By Blake Jackson
A study reveals that boosting farm productivity and reducing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions can go hand in hand. Researchers found that improvements in farm efficiency have been key to keeping emissions growth in check, even as global agricultural production has increased.
The study, conducted by researchers from Cornell University and the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, analyzed worldwide agricultural data from 1961 to 2021. They discovered that higher output per unit of input known as productivity was the primary driver in moderating emissions.
“There are environmental goals that you can achieve while increasing productivity,” said first author Ariel Ortiz-Bobea, associate professor in the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management at Cornell’s S.C. Johnson College of Business.
“We have to take a harder look at the cheapest, most efficient way of achieving those goals – and what we’ve seen in the past is that increases in productivity have also been the driving force for keeping emissions in check.”
Since 1961, global agricultural productivity has risen 270%, far outpacing a 45% increase in emissions, though agriculture and land use still account for roughly one-fifth of human-caused greenhouse gases.
Ortiz-Bobea noted that U.S. productivity growth has slowed due to stagnating R&D funding over the past 40 years, highlighting the need for policies that balance production goals with emission reduction.
The researchers combined USDA data on inputs and production with FAO emissions data and analyzed output and emissions relative to input use. While the study does not identify specific practices, it suggests that technological advances improving land efficiency, such as better seeds and fertilizers, have a larger impact on reducing emissions than labor efficiencies.
“It appears that the direction in which the technology has been changing, at least globally, might actually help decarbonize,” Ortiz-Bobea said.
“But we need another model to really get to the bottom of the trade-offs and to identify an ideal direction for technological change. We don’t know exactly, but we wanted to put our finger on the different directions policies can push.”
The study underscores the potential of combining innovation, technology, and policy to simultaneously increase output and curb emissions, a priority for sustainable agriculture.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-karen-massier
Categories: New York, General