Tackling Climate Change
Climate change is one of the most pressing challenges facing humanity. Farmers in particular may be impacted by its effects, which include drought, extreme heat, severe weather events, shifting climatic trends, flooding, and compromised harvests.
While agriculture feels the effects of climate change more than most, the industry has the ability to make big strides in curbing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, like carbon dioxide, that contribute to climate change.
Farmers can drive climate-smart agriculture with the wider use of modern farming techniques and technologies. This enables the production of more crops from existing farmland while reducing GHG emissions. For example:
- Weed control solutions can reduce the need for tillage, decreasing tillage passes over the field and allowing for less disruption of the soil, which increases the ability of the soil to store and maintain carbon.
- Digital tools and precision agriculture techniques enable farmers to more precisely apply fertilizer, use fuel and water more efficiently, and maximize productivity from existing land.
Monsanto has committed to help drive these innovations.
In our own operations, we've made a pledge to achieve a carbon neutral footprint by 2021. Our plan for addressing the components of climate change includes:
- Collaborating with others to advance climate change adaptation and mitigation
- Reducing our own environmental impact and achieving a carbon neutral operational footprint by 2021
- Promoting carbon neutral crop production methods (see table below)
- Driving the fight against climate change in the agriculture industry
Farmers can increasingly be a positive force in the fight against climate change. And while great progress has already been made to reduce agriculture’s carbon footprint, to sustainably feed 9.7 billion people by 2050, we must work collectively to do even more. We work with our partners around the world looking for innovative ways to collaboratively combat climate change.
Carbon Neutral Crop Production
With the right products and practices, some crop production systems have the potential to absorb and store as much or more greenhouse gases than the total amount emitted to grow and harvest those crops.
Data-Enabled Precision Agriculture
Using data science and information technology to make better-informed decisions about applying inputs like fertilizer, pesticides, and irrigation water.
Benefits: Uses energy, fertilizer, and other inputs more efficiently
Microbial Inoculants
Microbial products that are made from naturally occurring microbes that offer real benefits to growers, like improving crop nutrient uptake and promoting growth and yield.
Benefits: Uses energy, fertilizer, and other inputs more efficiently
Highly Productive Crops
Crops that produce more grain and plant material while absorbing more carbon per acre of land.
Benefits: Absorbs more carbon
Cover Crops
Crops grown to provide cover to farmland and prevent soil erosion while absorbing carbon between primary crop seasons.
Benefits: Absorbs more carbon; helps keep carbon stored in soil; fights erosion
Biotech Plants
Enables carbon neutral crop production by allowing weeds to be more easily controlled while reducing tillage.
Benefits: Enables carbon neutral practices and improves harvests
Improved Plant Breeding
Rapid development of advanced plant varieties, which enable better harvests and more plant productivity. New plant varieties may absorb and store more carbon per acre, while providing pest and drought tolerance.
Benefits: Enables carbon neutral practices and improves harvests
Crop Residue
Parts of the plant that are left on the field after harvest to return carbon to the soil while enhancing soil quality.
Benefits: Returns carbon to soil
Reduced Tillage
Tilling disturbs the soil and releases carbon in the soil to the atmosphere. Minimal or no tillage helps protect soil structure and keeps carbon in the soil.
Benefits: Helps keep carbon stored in soil; fights erosion
Carbon Neutral Crop Production
With the right products and practices, some crop production systems have the potential to absorb and store as much or more greenhouse gases than the total amount emitted to grow and harvest those crops.
Data-Enabled Precision Agriculture
Using data science and information technology to make better-informed decisions about applying inputs like fertilizer, pesticides, and irrigation water.
Benefits: Uses energy, fertilizer, and other inputs more efficiently
Microbial Inoculants
Microbial products that are made from naturally occurring microbes that offer real benefits to growers, like improving crop nutrient uptake and promoting growth and yield.
Benefits: Uses energy, fertilizer, and other inputs more efficiently
Highly Productive Crops
Crops that produce more grain and plant material while absorbing more carbon per acre of land.
Benefits: Absorbs more carbon
Cover Crops
Crops grown to provide cover to farmland and prevent soil erosion while absorbing carbon between primary crop seasons.
Benefits: Absorbs more carbon; helps keep carbon stored in soil; fights erosion
Biotech Plants
Enables carbon neutral crop production by allowing weeds to be more easily controlled while reducing tillage.
Benefits: Enables carbon neutral practices and improves harvests
Improved Plant Breeding
Rapid development of advanced plant varieties, which enable better harvests and more plant productivity. New plant varieties may absorb and store more carbon per acre, while providing pest and drought tolerance.
Benefits: Enables carbon neutral practices and improves harvests
Crop Residue
Parts of the plant that are left on the field after harvest to return carbon to the soil while enhancing soil quality.
Benefits: Returns carbon to soil
Reduced Tillage
Tilling disturbs the soil and releases carbon in the soil to the atmosphere. Minimal or no tillage helps protect soil structure and keeps carbon in the soil.
Benefits: Helps keep carbon stored in soil; fights erosion