Friday, September 30, 2022

Assessing the G7’s international deforestation footprint and measures to tackle it

FOLU (2022) Assessing the G7’s international deforestation footprint and measures to tackle it # 41 p

This report examines the G7’s responsibility for tropical deforestation related to internationally traded agricultural commodities, what measures are being proposed to address this and specific actions G7 members should consider. 

  • Section 2 presents the G7’s deforestation footprint and the key commodities driving this, as well as observed trends. Drawing on expert interviews and literature, 
  • Section 3 examines the measures proposed or adopted by G7 members, with a particular focus on emerging legislative proposals that seek to prohibit commodities that have been produced unsustainably or illegally. With different legislative proposals emerging across major consumer markets, 
  • Section 4 discusses what different approaches could mean for various stakeholders, including businesses and producers. 
  • The fifth section lays out a series of recommendations for G7 members to take forward.

The role of the philanthropic sector in advancing food systems transformation



28 September 2022.  27th RSIF Guest Webinar Series by Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund(RSIF). RSIF is the flagship programme of the Partnership for Skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (PASET), an Africa-led, World Bank-affiliated initiative.

Recording forthcoming

The guest was Oliver Oliveros, Interim Executive Director at the Global Alliance for the Future of Food. He presented on “The role of the philanthropic sector in advancing food systems transformation” 

HLPE-FSN note on Critical, emerging and enduring issues for food security and nutrition

30 September 2022Launch of the HLPE-FSN note on Critical, emerging and enduring issues (CEEI) for food security and nutrition

The HLPE-FSN Critical, emerging and enduring issues note was prepared in the context of an emerging global food crisis of enormous proportions, greatly magnified by the war in Ukraine, further accentuated by closely following upon the COVID-19 pandemic. Against this background, it is increasingly apparent that sound governance, a robust research agenda, a strong science-policy interface and appropriate financialresources are necessary to facilitate the much needed transformation of food systems in a manner that is equitable and sustainable.

The Steering Committee of the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition has identified seven themes at the forefront of the major challenges facing food systems today.
  1. Building resilient and equitable supply chains for food security and nutrition
  2. Strengthening urban and peri-urban food systems in the context of urbanization and rural transformation
  3. Conflicts and the fragility of food systems
  4. Revitalizing climate policies for food security and nutrition
  5. Recognizing the role and rights of food system workers
  6. Building a meaningful interface for diverse knowledge systems, technologies and practices for food security and nutrition
  7. Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases and other biological hazard events challenging food security and nutrition
Resource:

This note was prepared in the context of an emerging global food crisis of enormous proportions, greatly magnified by the war in Ukraine, further accentuated by closely following upon the COVID-19 pandemic. These developments caused serious disruptions to food supply chains around the world, threatening the food security of millions of people. 

These latest crises only intensified the already worsening global FSN situation, which, since 2021, has been aggravated by the onset of inflationary pressures, leading to dramatically higher food prices. Many of the countries most seriously affected by rising hunger and malnutrition have already spent scarce resources to bolster social protection spending and access to food during the pandemic. Changing economic policies around the world, including higher interest rates to quell inflation, are exacerbating the debt problems of the world’s poorest countries, and these countries are finding it difficult to finance necessary food imports, especially given rising global food prices.

Climate change has resulted in ever more frequent and severe extreme weather events, as well as ongoing internal and international conflicts. Moreover, growing social, economic and political polarisation also deepens the current crisis, leading to an acute series of challenges.

Against this background, it is increasingly apparent that sound governance, a robust research agenda, a strong science-policy interface and appropriate financial resources are necessary to facilitate the much needed transformation of food systems in a manner that is equitable and sustainable (HLPE, 2020). Yet while there is wide agreement on the need to transform food systems and the elements required to support such transformation, there are often conflicting views on how best to achieve this goal. Questions of power asymmetry, inequality, diverging economic and political interests and geographic variability are intertwined in debates about how best to evaluate, manage and implement food systems transformation. These questions inevitably make food systems governance complex and challenging, but nevertheless require consideration, if not resolution. 

Enabling Extension and Advisory Services to facilitate Innovations for Agroecology

29 September 2022, 14:00-16:00 (CET). Enabling Extension and Advisory Services to facilitate Innovations for Agroecology E-discussion and Webinar.

Recording forthcoming - contact: cristiano.consolini@fao.org

FAO organized an e-discussion and webinar on Agroecology to share experiences and knowledge, document good practices, and initiate a global dialogue on EAS and agroecology.

The agrifood systems of today are affected by multiple challenges that if not properly addressed, may lead to significant environmental, social, and economic impacts on farmer and consumer communities around the world. There is a global consensus that business-as-usual is not an option. Complex issues require innovative and sustainable solutions, transformative systems thinking, and paradigm shifts. Agroecology is increasingly seen as one of the innovative approaches that can contribute to conservation of biodiversity, save resources and energy, and ultimately support the sustainable agrifood systems transformation. Pluralistic Extension and Advisory Services (EAS) are best positioned to facilitate and accelerate innovations and transformative processes at the heart of rural communities, bridging communities, organizations, and decision-makers.

FAO promotes extension and advisory services which have positioned producers and sustainability at the center of the innovation process, and hence are aligned with the main principles of agroecological philosophy. As it is quite a new area, efforts are needed to enable Extension and Advisory Services (EAS) to support effective and efficient agroecology approaches.

The Role of Governments in Enabling Living Income in Global Agriculture Value Chains

28 September 2022, 15:00 UTC+1 (BST) - 90mins. Webinar | The Role of Governments in Enabling Living Income in Global Agriculture Value Chains



The webinar featured a panel of government leaders who are shaping strategy and create policy related to Living Income in multiple sectors and regions. This webinar tackled:
  • Why should governments adopt Living Income Strategies and Policies?
  • What examples exist?
  • What is needed to engage more public policy makers and ensure that all farmers along the value chains receive a Living Income?

This guide was created for policy-makers interested in providing support to smallholder farmers in an
effort to close the gap between actual incomes and a Living Income in agricultural value chains. The document provides considerations and guidance in relation to both production (supply-side) and consumption (demand-side) public policies.

Our aim is not to present any existing policy as a “best practice” or to be “copied and pasted” into other jurisdictions. More modestly, we hope this publication will provide food for thought and, perhaps, inspiration to public policy-makers around the world that wish to take action to ensure that all farmers,
regardless of their position in a value chain, receive a Living Income.

Explore the Living Income Guidance for Governments and learn more about the guidance document from the Sustainable Food Lab’s recent blog post.

Joint meeting EFARD - GFAR Fostering Interaction with European Partners

30 September 2022. Joint meeting EFARD - GFAR  Fostering Interaction with European Partners.

Previous meeting: 16 June 2022, Brussels, Belgium.

After a successful EFARD meeting on June 16th , EFARD gave an update on concrete opportunities to get involved in: 
  1. the European Commission funded Desira-LIFT project
  2. the GFAR collective action on Transformative Learning to be implemented by EFARD members
  3. Election of the 2022-2024 EFARD Management Team
GFAR (Global Forum on Agricultural Research and Innovation) engaged with European stakeholders and
  1. Present a quick overview of GFAR and the EC project
  2. Discuss how to how to empower GFAR’s constituencies, how to strengthen GFAR’s presence in the Regions and decentralize activities
  3. Present GFAR collective actions (other than Transformative Learning), and how to engage.



Thursday, September 29, 2022

3rd World Conference Revitalization Of Mediterranean Diet

28 - 30 September 2022. 3rd World Conference Revitalization Of Mediterranean Diet

To celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the International Center for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM), the Third World Conference on the Revitalization of the Mediterranean Diet, entitled “Change of Route Towards More Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems in Mediterranean Countries: the Mediterranean Diet as a Strategic Resource to Accelerate the Agenda 2030 in the Region” was organized at the Cosimo Lacirignola Campus, CIHEAM-Bari Institute, in Valenzano, Bari.

The Conference, as part of the UN Food Systems Summit movement for change, accommodated multiple perspectives to improve the sustainability and resilience of food systems in the Mediterranean. 

Objectives:

  • To enhance a change of route in the Mediterranean for a shift towards more sustainable and resilient food systems for accelerating the Agenda 2030 at the country level; 
  • To enhance the SFS-MED Platform, with its Coordination Desk hosted at the CIHEAM-Bari, by strengthening multi-stakeholder partnerships across the entire region; 
  • To catalyse more collaborative multi-stakeholder “green”, “blue” and “ circular” SFS- on the ground in Mediterranean countries, MED territorial context specific, within a One Health approach development framework with the Mediterranean diet acting as a SCP (sustainable consumption and production) lever; 
  • To foster a change in the current perception of the Mediterranean diet as a resource of sustainable development in the Mediterranean, at country and regional level, taking in consideration their contextual differences; 
  • To consolidate the initiative of World Mediterranean Diet Conference as permanent forum for multi-stakeholder and transdisciplinary SFS-MED dialogues and actions to accelerate the Agenda 2030 in the region.  

Extracts of the programme

28/09 The UN food systems post- summit process: SFS-Med dialogues follow-up linking national pathways and multi-stakeholder engagements towards more sustainable food systems in the Mediterranean

To connect food systems knowledge and expertise from diverse constituencies through the SFS-MED Platform initiative to support Med countries for accelerating the Agenda 2030.
  • Moderator: Sylvia Lopez-Ekra, Deputy Director, UN Food Systems Coordination Hub
  • Keynote Speech: Stefano Gatti, Minister Plenipotentiary, Special Italian Envoy for Food Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and International Cooperation of Italy 
  • Alwin Kopse, Lead Representative, One Planet Network’s Sustainable Food Systems Programme, Federal Office for Agriculture of Switzerland - Building on the outcomes of the three SFS-MED Independent Dialogue held in 2021
Panel with UNFSS Med Member State Summit Dialogues National Convenors: 
  • Albania: Emira Gjeci, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development 
  • Egypt: H.E. Amb. Ehab Badawy, Assistant Minister for Multilateral Affairs and International Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
  • Israel: Noga Kronfeld-Schor, Chief Scientist, Ministry of Environmental Protection 
  • Italy: Stefano Gatti, Minister Plenipotentiary, Special Italian Envoy for Food Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and International Cooperation of Italy 
  • Jordan: Mohammad Al-Heari, Secretary General, Ministry of Agriculture; Mahmoud Rabai, Secretary General Assistant for Project and Rural Development, Ministry of Agriculture 
  • Malta: John Busuttil, Director, Directorate General Global Issues, International Development and Economic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs 
  • Morocco: Redouane Arrach, Secretary General, Agriculture Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests 
  • Spain: Samuel Jesus Juarez Casado, Senior Advisor- General Secretary for Agriculture and Food, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 
  • Turkey: Nihan Atay Haspolat, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

28/09 THE CONTRIBUTION OF CIHEAM TO THE OBJECTIVES OF A SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEM IN THE MEDITERRANEAN 

This panel discussed the contribution of CIHEAM institutes to achieve the transition towards Sustainable Food Systems. 
  • moderator: Plácido Plaza Lopez, Secretary general of the CIHEAM 
  • Roberto Capone, Principal Administrator, CIHEAM Bari Focal Point CIHEAM Sustainable Food Systems 
  • Konstadinos Mattas, Visiting Professor, CIHEAM MAI-Ch, BioValue Project Coordinator 
  • Kessari Myriam and Prosperi Paolo, Scientific Administrators, CIHEAM Montpellier 
  • Ana Maria Sànchez, Principal Administrator, CIHEAM Zaragoza 
  • Conclusions: Mohamed Sadiki, President, Governing Board CIHE-AM; Minister of Agriculture of Morocco

29/09 Scaling-up agroecological innovations in the transitions of mediterranean food sy-stems: an entry point for the revitalization of the mediterranean diet 

