From Soil to Sustainability: The Role of Agricultural R&D in Decarbonization

ABSTRACT This study explores the largely overlooked impact of agricultural R&D investments on long‐term CO 2 emissions. By mapping emissions by country and year, it examines their relationship with agricultural R&D alongside economic and environmental factors. Utilizing the Dynamic System GMM approach alongside several benchmark fixed‐effects and random‐effects regression models, all requisite panel data diagnostic tests were conducted to ensure the robustness of the empirical results. Findings reveal that increased investment in agricultural R&D significantly reduces emissions, highlighting agriculture's untapped potential in climate change mitigation. The study underscores the crucial role of artificial intelligence, digital transformation, green mechanization, and automation in accelerating emission reduction. More than just statistics, these insights serve as a call to action for policymakers, providing concrete evidence that agriculture is a key player in global decarbonization efforts.