Building on findings from 22 case studies worldwide, this study provides a landscape analysis of digital and automation solutions and offers guidance to accelerate adoption for more inclusive, sustainable and resilient agrifood systems.
RuralInvest is a free toolkit designed to support field technicians in their work with entrepreneurs by allowing the systematization and development of bankable and sustainable business proposals.
The toolkit comprises a user-friendly software, an e-learning course, tailored face-to-face training, user manuals, and a worldwide community of users
AgrInvest project – to help agribusinesses and financial intermediaries make investment decisions that can increase the sustainability of food systems.
Lessons by applying the methodology in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya and Niger.
FAO/UNEP (2022)
Sustainable Food Cold Chains: Opportunities, Challenges and the Way Forward. Nairobi, UNEP and Rome, FAO. #122 p.
The report was developed in the framework of the UNEP-led Cool Coalition in partnership with FAO, the Ozone Secretariat, the UNEP OzonAction Programme, and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition.
This manual is intended for use by trainers of trainers and trainers of farmers on organic agriculture. The manual aims to explain the principles and details of poultry management for small-scale poultry farmers in Africa under organic management.
In the past five years, early-stage investors have pumped more than $1 billion into African startups innovating for the food and agriculture industry, achieving a record-breaking $482 million in 2021 alone.
Working Document of the Joint “African Union (AU) – European Union (EU) Innovation Agenda” # 48 p.
Prepared by the Task Force of the Ad-hoc Innovation Agenda Working Group of the Bureau of the High-Level Policy Dialogue (HLPD) on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI)
The goal of the document is to better address deforestation and forest degradation. Both are triggered throughout the world by European imports of commodities (raw materials, food, timbers, etc.).
Recommendations are interesting for research funding agencies and researchers, as well as policy makers on both EU and MS level. The policy brief was be presented in full on the SCAR plenary meeting in December
This book examines the connection between food and identity in the Nigerian diaspora community in Belgium. Encounters between people from different cultures do not lead to a simple adaptation of the diet, but usually give rise to some kind of fusion of new and indigenous food habits.
Using local African and Senegalese foods in particular and how and in what circumstances these recipes were created and thought out, thanks to small anecdotes.
Putting in place an African neo-protectionism and preserving its own resources (land, digital goods, etc.), ensuring its sovereignty – food by developing agroecology, monetary and financial with the creation of a debt agency – are all avenues for Africa is reclaiming its destiny. With this conviction: by promoting a sharing economy, the commons are also deeply rooted in African social reality.
Kako Nubukpo is Commissioner in charge of the Department of Agriculture, Water Resources and Environment of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA).
Born-green SMEs are predominantly in sustainability/energy sectors and agricultural-tech across East African Community (EAC) countries. Kenya outperforms its counterparts in terms of estimated revenues.
SESSION 8 Mobilizing tools and technologies to support implementation and monitoring of the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework - towards a global biodiversity observation system
SESSION 9 PRODUCTION & CONSUMPTION: Public policies & private sector
SESSION 10 Restoration, connectivity, ecological integrity. How to effectively achieve and measure restoration and functionality recovery
SESSION 11 Nature positive solutions for public & private sectors
SESSION 12 Opportunities for nature positive future – session for early-career scholars and students
Transforming food systems to reverse biodiversity loss – Building nexus between Biodiversity-Climate-Land-Food Systems
Role of Grasslands, Savannahs and Rangelands - A discussion on the vital importance of our most important environmental asset: Soil.
Transforming aquatic and terrestrial food
systems together in the GBF & beyond
Indigenous and local women as stewards of land and food sovereignty
How to implement food-related targets of the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework - This session highlighted successful practices from around the world that use food systems as a pathway to support countries in meeting food-related targets of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.
Scaling demand side actions to spur a radical transformation of our food system
Aligning agricultural subsidies with nature and biodiversity goals: Shifting the trillions towards a nature positive economy
From Ambition to Action: Scaling nature positive food systems by 2030 - This session deep-dived into the role of agri-food companies in scaling nature-positive food systems through the implementation of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.
The Food Systems Pavilion brought together over 15 international leaders in the food space spanning the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, from farmers and youth to policy makers and scientists.
The Food Systems Pavilion features 11 days of programming – including 10 Thematic Days highlighting the critical role that transforming food systems must play in climate mitigation, adaptation and building resilience.
The objective of the event was to provide the CFS High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE-FSN) with substantive inputs and contributions towards the preparation of a report on this topic, which is expected to be released in the summer of 2023 to inform the preparation of related CFS policy recommendations.
The webinar highlighted how the growing community of practice for TAPE is generating a multitude of evidence and insights, thereby contributing to the further development and application of this tool.
This consultative roundtable was moderated by a senior researcher from The Economist with the aim of exploring how to scale up innovations in agrifood systems and understanding the drivers of the financial flows in the sector.
This Stakeholder Event provided a forum to present and discuss on the findings of the online public consultation on the AU-EU Innovation Agenda; Discuss on specific stakeholder demands and ideas; and strategic training and information sessions focused on topics of particular relevance to the implementation of the AU-EU Innovation Agenda.
In a recent review of the literature on agricultural subsidies, the Institute for International Trade identified key areas where further analysis is needed to strengthen the evidence base for subsidy reform. The study confirmed that many subsidies rely on environmentally harmful policy instruments, with few constraints on these expenditures.
The growth of our global food production capacity over the past century is unprecedented, and has been facilitated by advances in crop breeding, mechanization, intensification, and the application of chemical inputs. This has come at a cost in terms of biodiversity loss and land degradation.
This seminar discussed results from an ongoing effort in Kenya by KIPPRA and CGIAR’s National Policies and Strategies Initiative to model the expected impacts of implementing the plan on key socioeconomic outcomes such as the food system, diets, jobs, poverty, and inequality.
The overarching theme of the 9thth Annual Regional Network of Agricultural Policy Research Institutes (ReNAPRI) Stakeholders Conference was: “Looking Ahead: Strengthening Africa’s food system through increased productivity, climate resilience and adaptation”.
Session 1: Megatrends affecting African food systems: implications for government action
Session 2: Farmers's risk and economic use of fertilizers in Sub-Saharan Africa
Session 3: High level Panel discussion on the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit: thoughts, opportunities and expectations
Session 4: Informing policy: towards a 10-year African Fertilizer and soil health
Session 5: Implementation of NDCs and NAPs in Africa under the Paris Agreement of Climate Change
Session 6: STAAARS+ The Structural Transformation of African and Asian Agriculture and Rural Spaces
This year, the AGM of the of the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Africa (RUFORUM) emphasized on the needed actions by African universities and their partners to strengthen Agri-food systems in Africa
Leaders in SBCC and related fields from around the world shared their insights and reflections during these informative sessions during the 2022 International Social and Behavior Change Summit in Marrakech, Morocco
In response to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and its impact on African countries, AKADEMIYA2063 developed the Ukraine Crisis Brief Series, a comprehensive research series to provide evidence-based simulations of the ramifications of the crisis.
Hinged upon data, analytics, and past crisis patterns, the AKADEMIYA2063 Ukraine Crisis Brief Series analyzes the economic and socio-economic impacts of global market disruptions induced by the Russia-Ukraine conflict. These research findings are published on AKADEMIYA2063's Ukraine Crisis and African Economies portal.
Presenter: Mr. Wondwosen Tefera, Senior Associate Scientist, AKADEMIYA2063 »
Moderator: Dr. John Ulimwengu, Senior Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
In this webinar Mars, the Farmer Income Lab, ISEAL and the Sustainable Food Lab discussed core metrics for farmer income programs. The Farmer Income Lab, a think-do tank founded by Mars, has developed a set of common core metrics and will share these with the LICOP members in this webinar. The webinar also shared the process and timeline for the development of LICOP guidance on farm level indicators for household income.
In this living income webinar, the World Benchmarking Alliance discussed living income metrics. The World Benchmarking Alliance has developed a Food and Agriculture Benchmark which measures and compare 350 food and agricultural companies on a range of sustainability indicators. Published biannually, the next will be published in Q3 2023.
The 2023 iteration will include a farmer and fishers livelihood indicator within the social inclusion category. It will capture a companies contribution to improving the livelihoods of farmers and fishers through activities aimed at increasing income and resilience. Farmers often get only 5–10 percent of the total value of products sold to consumers, while companies with downstream activities capture most of the value added in global agri-food supply chains. Companies can close the living income gap by increasing pay, supporting resilience, and tackling inequalities in risks and power. Engaging on living income should not be a differentiator but standard practice for responsible companies.
During this event companies shared their experiences improving producers' livelihoods.
Earlier this year, SCAR ARCH SWG and SCAR FOREST SWG organised an expert dialogue, gathering 36 internationally renowned experts and over 50 participants. This dialogue was the foundation for their recently published, joint policy brief: SCAR (2022) Combatting imported deforestation – challenges for science # 8 p.
The goal of the document is to better address deforestation and forest degradation. Both are triggered throughout the world by European imports of commodities (raw materials, food, timbers, etc.).
The process of drafting the policy brief included two steps:
Organising an expert dialogue to discuss and identify the main knowledge and research gaps?, as well
Defining, supporting, and implementing appropriate measures to limit the European footprint on rainforests, in accordance with the new Green Deal policy of the European Union.
Recommendations are interesting for research funding agencies and researchers, as well as policy makers on both EU and MS level. The policy brief will be presented in full on the SCAR plenary meeting in December, and can already be read on the SCAR website.
The policy brief was presented at the plenary meeting in December and can already be read in full here.
Note: The Standing Committee on Agricultural Research (SCAR) supports the European Commission (EC), EU Member States and Associated Countries on R&I priorities to address Europe’s challenges in agriculture, fisheries, food systems, forestry, and the wider bioeconomy.
Digital and automation solutions for precision agriculture can improve efficiency, productivity, product quality and sustainability. Nevertheless, barriers to adoption of such solutions – including their cost, lack of knowledge and skills, and the absence of an enabling environment and infrastructure – can prevent producers from realizing these benefits.
Building on findings from 22 case studies worldwide, this study finds that national data policies and infrastructure are key enablers of adoption, as is investment in connectivity (e.g. internet) and electricity in rural areas. Further research and information on the economic, environmental and social impacts of the solutions are also needed to provide evidence on their benefits. So too is investment in human capacity development, particularly digital literacy. To ensure an inclusive process, solutions must be adapted across agricultural production systems, regions and farm types. Partnerships and networks for exchanging information and promoting collaboration will key. Finally, awareness raising and communication are important since consumers can be skeptical about food being produced by new technologies.
In summary, by focusing on a variety of solutions, this study provides a landscape analysis of digital and automation solutions and offers guidance to accelerate adoption for more inclusive, sustainable and resilient agrifood systems.
12 - 16 December 2022. This year, the AGM of the of the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Africa (RUFORUM) emphasized on the needed actions by African universities and their partners to strengthen Agri-food systems in Africa while building resilience to especially the emerging challenges posed by climate change and variability.
The 18th RUFORUM AGM was convened with the following objectives:Provide a forum for the RUFORUM Governance organs to reflect on progress made on the implementation of various programs and initiatives of the RUFORUM network;
Provide a platform for RUFORUM Secretariat to sensitize the Network members about the 2nd RUFORUM Operational Plan for the RUFORUM Vision 2030 Strategy (The African Universities’ Agenda for Agricultural Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation – AHESTI) which consolidates and builds upon the achievements of the first Operational Plan (2018-2022), which sought to attract and nurture (through the transformative process of learning and knowledge accumulation) superior postgraduate talent into agriculture in Africa to achieve significant economies of scope and scale in rigorous and relevant training;
Profile and inform the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe and other Development Partners and other stakeholders about RUFORUM engagements at regional and national levels, including, among others, RUFORUM support for Higher Education and Agricultural Development in Africa;
Provide opportunity for scientists, researchers and students to share their scientific findings and experiences
Provide a platform for RUFORUM members to establish partnerships and/or teams to respond to various opportunities; and
Engage African Governments and Development Partners to support the operationalization of the five continental initiatives agreed upon by African Ministers meeting in Cape Coast Ghana in 2019 (link)
11/12 Moving forward the UNFSS 21 Action Plan: Need for collaborative
undertakings
Opening Remarks: Prof. Adipala Ekwamu, Executive Secretary, RUFORUM
Keynote Address: Ms. Pauline Gangla, Head of Scholars Program, Eastern &
Southern Africa Partner Network, the Mastercard Foundation
Interactive session with Reeta Roy, President and CEO of the Mastercard
Foundation
Evidence of TAGDev Impact
Panel One: Finding meaning and fulfillment in Community Service
Ms. Mahoussi Simone Assocle & Mr. Nelson Koliesuah: Empowering refugees
(Benin & Liberia)
Anthony Emaru: The 4Pillar Giveback (Kenya)
Olivier Nihimbazwe: Water for Development (Burundi)
Panel Two: Translating entrepreneurship training into viable businesses
Mr. Gabriel Mahindu Kwendo; Comrade Dairy-Delivering value to local milk producers
(Kenya)
Ms. Helvi K. Unoovene; Profiting from Shea butter from Uganda in Namibia (Namibia)
Ms. Ochama Juliet; Producing wine from local fruits enabling local women earn more
Mr. John Mugonya, Empowering youth in entrepreneurship Agripreneurship Alliance
(Uganda)
Panel Three: Adapting Institutions to deliver unique training approaches:
Experiences from pilot Universities and adapting Universities
Prof. Duncan Ongeng, Gulu University, Uganda
Prof. Nancy Mungai, Egerton University, Kenya
Prof. Abdirizak M. Aden, President, Nugaal University, Somalia: Experiences of
adopting and adapting the Egerton University and Gulu University model
Reflections:
Prof. Patrick Kyamanywa, Vice Chancellor, Uganda Martyrs University,
Uganda-Re-orienting Africa’s Universities for impact
12/12 Official Opening of the Scientific Conference
RUFORUM Business Meeting
Closing ceremony
Final Address by Outgoing Executive Secretary and Introducing New Executive
Secretary
Prize awards: Outstanding Farmers & Outstanding Upcoming Scientists from
Zimbabwe, Africa Young Innovators and Entrepreneurs, and Outstanding Contributors
to Africa’s Development
RuralInvest is a free toolkit designed to support field technicians in their work with entrepreneurs by allowing the systematization and development of bankable and sustainable business proposals.
The toolkit comprises a user-friendly software, an e-learning course, tailored face-to-face training, user manuals, and a worldwide community of users. RIV20 is the software used to develop the business proposals and supports all types of small and medium-scale rural businesses.
It translates participatory data collection into professional-quality business plans. Through a participatory and bottom-up approach, RuralInvest methodology brings together local communities, rural entrepreneurs, government field technicians, project staff, and financing institutions to identify, prepare, evaluate and finance small-and medium-size sustainable rural investment projects.
Agricultural subsidies are high—and increasing—and are largely concentrated among relatively few commodities in a handful of countries. The negative impacts of these subsidies on production and trade are widely known, but their environmental impacts are less well understood.
In a recent review of the literature on agricultural subsidies, the Institute for International Trade identified key areas where further analysis is needed to strengthen the evidence base for subsidy reform. The study confirmed that many subsidies rely on environmentally harmful policy instruments, with few constraints on these expenditures.
