16 November 2011: The Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change, an independent commission of scientists, has released a summary for policy makers, including a set of seven recommendations. Among the recommendations, the Commission calls for significantly raising global investments in sustainable agriculture, intensifying agricultural production on existing land base while reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and reducing losses and waste in the food system.

The Commission notes that the challenge is to reorient the global food system, not just production or only focus on developing countries. In the recommendations, the Commission highlights that population growth will put agriculture systems under immense pressure. The release of the summary is timed to inform the UNFCCC Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa, with the final report to be issued in 2012. It also seeks to inform the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20) to be held in Brazil in June 2012.

The Commission reviewed the scientific evidence base to address how food is produced, distributed and consumed, with recommendations supporting climate-smart agricultural production, efficient resource use, low-waste supply chains, and adequate nutrition and eating choices. The scientists highlighted the need to focus on protecting the most vulnerable and considering better information for integrated decision making. The Commission is an initiative of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Program on Climate Change Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS). [Publication: Summary for Policy Makers of the Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change] [CCAFS Press Release] [The Recommendations]