GPSNR calls for support from climate leaders on rubber agriforestry

Singapore – The Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber is set to urge world climate leaders to support rubber agriforestry, which it says has ‘science-based evidence’ that the practice will bring about multiple advantages for smallholders and climate change.
 
GPSNR is to present its official position at COP26 (UN climate change conference of the parties) at the Nature Newsroom on 6 Nov, asserting that rubber agroforestry can be “a viable, holistic solution for smallholder livelihoods, deforestation and climate change.”

Despite the evidence, the platform said in a written statement to ERJ, “little funding” has gone into furthering scalable pilots and smallholder capacity building. 
 
“While some of our members have recently committed some funding to agroforestry projects, we would like to use COP26 as an opportunity to seek more funding and cross-industry collaborations,” GPSNR stated.
 
Agriforestry, according to GPSNR, has been defined as ‘’ the intentional integration of trees and shrubs into crop and animal farming systems to create environmental, economic, and social benefits.”

Arguing the case, GPSNR said it recognised that the practice may have shown mixed results in different contexts.
 
But, it added, agriforestry can "optimise trade-offs between production, farmer income diversification and food security, biodiversity conservation, soil health, carbon sequestration and climate goals.”

GPNSR said it was ready to “lead dialogue” between stakeholders to speed up the widespread scale-up of agriforestry through farmer-to-farmer networks. 
 
The platform called on governments and NR-relevant companies to help fund and pilot agriforestry projects in all leading rubber producing countries, especially in Thailand, Indonesia and Côte d’Ivoire.

The 26th UN climate change conference is being held in Glasgow, UK, 31 Oct to 12 Nov.