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Emissions from agriculture set to spike globally
By Vishal Gulati
Bonn, Nov 15 (IANS) Emissions from agriculture are set to increase in the future, further contributing to climate change, unless the world adopts sustainable, climate-smart ways of farming, FAO Director General Jose Graziano da Silva has warned.
“Climate change puts millions of people in a vicious cycle of food insecurity, malnutrition and poverty. Yet, we must confront the harsh reality: we are not doing enough to deal with this immense threat,” da Silva said on Tuesday at the ongoing UN Climate Change Conference or COP 23 here.
He stressed that least developed countries and small island developing states were “particularly vulnerable” to climate change.
“Noting that we should not be discouraged by the challenges ahead,” the Food and Agriculture Organisation Director General stressed that achieving zero hunger by 2030 was still possible.
“Agriculture is where the fight against hunger and climate change come together to unlock solutions.”
“It is not enough to only transform the way we produce food. Climate change mitigation and adaptation must be integrated into the entire food system: from production to transportation, from processing to food consumption, and in both rural and urban areas,” da Silva said.
Climate change, hunger and poverty can and must be tackled together.
The FAO recently announced that the number of undernourished people has increased for the first time again in a decade with 815 million people going hungry every day.
This spike is mainly due to conflict and economic downturns, but also the impact of climate change, particularly prolonged droughts in Africa.
Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change estimates show climate change might increase the risk of hunger and malnutrition by up to 20 per cent by 2050.
Da Silva pointed to the fundamental role of food systems and agriculture which are heavily affected by climate change, but at the same time were also major drivers of climate change.
Adopting climate-smart agricultural practices is the best option for sustainable agriculture.
At least one-fifth of total greenhouse gas emission can be attributed to the agriculture sectors, da Silva said.
Much more needs to be done to reduce these emissions and to simultaneously improve yields and build resilience, he said.
This means adopting approaches such as agroecology and sustainable food systems, climate-smart intensification, among others.
FAO’s work includes supporting countries in improving their agricultural sectors; in adapting and building resilience, and in mitigating global warming through agriculture.
It also assists countries monitor their Nationally Determined Contributions in terms of climate change and delivers the technical and financial support needed to turn these commitments into reality.
At COP23, the FAO launched a report, “Tracking Adaptation in Agricultural Sectors”, that provides a framework and methodology to support to track climate change adaptation measures in the agricultural sectors.
(Vishal Gulati is in Bonn at the invitation of the Global Editors Network to cover COP23. He can be contacted at [email protected])
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.
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