This panel discussed a route of change enabling scaling-up of agro-ecology for territorial development and the Med Diet Revitalization and launched a permanent forum with the SFM-MED platform on enabling gamechanging solutions for scaling-up agroecology across the Mediterranean Region. 
  • Andrea Segrè, Professor University of Bologna, Italy
  • Dessislava Dimitrova, Senior researcher, Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research of Bulgarian Accademy of Science; coordinator of Slow Food - Bulgaria 
  • Lisa Paganelli, President, Distretto Bio-Simbiotico di Val Bidente e dell’alta Val Rabbi 
  • Tarek Elarabi, Associate Professor of Agricultural Microbiology, Ain Shams University, Egypt Ain Shams University, 
  • Lydie Stella Koutika, Glinka World Soil Champion 2021, soil scientist, CRDPI, Pointe-Noire, Congo 
  • Marina Carcea, Technology Director, Food and Nutrition Centre, CREA 
  • Nicolas Tinois, co-chair, EU Standing Committee on Agricultural Research, Strategic Working Group on Agroecology, Project management Jülich GmbH

29/09 11.00-13.00 Mediterranean Ministerial Dialogue: Areas of Collaboration and Concrete Proposals

This panel discussed international food security priority areas and operational proposals for the Mediterranean re-gion with food security national delegates to contribute to the efforts of the international community for immediate and concrete responses to the food security crisis. It was a follow up of the “Ministerial Mediterranean Dialogue on the Food Security Crisis” of last June and the results will converge in the next edition of the dialogue in December.
  • Maximo Torero Cullen, chief-economist, FAO;
  • Alvaro Enrique Albacete Perea, Deputy Secretary General, Union for the Mediterranean;
  • Leonard Mizzi, Head of Unit, sustainable agri-food sy-stems and fisheries, DGINTPA, EU Commission;
  • Angelo Riccaboni, Chair, PRIMA foundation;
  • Dina Saleh, Director for Near East, North Africa and Europe Division (NEN), IFAD
  • Jean-Pierre Demargerie, Deputy Director of the Programme – Humanitarian and Development Division, Programme Department, WFP
  • Biagio Di Terlizzi, Deputy Director, CIHEAM Bari

29/09 INNOVATIVE COOPERATION BETWEEN RESEARCH AND ENTERPRISES IN SFS MED: LIVING LABS APPROACH  

This panel compared skills and experiences to overcome the limits of current models and provide concrete guidance to improve the cooperation between research and enterprises in SFS MED. 
  • Moderators: Lamiae Ghaouti, Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, Morocco 
  • Teodoro Miano, Vice Rector, International Affairs, University of Bari Aldo Moro 
  • Antonio Logrieco, Director CNR-ISPA Omar Bizri, international expert 
  • Marta Laranjo, UNIMED Mahdi Khomsi, BUSINESSMED 
  • Damiano Petruzzella, CIHEAM Bari 
  • Isidora Stojacic, ENOLL 
  • Maria Canelhas, EIT Food Giacomo Scarascia Mugnozza, Politecnico of Bari

30/09 Finance and investments SDG driven as fundamental push factors for a SFS MED change of routes

This panel provided some solutions in the area of financing SFS MED systems. 
  • Moderator: Roberto Ridolfi, President, LINK2007: Cooperazione in Rete 
  • Rapporteur: Francesco Rampa, ECDPM 
  • Leonard Mizzi, Head of Unit, Food Security Agriculture, DG INTPA, European Commission 
  • Paolo Di Stefano, Head on International Affairs, 
  • Coldiretti Stephen Mari, Senior Manager, 
  • Cassa Depositi e Prestiti - CDP 
  • Dhalia Abdel Kader, Chief sustainability Officer Commercial International Bank Egypt 
  • Hans Loth, RABOBANK 
  • Nouran El Said, Business Development Director, Plug’n’Grow 
  • Thouraya Triki, Director, Sustainable Production, Markets and Institutions Division, IFAD

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

Building sustainable and resilient food systems in times of crisis

28 September 2022. 16:45-17:30. Building sustainable and resilient food systems in times of crisis - Session at the European Research and Innovation Days 2022. European Research and Innovation Days is the European Commission’s annual flagship Research and Innovation event, bringing together policymakers, researchers, entrepreneurs and the public to debate.

See the Research and innovation days programme (PDF)

This session will build on the recent EC Communication Safeguarding food security and reinforcing the resilience of food systems, while also looking at the wider context of the European Green Deal.

The session will discuss the negative effects of the unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine on low-income and food-deficit countries, and how they can be mitigated through science, research and innovation. 

The session will explore the urgency to transition towards sustainable and resilient food systems to achieve food security and meet climate, farm-to-fork and biodiversity ambitions in respect of planetary boundaries. The pivotal role of R&I policy as a driver of the much-needed transformation will be set out and will showcase solutions to be deployed and scaled up in the short to medium term.

Speakers

Member of the European Parliament | European Parliament
Director for Sustainability, Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development | European Commission
President and CEO | INRAE

In his intervention he referred to following projects: 
  • ClieNFarms - Climate Neutral Farms: This EU-funded project will support the European Green Deal by co-developing and upscaling systemic locally relevant solutions to reach climate-neutral and climate-resilient sustainable farms.
    UK research project on legume breeding to increase protein sensitive efficiency to reduce dependence on nitrogen fertilizer
  • UK research project on legume breeding to increase protein sensitive efficiency to reduce dependence on nitrogen fertilizer
  • He stated the importance of an interconnection of research with the food industry and the role of living lab with all the stakeholders to accelerate the transition.
Chief Scientist | Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations


Tuesday, September 27, 2022

EFFoST Webinar: How European Researchers Shape Future Sustainable Food Systems

23 September 2022 How European Researchers Shape Future Sustainable Food Systems EFFoST
Webinar

This seminar series was organized by a Working Group on Sustainable Food Systems and provided detailed insights into various facets of sustainability in the food sector. The seminars include expert talks, practical indications from industry professionals, as well as short presentations from selected early stage researchers.

A summary of the webinar as well as the slides will be made available in the course of the next couple of weeks - here.

Main shared resource: 

European Commission, Food 2030 pathways for action : Horizon 2020 portfolio analysis, mapping of EU research and innovation related to food systems, Publications Office (2021) Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, # 6 p.

Within the context of the Food 2030 Pathways for Action publication, this factsheet illustrates the diverse types of food-related research funded under the Horizon 2020 framework programme. Analysis of the European Commission’s CORDIS database indicates that Horizon 2020 supported 1 631 projects during the 2014–2020 period. These are projects where there was a definable food application relevant to one or more parts of the food system. Many of them relate to the application of generic technologies to help improve food production or processing issues. These projects can be grouped into three project types corresponding to Marie Skłodowska Curie (Marie Curie) grants, projects for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and research and innovation (R & I) collaborative projects (R & I food).

Background:

The European Federation of Food Science and Technology (EFFoST) facilitates knowledge and technology exchange among food professionals. EFFoST creates opportunities for food scientist, engineers, technologists, policymakers and businesses in food and food-related areas to connect and collaborate with the objective to enhance the uptake of new technologies and developments. By supporting the further development of food science and technology, EFFoST aims to advance the production of sustainable and healthy food for all in a changing world.

https://www.effost.org/members/effost+working+groups/wg+sustainable+food/default.aspx

Learn more about this working group, by reading about their members and their upcoming events

Related

SCAR (2018) Assessment of Research and Innovation on Food Systems by European Member States. European Commission Directorate-General for Research and Innovation. Directorate F - Bioeconomy. Unit F.3 - Agri-Food Chain # 35 p.

This publication presents an extensive quantitative and qualitative analysis of the research projects and policies in Europe in the last 5 years as related to food systems. The analysis covers the major trends and ambitions, improvements needed, and gaps in R&I.

2022 Africa Agriculture Trade Monitor (AATM)

27 September 2022. Africa’s agricultural trade capacity and policy are increasingly important as global volatility in agriculture and fertilizer markets is increasing risks for many importing and exporting countries.

The 2022 edition of the Africa Agriculture Trade Monitor 2022 (AATM), a flagship of IFPRI and AKADEMIYA2063, analyzes short- and long-term trends and drivers of African agricultural trade flows, including regional policies and the role of global markets. Chapters in this year’s report examine the impact of the Russia-Ukraine War, the potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to contribute to growth, the development of value chains for processed products and for coffee, tea, and cocoa, as well as the role of intraregional trade in the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), and makes recommendations for promoting the development of African trade.
Speakers and discussants reviewed the report’s key findings and implications for next steps.

Main Findings of the 2022 AATM report
AATM 2022 Video

Panel presentation of the 2022 AATM report and discussion

  • Antoine Bouët, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI
  • Sunday Pierre Odjo, Deputy Director, Knowledge Systems, AKADEMIYA2063
  • Chahir Zaki, Professor, Economics Department, Faculty of Economics and Political Science (FEPS), Cairo University
  • Jacob Kotcho, Directeur du Marché Commun, Economic Community of Central African States
  • Joseph Larrose, Director of Development, Touton
  • Christiane Wolff, Counselor, World Trade Organization
  • Closing Remarks - Scott Cameron, Director for Sustainable Development in Africa, USAID
  • Moderator - Heike Hoeffler, Project Lead, Agricultural Trade, Agribusiness, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Germany

The priorities for food-security research under extreme events

One Earth (2022) Research priorities for global food security underextreme events # 12 p.

To determine what questions to ask and how to prioritize, 69 food security experts, including scientists, governments, international institutions and NGOs, published a comprehensive set of research questions across different food-related domains that have the potential to bolster food security. 

Their findings were recently published in the journal One Earth.

“While similar exercises have been undertaken across a range of fields and topics, this work presents, as far as we know, the first attempt to compile and build consensus on the major threats and priorities for research on food security in the face of extreme events from experts working with diverse backgrounds and expertise and geographic foci,” wrote the authors.

The experts identified 32 threats to watch for over the next two decades and 50 research questions to help understand and mitigate the threats. The threats were divided into three categories: 1) compounding events and cascading risks, 2) vulnerability and adaptive capacity and 3) cooperation and conflict.

A question of questions

With limited resources and countless lines of research that could be pursued to increase food security, prioritization is critical. The authors categorized questions in three areas and assessed them for feasibility in terms of time and investment, and the impact unlocking the answer could have.
  1. Better maps and predictions, 
  2. farm-level interventions and 
  3. food system transformation are the three categories of research questions.
Better maps and predictions before, during and after extreme events will be crucial to facilitating better responses. The “standard basis for identifying risk, forecasting and responding to the impact of extreme events on food security is high-quality data,” wrote the authors. Unfortunately, validated on-the-ground data on food security have not kept pace with the available technology.

Questions in this area include 

  • What are the likely impacts of specific critical infrastructure failures on food security?
  • To what extent can early warning systems identify and inform people most exposed, vulnerable, and unable to adapt to food insecurity challenges in the face of extreme events? 
  • Are there tipping points in the intensity of extreme events that will cause global food insufficiency? 
  • Consult the full list here.
Farm-level interventions are critical because they have the potential to both stabilize food supply through resilience to extreme events and improve livelihoods. But issues related to poor access to finance and markets can hinder resilience. Examples include the slow adoption of crop varieties that are resistant to droughts and floods, and slow uptake of irrigation in developing countries.

Research questions at the farm level include, 

  • Which on-farm practices increase resilience to drought, are cost-effective and easily adopted?
  • How much can increasing crop diversity improve smallholders’ adaptive capacity?
  • and How does the loss of biodiversity make cropping systems more susceptible to extreme events? 
  • Consult the full list here.
Food system transformation refers to global and local actions that reduce food’s negative impact on the environment, increase equitable access to complete and nutritious diets, and imply broad changes in the way most people eat in much of the developed world. The authors find the related questions among the most difficult to answer, but increased understanding of governance, food producers and consumers are critical parts of the research agenda.

Food system transformation questions include, 

  • How does crop diversification at the household, community, and regional scales mediate food insecurity during extreme climate events?
  • In what ways does insurance enhance or undermine food security in the face of extreme events?” and 
  • What policies are required to ensure that efficiency gains in food distribution systems enable widespread food security without harming local and regional producers?
  • Consult the full list here.

Monday, September 26, 2022

 Landscape of Climate Finance in Africa 

Research released by Climate Policy Initiative finds that total annual climate finance flows in Africa for 2020, domestic and international, were only USD 30 billion, just 11% of the USD 277 billion needed annually. While the financing gap is significant, Africa’s rapid urbanization, expanding infrastructure, and energy-access needs offer significant investment opportunities.

Commissioned by FSD Africa, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, and UK Aid, the Landscape of Climate Finance in Africa is a first-of-its-kind analysis to map climate finance flows in Africa by region, sector, and by source.

It aims to establish a baseline of public and private climate finance flows in Africa to help investors and climate negotiators scale up climate finance by improving the understanding of the volume, sources, thematic uses, and sectoral allocation of these flows to identify entry points, financing gaps, and opportunities for new investments.

Global Food Security Summit

20 September 2022Global Food Security Summit

European Ccouncil President Michel co-chaired a summit on global food security together with the United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, the Chairperson of the African Union and President of Senegal, Macky Sall, and the Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sanchez.


Food security is the major global challenge today. Today’s global food crisis is being exacerbated by Russia’s war against Ukraine. Famine is looming in many parts of the world, and now is the time for all of us to translate our political commitments into concrete action. Leaders issued a short declaration at the end of the summit. They committed to strengthen international cooperation and partnership initiatives.

Wednesday, September 21, 2022

Sustainable agriculture intensification handbook

This book provides an insight into the background, lessons learned, and the methodology of facilitating the application of best-bet/best-fit agricultural technologies to smallholder farms in East and Southern Africa (ESA). 

All technologies highlighted within this book, except those on livestock feeding, were trialed and demonstrated in farmers' fields over an eight-year period [2012 - 2020] as part of the Feed the Future/USAID funded research-for-development Africa RISING ESA Project and supported by the CGIAR. 

The livestock feed technologies were compiled from Eastern Africa literature and included to offer a full set of technologies relevant for farmers in mixed farming systems. 

Topics covered include the introduction of resilient and nutrient-dense crops, better arrangement of crops in the field to amplify intercrop benefits, and the management of soils to improve soil fertility and minimize physical soil and nutrient loss. 

The publication also features technologies for postharvest loss reduction, livestock feeding, food processing, and in the later chapters, important expositions on how multiple technologies can be creatively integrated in a farming system and how key products of research can be taken to scale. In the first chapter and throughout the handbook, the importance of taking gender dynamics into account to ensure technologies produce equitable outcomes is emphasized. 

This book: provides evidence-based descriptions of sustainable agricultural intensification technologies that have been validated iteratively with smallholder farmers; a convenient, easy-to-read, and science-based 'how-to' guide for successful deployment of improved agricultural technologies that will ensure readers from development/scaling agencies save time and resources for research trials and instead focus on technology deployment; gives evidence of how building research and development partnerships can be a critical element for successful delivery and scaling up of agricultural technologies. 

The book is aimed primarily at development practitioners who seek new competences in taking new technologies to scale. However, the breadth of topics covered makes this book an essential resource for agricultural scientists as well as university and college students aspiring to apply systems thinking in future agricultural research and development work.

Related article:

The Global Africa Business Initiative

18 -19 September 2022.  The Global Africa Business Initiative is designed to highlight opportunities on the continent where every sector of the economy from manufacturing to agriculture to services to finance is on a growth trajectory. 

SPOTLIGHT: FOOD SYSTEMS: recording

According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, Africa's food-import bill is expected to reach $110bn by 2025. Investments in agriculture and land reform are a major issue in securing Africa's food security. And given the impact of climate change on the continent, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, even that may not be enough. 

A panel discussed how Africa can overcome this challenge.
  • Kate Fotso, CEO, Telcar Cocoa Ltd.
  • Dr. Agnes Kalibata, President, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)
  • Dr. Eleni Z. Gabre-Madhin, Chief Innovation Officer, Africa, UNDP
  • Moderator: Victoria Rubadiri, Anchor, Citizen TV
REMARKS BY WAWIRA NJIRU, FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FOOD FOR EDUCATION

THE AFRICA WE WANT
  • The Honorable Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados
  • Moderator: Victoria Rubadiri, Anchor, Citizen TV











Roles of Professional Producer Organisations in Living Income

21 September 2022. Roles of Professional Producer Organisations in Living Income.

Strong farmer organisations build resilient and sustainable communities that can seize new opportunities. This webinar explores the role of professional farmer organizations in providing services and consistent markets for farmers, and the critical role of these organizations in both improving and sustaining higher farmer incomes.

SCOPEinsight will explore the importance of strengthening agribusiness capacity to be professional and the link to finance. SCOPEinsight provides critical data & insights to make informed investment & training decisions for agribusinesses. ​SCOPEinsight empowers farmers and their communities, builds sustainability, strengthens value chains, and creates market opportunities for everyone involved.

  • Napoleon Molina - Business Development Services Coordinator for Latin America from Rikolt
  • Mariela Wismann - Director of the Latin American Coffee Program from Rikolto
  • Marise Blom - Chief Operating Officer from SCOPEinsight

Upcoming engagement opportunities


6 October 2022, 14:00 UTC+1 (BST) - 90mins Webinar |Carbon Market Access for Smallholder Farmers through Climate-Smart Agriculture

Making carbon markets accessible to small holder farmers would seem to lie at the intersection of livelihoods and regenerative agriculture. But with the nuances of both disciplines, finding ways for small holders to benefit from increased productivity and fees for environmental services is no small task. Recently, Solidaridad and Rabobank launched ACORN a direct trade platform that aims to make access to carbon markets for smallholder coffee farmers in Colombia a reality. In this webinar, Seth Petchers from the Sustainable Food Lab will join these two organisations to explore what it took to engineer and launch ACORN, and describe the benefits that they expect farmers will realize.
  • Joel Brounen Country Manager Colombia Solidaridad
  • Martine Jansen Head of Partnerships at Rabobank
Register here

28 September 2022, 15:00 UTC+1 (BST) - 90mins. Webinar | The Role of Governments in Enabling Living Income in Global Agriculture Value Chains

Living Income is an important milestone for smallholder farmers along the pathway to prosperity. Both supply and demand-side Governments play an important role in providing an enabling environment for farmers to thrive, and there is a need for more cross sector learning and sharing on what different government actors are doing and what they need from other partners to be successful. This webinar will tackle:

Why should governments adopt Living Income Strategies and Policies? What examples exist? What is needed to engage more public policy makers and ensure that all farmers along the value chains receive a Living Income?

The webinar will feature a panel of government leaders who are shaping strategy and create policy related to Living Income in multiple sectors and regions. Join us to hear their experiences!
Register here

  • Napoleon Molina - Business Development Services Coordinator for Latin America from Rikolto
  • Santiago J. Arguello Campos - Mexican Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER)
  • Alex Assanvo - Côte d’Ivoire-Ghana Cocoa Initiative
  • Regis Meritan - Sustainable Cocoa Initiative, European Commission, DG International Partnerships
  • Marike de Pena - Banelino Cooperative, The Latin American and Caribbean Network of Fair Trade Small Producers and Workers (CLAC)
  • Sebastian Lesch - German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)


Natural Resources, Land Grabbing and Resistance in Africa: Perspectives From Academia and Social Movements

21 September 2022. The land question in Africa and elsewhere is intimately linked to issues of citizenship, identity, and notions of political community. 

In recent decades, land governance and management and systems of distribution, access, and control have become increasingly detached from their broader social and cultural meanings, giving way to extractivism and commodification. 

This CORA roundtable aims to bring together research-based perspectives and those of social movements to answer, but not be limited to, the following questions:

  1. What are the imprints of colonial and racial regimes of ownership in modern juridical formations across Africa?
  2. How has the intimate relationship between land as property and the modern state been consolidating across the continent?
  3. What is driving the private appropriation and accumulation of land and natural resources on the African continent and how can promoting a notion of the commons play a role in reversing commodification of land?
  4. How can we rethink redistributive and people-centred land and resource policies, and how can we rethink the nation and public space to find pathways to inclusive policies and actions that reduce land-based violence? This includes bringing gender, ethnicity and generation into the equation.
  5. How do struggles for land in Africa contribute towards a deeper recognition of multiple subjectivities, agencies and practices?
Panel:
  • Moderator : Ruth Hall (PLAAS, University of Western Cape, South Africa). 
  • Elizabeth Mpofu (Zimbabwe Smallholder Organic Farmers’ Forum, Zimbabwe)
  • João Feijó (Observatório do Meio Rural, Mozambique)
  • Ibrahima Coulibaly (ROPPA and CNOP, Mali), Natasha Issa Shivji (Cambridge University, Tanzania)
  • Bernardo Castro (Rede Terra, Angola)

Tuesday, September 20, 2022

2022 FANRPAN Regional Policy Dialogue


20 - 22 September 2022
. FANRPAN Regional Policy Dialogue. Theme: Resilient African Food Systems - Solutions for Climate Change, Livelihoods, Food and Nutrition Security

The Policy Dialogue comes at the tail-end of FANRPAN’s 2016-2023 strategy, which focused on “building resilient African agriculture and food systems, securing prosperity and health for all”. The dialogue presents an excellent opportunity for the network to reflect on achievements and progress registered to date. It also provides a dynamic platform for stakeholders to come together to take stock of key processes, identify their roles and how they can be linked to accelerate transformation.

Objectives are to:
  1. Facilitate broad-based and inclusive dialogue among all relevant stakeholders (government, farmers organizations, research institutions, women, and youth groups, CSOs, development partners, and private sector, among others) on African agriculture and food systems transformation.
  2. Facilitate mutual learning and experience sharing among countries, with a view to strengthening and deepening country engagements and ownership to advance the agriculture and food and nutrition security agenda.
  3. Raise awareness of food systems' centrality to the entire sustainable development agenda, and the urgency of transforming food systems, particularly in the wake of global pandemics and conflicts.
  4. Catalyse, accelerate, and enhance bold action for the transformation of food systems by all relevant stakeholders.

20/09 Climate Impacts on Africa’s Food Systems Facilitator 

  • Dr Fatunbi Oluwole Abiodun, Lead Specialist: Innovation Systems and Partnerships, Forum for Agriculture Research in Africa (FARA) 
  • Dr Bruce Campbell, Chief Innovation Strategist Clim-Eat  
  • Keynote Presentation Dr Inga Jacobs-Mata,  Leader, Regional Representative – Southern Africa, International Water Management Institute (IWMI) - Ukama Ustawi Initiative
AICCRA Catalyzing impact investment into climate-smart agriculture in Zambia and beyond
focuses on 6 countries (Kenya, Ethiopia, Ghana, Senegal, Mali and Zambia
  • AICCRA Accelerator is implemented in Zambia.
  • WE4F Accelerator : Eswatini. Lesotho, Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, SOuth Africa, Mozambique, Zambia, DRC, Chad, CAR.
  • Ukama-ustawi Accelerator focus on 12 focus countries in the region:  Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Malawi, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Madagascar, South Africa

  • Dr. Betty Chinyamunyamu, Chief Executive Officer, National Smallholder Farmers' Association of Malawi 
  • Mr Jabu Mabobo, Executive Chairperson at Southern African Business Development (SABD)
  • Mr Aurelius Chishimba Nkonde, Senior Climate Change Officer, Ministry of Green Economy, and Environment in Zambia 
FANRPAN Climate Smart Agriculture Initiatives
  • Ms Shiluva Nkanyani, CSA Programme Officer, FANRPAN

20/09 Accelerating Climate Resilience – Breakout Sessions 

  1. Gender, and Youth Facilitators: Mr Oluwatosin Ogunsola, YOUNGO and Ms Aya Mounir, IAAS Morocco 
  2. Financing Climate Action in Africa Facilitator: TrustAfrica 
  3. Adaptation and Resilience Facilitator: Ms Edith Tibahwa, Climate Change Programme Manager, Common, Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA) 
  4. Climate Change Research in Africa Facilitator: CLAB Africa Team

21/09 Shifting to Sustainable and Healthier Diets

  • Prof Joyce Kinabo, Sokoine University of Agriculture 
  • Prof Hettie Schönfeldt, Keynote Presentation - Shifting to sustainable healthier diets – improving dietary and health data for decision-making 
  • Making sustainable healthy diets affordable for all - nutrient quality, food baskets and pricing options - Dr Hester Vermeulen, Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy 
  • How to stimulate demand for nutritious food and improve nutrition data for decision making – Dr Gloria L Essilfie, University of Ghana
FANRPAN Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture Initiatives 
  • Ms Bertha Munthali and Dr Beatrice Kiage, Nutrition Associates, FANRPAN

21/09 Breakout Sessions 

  1. How can we make sustainable healthy diets affordable for all? Facilitator: Beatrice Kiage, FANRPAN 
  2. How can we stimulate demand for nutritious foods? Facilitator: Joao Mutundo, Eduardo Mondlane University 
  3. How can we improve dietary and health data for decision-making? Facilitator: Nomatande Yeki, NAMC

22/09 Strengthening Institutions & Systems for Resilient Food Systems

  • Keynote Presentation: What are the existing institutional capacity gaps to deliver the necessary agricultural transformation in the continent? Dr. Segenet Kelemu, ICIPE 
  • What capacities are required to domesticate new technologies and spur innovation to increase productivity and incomes, and improve nutrition - Betty Kibaara of the Rockefeller Foundation
  • What would it take to have the required institutions that are fit for purpose? - Dr. Fode Ndiaye 
  • Regional experiences: Pathways for food systems transformation - Dr Augustin Wambo Yamdjeu Academya 2063 
  • Mary Oyiela Abukutsa-Onyango. She is a humanitarian and agricultural scientist from Kenya who specializes in olericulture, agronomy, plant physiology. Abukutsa-Onyango is a professor of horticulture at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology whose work focuses on African indigenous food crops. Books: African Indigenous Vegetables in Kenya: Strategic Repositioning in the Horticultural Sector
FANRPAN Initiatives & Bringing it all together

22/09 Breakout Group Discussions 

How can stakeholders collaborate to accelerate the following to enable Africa to attain resilient food systems? 
  • Uptake of technologies (production, processing, last-mile delivery initiatives, such as inputs, technologies, climate information etc.) Facilitator: Vivian Nkazi, ESRF
  • Partnership with the private sector Facilitator: Dr Njongenhle Nyoni , FANRPAN 
  • Gender equality and youth inclusion Facilitator: Pamela Matyolo, FANRPAN

Monday, September 19, 2022

Global Forum UN Decade of Family Farming 2019−2028

19-22 September 2022. After three years of implementation, the UN Decade of Family Farming 2019−2028 (UNDFF) will host its first Global Forum. Co-organized by FAO-IFAD, the Forum will leverage the experiences of different actors to take stock of the achievements and challenges faced since launching the UNDFF. 

Discussions will lead to the identification of priority policies and technical areas that will shape the UNDFF agenda for the next period of implementation, to accelerate transition to context-specific, diversified, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems, for a better environment and a better life for rural communities.

AGENDA OF THE GLOBAL FORUM

19 September. High-level opening
  • Develop an enabling policy environment to strengthen family farming (UNDFF Global Action Plan-GAP Pillar 1)
20 September
  • Support youth and ensure the generational sustainability of family farming (GAP Pillar 2)
  • Promote gender equity in family farming and the leadership role of rural women (GAP Pillar 3)
  • Strengthen family farmers’ organizations and capacities to generate knowledge, represent farmers and provide inclusive services in the urban-rural continuum (GAP Pillar 4)
21 September
  • Improve socio-economic inclusion, resilience and well-being of family farmers, rural households and communities (GAP Pillar 5)
  • Promote sustainability of family farming for climate-resilient food systems (GAP Pillar 6)
  • Strengthen the multidimensionality of family farming to promote social innovations contributing to territorial development and food systems that safeguard biodiversity, the environment and culture (GAP Pillar 7)
22 September

• Closing: Key findings and 

Africa Regional Resilience Hub

19 - 22  September 2022This virtual programme includes 16 sessions on the priority themes of finance and investment, food and agriculture, resilient infrastructure, water and natural ecosystems, and cities and urbanisation. Cross-cutting themes include gender and social inclusion, and engaging and amplifying local voices. 

Led by CDKN and SouthSouthNorth, the Africa Resilience Hub is one of four regional hubs of the COP27 Resilience Hub, which serves as the home to the Race to Resilience campaign, representing over 1,500 non-state actors taking action on resilience around the world.

The Regional Resilience Hubs aim to ensure the voices and perspectives of traditionally under-represented communities are heard and amplified to a global audience. They illuminate and communicate regional priorities, actions, solutions and challenges.

The Africa Resilience Hub's virtual event comprises 16 sessions on a diverse range of regional priority topics, including private sector solutions and community-led and bottom-up adaptation financing, climate-resilient farming and food systems, locally-led adaptation and extreme heat in African cities, cultural and heritage as a driver of climate resilience, the role of tech start-ups in building resilience amongst vulnerable households and businesses, and achieving food security through healthy and productive soils.

