Rural Transformation: Climate Resilient and Low Emission Food Systems

14 November 2017. Bonn, Germany. High-Level Roundtable on “Rural Transformation: Climate Resilient and Low Emission Food Systems” was held on  COP23.

Around 40 representatives from government authorities, development agencies, civil society, the academia, the private sector, and farmers joined the roundtable. The roundtable has provided a platform for cross-sector learning and exchanges to identify the key policy and investment needs to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 2 on Zero Hunger and the implementation of countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in two areas:

The development of climate-resilient and low-emission food systems that foster food security and nutrition and leaves no-one behind;
The acceleration of climate-smart transport systems and infrastructure to foster market linkages and connect value chain actors in the agriculture sectors.

The 90 - minute roundtable was moderated by Mr. Robert Orr, Special Advisor to UN Secretary General on Climate Change. The discussion focused on four themes with each being introduced by a lead speaker and further illustrated by three to four participants in the roundtable:

• Theme 1: Why and how do we involve communities in decisions and plans to deliver rural transformation?
• Theme 2: What are the priority policy changes needed for rural transformation in the context of implementing NDCs and achieving SDG2 on zero hunger?
• Theme 3: What changes are needed in rural transport and rural-urban links to ensure food security and climate resilient-low-emission food systems?
• Theme 4: What new investments are needed to deliver climate resilient and low emission food systems?

The roundtable concludes that to realize the opportunities of achieving more resilient and low emission food systems the agriculture, food and transport communities should/must come together to take action. This means promoting better urban-rural linkages, and seeing roads as asset drivers of prosperity for farmers and their communities. It means taking action to help reduce food loss and waste by improving rural access and the development of low-emission value chains. This includes the development and use of low emission preservation and refrigeration storage systems. Together, successful and sustainable agriculture and infrastructure development can generate income opportunities throughout the food system, underpin sustainable and inclusive rural transformation, and reduce emissions.

The roundtable was co-organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Global Resilience Partnership (GRP), the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the Partnership on Sustainable, Low and Carbon Transport (SLoCaT), the UKAID funded Research for Community Access Partnership (ReCAP), and the World Bank.

It was one of the four High Level Roundtables on SDG2: Climate Action for Zero Hunger organized on November 14, 2017.

Full summary of the roundtable is available here.