28 October 2008: The Conservation Agriculture Carbon Offset
Consultation, jointly organized by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO) and the Conservation Technology Information Center, opened on 28 October
2008, and will conclude on 30 October, in West Lafayette, Indiana, US.

The
event brings together some 100 experts to discuss the way to harness a large
new flow of funding – carbon finance – to agricultural development. The event
is convened in recognition of the fact that, although billions of dollars are
available under the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism to finance
initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, so far little of this
money has gone to agriculture, although this sector is a leading source of
emissions – contributing some 30% at global level when land-use changes and the
intensive livestock sector are included. During the consultation, four sessions
will be held on: conservation agriculture for emission reduction/carbon
sequestration: experiences from institutes, associations, programmes and
bodies; demand for carbon offset markets; remaining questions/issues regarding
conservation agriculture in global carbon offset market; and compilation and
next steps. [FAO Press
Release] [Consultation
Agenda]