As the spotlight on the food sector’s impact on global emissions grows, particularly as the voluntary and regulatory spaces for agriculture, forestry, and other land use drive increasing scrutiny, many major food companies have announced ambitious science-based climate targets. Food and agriculture companies face a unique challenge in meeting these targets, however, as the lion’s share of their emissions lie in their Scope 3 — on the farms that supply their products and ingredients. Driving down those emissions requires companies to engage and support farmers to roll out climate solutions.

While many are rightly focused on financial incentives to encourage adoption of climate-smart agriculture practices, a newly released report sheds light on another, under-appreciated lever of change: farmers’ social networks.

New research from Colorado State University, funded by Environmental Defense Fund, explores how companies can work with farming communities via social networks to meet climate goals and drive reductions in scope 3 emissions, while building farmer resilience to climate change shocks. Read More »