Repurposing Agricultural Subsidies to Restore Degraded Farmland and Grow Rural Prosperity

The report advocates for the reinvestment of global agricultural subsidies—which have grown to $619 billion annually—into land restoration practices such as agroforestry and silvopasture. It argues that current subsidy misallocation drives deforestation and ecosystem degradation, threatening the ability to feed a projected global population of 10 billion by 2050. By shifting these funds, governments can achieve returns of $7-30 for every $1 invested, supporting the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030).

• Global agricultural subsidies have increased significantly from $325 billion annually in 2000 to $619 billion currently, and their misallocation contributes to deforestation and ecosystem degradation.
• Investing in low-carbon agricultural techniques, including silvopasture and agroforestry, can generate economic benefits ranging from $7 to $30 for every $1 invested.
• To transition to a sustainable food system, governments can redesign existing subsidies, create new payments for farm restoration, invest in smallholder farmers, and establish progress tracking and peer-learning systems.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Repurposing Agricultural Subsidies to Restore Degraded Farmland and Grow Rural Prosperity. https://www.wri.org/research/farm-restoration-subsidies

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Repurposing Agricultural Subsidies to Restore Degraded Farmland and Grow Rural Prosperity. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/farm-restoration-subsidies.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Repurposing Agricultural Subsidies to Restore Degraded Farmland and Grow Rural Prosperity |url=https://www.wri.org/research/farm-restoration-subsidies |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendrepurposing, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Repurposing Agricultural Subsidies to Restore Degraded Farmland and Grow Rural Prosperity}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/farm-restoration-subsidies}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }