American agriculture company Monsanto announced plans to make its operations carbon neutral by 2021 through the unique carbon neutral crop production program targeted across its seed and crop protection operations, and through collaboration with farmers.
“Climate change is one of the biggest issues we face in agriculture, as well as one of the most pressing challenges facing humanity,” said Monsanto chairman and CEO Hugh Grant.
“That’s why we have pledged to do our part within our own business and to help support farmers and others. While progress has been made to reduce agriculture’s carbon footprint, we must work collectively to do even more if we are going to sustainably feed 9.6 billion people by 2050,” Grant said.
Monsanto Philippines country head and CEO Sandro Rissi noted the importance of innovative climate change mitigation measures: “Considering the critical and complex challenges posed by climate change, Monsanto Philippines recognizes its responsibility to contribute its fair share in the global climate change action. The carbon neutral crop production program itself hopes to contribute in mitigating the serious impacts of climate change and natural hazards, while at the same time creating sustainable agriculture for local Filipino farmers.” The Philippines is ranked the 13th most climate-vulnerable country in the world in the 2016 Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI) released by risk analysis company Verisk Maplecroft.
The carbon neutral crop production program will be implemented across all Monsanto business units, including the Philippines. The program focuses on seed production, crop protection and data sharing. The company also will work with farmers to promote and drive the increased adoption of carbon neutral crop production methods.
Data models indicate that carbon neutral corn and soybean production, in the United States alone, has the potential to reduce crop production emissions equivalent to 100 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, which is equal to reducing 233 million barrels of oil consumption per year.
At the center of achieving and verifying carbon neutral crop production is the advancement of data science in agriculture. Innovations from The Climate Corporation, a division of Monsanto, and other data scientists have allowed farmers to plant and harvest crops more precisely. The continued integration of this data allows farmers to make better decisions, and when used in conjunction with agronomic best practices, can lead to carbon neutral crop production.
“This program is a critical step in the agriculture’s overall effort to mitigate climate change,” said Dr. Chuck Rice, the author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report. “The recent IPCC report indicated that agriculture is a significant pathway to mitigating greenhouse gases. Similar to other formalized carbon offset and renewable energy credit programs, organizations have started to invest in verified offsets originating from agricultural activities. Agriculture can be a positive force in the fight against climate change, and it’s important to see Monsanto stepping forward in this way.”