Food and Agriculture Offer World of Opportunity to Combat Global Greenhouse Gases.

Green Revolution reliance on fertilizers, pesticides and monoculture grain production does not optimize soil carbon sequestration or moderate greenhouse gas emissions. On the other hand, 1) integrated crop and animal production, 2) use of cover crops, 3) compost application, 4) crop rotation and 5) zero and reduced tillage have demonstrated potential to improve carbon sequestration and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To address the greenhouse gas and climate change issues related to the food and agricultural system, more emphasis on energy efficiency and the biologically based production practices is needed. Developing food and agricultural systems based on energy efficiency and improved soil carbon levels has potential to improve the greenhouse gas and climate change scenarios. Developing our agriculture and food system on energy efficiency, promises significant improvement in energy efficiency but also co-benefits i) crop productivity, ii) lower production cost, iii) environmental services, iv) nutrition and v) health outcomes. Ability to simultaneously increase both energy efficiency and soil carbon sequestration results from the greater efficiency of biological inputs compared to chemical ones. Biological capacity to simultaneously improve both soil carbon sequestration and reduce energy inputs provides a strong complementary force to improve greenhouse gas and climate changes outcomes. To reach the over 80% greenhouse gas declines recommended improvements in the food and agriculture system must be accompanied by reduced dependence and use of fossil fuel in electrical generation, transportation, commercial and residential use sectors. Policies promoting this shift should focus on crediting farmers for their real measured contributions to both soil carbon sequestration and emission reductions and empowering consumer choices with information in labeling of food and agricultural products reflecting the carbon footprints they represent. Investing in policies that yield high return from the policy, research, and education investments will require unprecedented development of food and agriculture programs designed for this purpose.