultural extension services and unclear land tenure), and technical challenges in measuring and monitoring emission reductions.
• To overcome these barriers, the report suggests national policies should coordinate development strategies with climate goals, improve extension services, and clarify land laws, while international efforts should integrate trade and food security discussions with climate actions.
• The report recommends that the UNFCCC establish a work programme under the Subsidiary Body on Scientific and Technical Advice (SBSTA) to provide evidence on best practices, identify synergies and trade-offs, and explore combined finance actions.

APA

Hove, H. (2011). Integrating Mitigation and Adaptation in the Agriculture Sector. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/food_security_agri_mitigation.pdf

Chicago

Hove, Hilary. Integrating Mitigation and Adaptation in the Agriculture Sector. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2011. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/food_security_agri_mitigation.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Hove |first1=Hilary |title=Integrating Mitigation and Adaptation in the Agriculture Sector |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=November 2011 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/food_security_agri_mitigation.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{hove2011integrating, author = {Hove, Hilary}, title = {{Integrating Mitigation and Adaptation in the Agriculture Sector}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2011}, month = nov, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/food_security_agri_mitigation.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }