Which practices co‐deliver food security, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and combat land degradation and desertification?

Summary

This global systematic assessment evaluated 40 farming and land management practices against four interconnected land challenges. Nine practices were found to deliver medium to large benefits across all four challenges, whilst most practices could be implemented without competing for available land. The authors emphasise that practices reducing food demand—such as productivity gains, dietary change, and food waste reduction—are particularly valuable as portfolio components for addressing combined land challenges.

UK applicability

The findings are broadly applicable to UK agriculture, particularly regarding identifying practice portfolios that simultaneously improve food production, soil carbon sequestration, and adaptation to climate variability. However, specific implementation feasibility and land competition risks would require UK-contextual analysis of the 40 practices assessed.

Key measures

Mitigation potential (Gt CO₂ eq/year), adaptation potential (number of people benefiting), land competition risk, co-benefit delivery across four land challenges

Outcomes reported

The study assessed 40 land management and food production practices against four global land challenges: climate change mitigation, adaptation, combatting land degradation and desertification, and food security delivery. It identified which practices deliver co-benefits across multiple challenges and which may compete for land resources.

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