Giving Compass' Take:

• Agriculture is a large contributor to greenhouse gas emission. Recently, there has been discussion about how agriculture can adapt to climate change by utilizing agroforestry. 

• How can philanthropists support more innovative agriculture methods? How can we ensure effectiveness? 

• Learn more about the process and history of agroecology and the obstacles the practice faces today. 

Our food system contributes about 30 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions, more than any other sector except energy production. At the same time, agriculture is the human endeavor most threatened by drought, increased rainfall, higher temperatures, and other impacts of climate change.

But agriculture can also be the solution—adapting to, mitigating, and even reversing the effects of climate change. “It is time to innovate,” says U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Director-General José Graziano da Silva, “This time, innovation means increasing the resilience and sustainability of our food systems, especially in the face of climate change.”

Agroecology, for example, could be key to helping our global food system weather the challenges of a changing climate in more socially and environmentally sustainable ways. For instance, in Niger farmers are using agroforestry improve crop yields and soil health while protecting trees on farmland. And the Kansas-based Land Institute is helping farmers all over the world discover the value of perennial grain crops for battling food insecurity and climate change.

Read the full article about fighting climate change by Miranda Carver Martin at Food Tank