This workshop is the last in a series of workshops sponsored by the World Resources Institute and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (as well as the Bezos Earth Fund), exploring potential measures to both mitigate climate change and boost food security. The first workshop focused on the evolving science and different perspectives about potential carbon sequestration on working agricultural lands. It also addressed opportunities and challenges to build soil health in Africa and management opportunities related to use of nitrogen, growing rice and silvopastoral systems. The second workshop focused on livestock systems and a wide range of potential areas of technical innovations, from crops that reduce nitrous oxide to plant-based “meats.” In general, these workshops, whose presentations can be viewed here, explored how measures designed to reduce agricultural emissions might also boost food security.

The third workshop focuses on the reverse causal pathway: whether and how efforts to boost crop yields and livestock efficiencies can address climate change by reducing the demand to clear forests and other native habitats. The workshop will explore recent rates and locations of agricultural expansion and likely future loss of natural habitats and forests at present rates of yield gains. The workshop will address potential rebound effects and mechanisms for avoiding these effects by linking these “produce” strategies with measures that “protect” native habitats. The workshop will explore some country efforts, and private, governmental, and philanthropic funders will offer their thoughts on what each can do next. (See WRI’s summary of reasons for produce and protect strategies.)

Speakers and Presentations:


The State of Land Use Change and Relation to Yields & Livestock Efficiencies

  • Nancy Harris, Research Manager, Global Forest Watch, World Resources Institute

  • Patrice Dumas, CIRAD


Successful Strategies for Increasing Livestock and Crop Yields and Land Use Linkages (Africa)

  • Carolyn Opio, Livestock Policy Officer, FAO
  • Alemayehu Seyoum Taffesse, Senior Research Fellow/Program Leader- Ethiopia, IFPRI
  • Alice Ruhweza, Africa Regional Director, WWF


Experiences LInking Produce & Protect in Brazil

  • Paulo Barreto, Associate Researcher, IMAZON
  • Ana Toni, Executive Director, Instituto Clima e Sociedade (iCS)


The Theory and Mechanisms of Produce & Protect

  • Tim Searchinger, Senior Fellow & Technical Director, Food Program, World Resources Institute | Senior Research Scholar, Princeton University


Panel Discussion

  • Andrew Steer, President & Ceo, Bezos Earth Fund
  • Janet Ranganathan, Managing Director, Strategy, Learning and Results, World Resources Institute
  • Rodger Voorhies, President, Global Growth & Opportunity, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation