Plans were announced to launch the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate, known as the AIM for Climate initiative during the recent Leaders Summit on Climate. The initiative is aimed at accelerating agricultural research and development that will enable the industry to better combat climate concerns. Led by the U.S. and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) the initiative is being supported by several other partners including Australia, Brazil, and Denmark.
“I am pleased to see the United States co-leading the creation of the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate initiative,” U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said in a press release. “The goal of the initiative is important, to accelerate global agricultural innovation through increased research and development, as it highlights agriculture, science-based solutions to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Together we can address our shared climate challenges and the U.S. Department of Agriculture looks forward to working with others to advance the AIM for Climate initiative.”
Goals have been established for the initiative to achieve prior to the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP26, scheduled for November. A framework for international and national priorities will be developed to maximize investment efficacy. Participants in the AIM for Climate initiative will demonstrate their commitment to advancing ag innovations over the next five years through the project. Experts will also be identified to help carry out the goals of the international initiative.
Once launched, the AIM for Climate initiative will emphasize three critical areas for investment. National-level federal research and development will be critical to achieving the goals set forth in the initiative. Public and private innovations will also provide support for international research efforts. National research extension systems will assist with the development and deployment of actionable research and information. Some of the target areas include sustainable productivity enhancements, input use efficiency, resilient production systems, and improved digital tools.
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