Ben Block of Worldwatch Institute wrote an article on the WorldChanging site describing the recommendations of these studies. In summary, the studies call for an end to “business as usual” agricultural practices and a shift to sustainable farming everywhere.

The reports are the largest international collaboration to date to advocate more sustainable farming practices such as crop diversification, use of organic fertilizers, and the adoption of labeling and certification schemes. More controversially, the commission suggests policy options that include “ending subsidies that encourage unsustainable practices.” The reports also stress the ineffectiveness of genetically modified crops in aiding food productivity in some developing regions.

Global society must undertake a “paradigm shift” in agriculture, the authors said at a press briefing. And without more sustainable practices, the problems will only worsen. “These are long-term trends that we really need to take into account,” said Shelley Feldman, a Cornell University sociology professor and report co-author. “We’re going to continue to work with less labor; less water; less arable land; increasing land policy conflicts; the loss of biodiversity, genetic species, and ecosystems; increasing levels of pollution; and as we all know, climate change.”

Because many farmers lack knowledge about sustainable practices, governments should increase their financial support for research and programs that encourage less-damaging techniques, the reports say. In North America and Europe, large transnational corporations currently dominate the funding for agricultural R&D, considerably influencing research priorities, they note.