Leveraging Crop Innovation for Climate Change Mitigation

Agriculture is both a contributor to and a victim of climate change, necessitating innovative solutions to reduce its carbon footprint while enhancing resilience. This presentation highlights the potential of strategic crop improvements in rice and tropical forages to address key challenges in climate change mitigation. For rice, breeding programs targeting reduced methane emissions through aerobic rice systems improve environmental sustainability and promote carbon sequestration. In tropical forages, advances in breeding for enhanced carbon sequestration and the inclusion of anti-methanogenic components significantly reduce methane emissions in livestock, playing a critical role in sustainable livestock systems. Together, these efforts integrate cutting-edge plant biology with practical applications, showcasing how crop innovations can drive transformative impacts for a sustainable agricultural future.