The inaugural event of this year’s Africa Regional Resilience Hub was held on 31 August 2022 at Africa Climate Week in Libreville, Gabon, and online. The CDKN-hosted event focussed on strategies for unlocking finance for locally-led action. Speakers called for governments and development finance institutions to be better prepared to respond to communities’ priorities for climate resilience.

Featured panelists came from organisations working on climate change adaptation and resilience in African communities: Alpha Ndungu of Hivos East Africa, Sarah Weruka of Slum Dwellers International (SDI) Uganda, Melanie Chirwa of SDI Malawi, and Esperanza Karaho of Adaptation Consortium, Kenya. The event was welcomed by CDKN’s Michelle Du Toit and moderated by Ameil Harikishun of the Global Resilience Partnership.

A second Africa Hub event at Africa Climate Week – ‘Looking to COP27 from the regional level: Critical asks and solutions from the ground’ – showcased how communities are advancing locally-led adaptation through governance and finance models.

19/09. 09:30 - 11:30 AM. The importance of transforming smallholder irrigation schemes 

This session focused on the role of smallholder irrigation schemes in building resilient food systems and fostering nutrition security in Africa.
  • Dr Theo De Jager Board Chair, FANRPAN 
  • Neil Lazarow Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research 
  • Ahmed Elmekass Coordinator, AU-SAFGRAD, African Union Commission 
  • Dr Andre F van Rooyen ICRISAT – TISA Project Team 
  • Ms Mary Sakala Eastern & Southern Africa Farmers’ Forum (EAFF
  • Inga Jacobs-Mata Regional representative, International Water Management Institute 
  • Amy Sullivan Development Consultant, Bridgewater Consulting S.P. 
  • Loreen Katiyo Transboundary Water Governance and Environment Specialist, Global Water Partnership Southern Africa 
  • Prof James Pittock Australian National University, TISA Project Principal Investigator 
  • Dr Tshilidzi Madzivhandila FANRPAN CEO & Head of Mission 
  • Dr Njongenhle Nyoni Capacity Strengthening Manager, FANRPAN 
  • Dr Veronica Doerr Research Programme Manager Climate

Sep 19, 2022. 03:00 - 04:30 PM. Climate actions for sustainable food security, socio-economic wellbeing, and decent life on planet earth 

This session aims to facilitate discussion on water scarcity, ecosystem vulnerability and impacts on vulnerable groups.

Sep 20, 2022. 11:30 AM - 01:30 PM. Can living labs promote food systems transformation towards regeneration and inclusivity? Experiences from REFOOTURE

The session explored the long-term potential, challenges and limits of living labs to foster food systems transformation. The REFOOTURE project collects evidence, identifies pathways and supports collaboration in innovation for regenerative and inclusive food systems in Eastern Africa. It does this through mobilising innovation capacity and strengthening the enabling environment via living labs in Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda. Scientists from WUR and East Africa collaborate in this project together with a broad range of stakeholders in the food system. In May and June 2022, the REFOOTURE Living Labs have visited each other’s for reflection and learning on the way of working and their challenges. 
Speakers
  • Tewodros Tefera - Living Lab Manager Ethiopia
  • Grace Karanja - Director Environment in Nakuru County
  • Sylvia Kuria - organic farmer, champion of Nakuru Living Lab;
  • Patrick Enaku - Uganda Living Lab
  • Gezahegn Brecha - Ethiopian Living Lab
  • Karin Andeweg - Wageningen University & Research
  • Gonne Beekman - Wageningen University & Research
  • Prof Bockline Omedo Bebe - Nakuru Living Lab

Sep 20, 2022 03:00 - 04:30 PM Promoting climate resilient food systems for increased agricultural productivity and food security

This session provided a platform to share and learn about climate adaptation pathways and service
delivery models for food crops, enabled through Agri-SME’s (incl women and youth-led) investments. 
  • Rachel Japan - Isowelu AMCOS Ltd, Tanzania
  • Malimi Sitta - Manager of VIBINJO Cooperative, Tanzania
  • Phelix Kwemboi - UG – Sebei Farmers SACCO
  • Fatuma Namutosi - Byeffe Foods Limited
  • Diana Michael - Chief Accounting Officer, East Africa Fruits Co., Tanzania
  • John Recha - Climate Resilient Farmer Field (ILRI/CCAFS)
  • Laureen Njuguna - Farmer representative: Starlight Cooperative
  • Nancy Mwangi - Managing Director, Quinam Investment, Kenya
  • Fridah Gacheri - Sector Leader-Agriculture at SNV in Rwanda

Sep 21, 2022 11:30 AM - 01:00 PM Achieving food security in Africa through healthy and productive soils

The session explored practices on the ground that improve soil health and carbon content (subsequently food production) as well as plans, policies and strategies required to support action on the ground.
  • Sihle Matiwane - SouthSouthNorth, South Africa
  • Kum Christian Teghe - SEEADO/University of Bamenda/ACISA Cameroon
  • Justin Shirima - Tanganyika Farmers Association, Tanzania
  • Nuru Mohammad - Afar Pastoral and Agropastoral Research Institute, Ethiopia
  • Theresa Kinkese - GIZ, Zambia
  • Wanjeri Obi - African Technology Policy Studies Network, Kenya
  • Olitina Ratovo - Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, Madagascar
  • Ermias Betemariam - Coalition of Action For Soil Health, Ethiopia
Related:
31 August - 2 September 2022. Africa Climate week 2022
ACW 2022 provided a platform for governments, cities, private sector leaders, financial institutions and civil society to discuss opportunities to build forward from the pandemic by identifying opportunities to enhance climate action. The event brought together key stakeholders to take the pulse of climate action in the region, explore climate challenges and opportunities and showcase ambitious solutions.

The event was hosted by the Government of Gabon and jointly co-organized by the UN Climate Change, the global partners UN Development Programme, UN Environment Programme and the World Bank Group and the partners based in Africa.

Extract: Track 1. Blended Finance to Support African SMEs to Scale Transformative Climate Solutions