The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) has analyzed the impacts of removing agricultural support on various indicators measuring food security, nutrition, and climate outcomes, finding that removing support may have important adverse trade-offs.
Ken Ash, Visiting Fellow, Institute for International Trade (IIT), The University of Adelaide
Women land and environmental rights defenders are at the forefront of the protection of human and environmental rights, in particular when it comes to defending their land and territories. The conference underlines and amplifies the gender differential impacts, threats and violence against women defenders. It emphasises the crucial role that women play in addressing the triple planetary crisis. It also presents existing opportunities, tools and campaigns to support them and their struggle for justice and accountability.
The conference discussed how international actors should support Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) and in particular women protecting their land and territories against corporate abuse, land grabbing and exploitation of resources. The impact of corporate and environmental abuses is particularly significant on women, but specific tools and campaigns exist to reinforce their voices and protect them.
Christine Mardirossian, Policy officer INTPA G1- Gender Equality, Human Rights and Democratic Governance
Mae Ocampo, Executive director at Protection International
Ana Zbona, Member of ALLIED advocacy working group and steering committee
Grace Oloo, Vice-chair of the Land & Environment Defenders network (Kenya)
Tawonga Chihana, AED Initiative Coordinator at Natural Justice (Kenya)
By focusing on transforming food systems to reverse biodiversity loss and achieve food security and nutrition for all, this day developed stronger plans, actions for implementation to achieve the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) under the Convention on Biological Diversity. It also explored cross-cutting policy responses spanning multiple global agreements.
Transforming food systems to reverse biodiversity loss – Building nexus between Biodiversity-Climate-Land-Food Systems
The opening session of FOOD DAY at the Rio Convention pavilion set the scene on the importance of transferring food systems to reverse biodiversity loss, halt climate change and provide enough healthy and nutritious food for all. Highlevel speakers will explain why food systems need to be included in the new GBF and indicate ways to integrate food systems in the overall new Global Biodiversity Framework.
Moderation: Joao Campari, WWF
First Nation (tbc)
Marco Lambertini, WWF
David Cooper, UNCBD
Maria Helena Semedo, FAO
Doreen Robinson, UNEP
Juan Lucas Restrepo, CGIAR/Alliance
Heike Henn, Government Germany
Natasha Kim, Government Canada
Angela Churie-Kallhauge, Environmental Defense Fund
Cristian Samper, Bezos Earth Fund
Pavan Sukhdev
Role of Grasslands, Savannahs and Rangelands” (Target 2, Target 11)
A discussion on the vital importance of our most important environmental asset: Soil. The session discussed how to increase soil health and biodiversity, increase carbon storage, restore degraded lands and with them biodiversity and highlight the importance of the often overlooked grassland, rangeland and savannah ecosystems.
Moderation: Melissa Ho, WWF
Nigel Dudley, Equilibrium Research
Monica Kobayashi, UNCBD
Sasha Alexander, UNCCD
Maria Jose Villanueva, WWF
Carlo Fadda, CGIAR/Alliance
Andy Jarvis, Bezos Earth Fund
Ian Dunn, Plantlife
TRANSFORMING AQUATIC AND TERRESTRIAL FOOD SYSTEMS TOGETHER IN THE GBF & BEYOND
The way we produce our food on land and in the water is driving biodiversity loss. Agriculture threatens 86% of species at risk of extinction, and fishing is the largest driver of biodiversity loss in marine ecosystems. This crisis will only be solved if food systems are profoundly transformed. This session focused on opportunities to support resilient, agroecological and biodiversity-rich food systems from land to sea through the new Global Biodiversity Framework.
Moderation: Lauren Baker, GA
Georgina Catacora-Vargas (Latin American Scientific Society of Agroecology (SOCLA)
Tom Grasso, Environmental Defense Fund
Mariann Bassey, Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA), Nigeria
Monique Barreto Galvao, Fish Forever VP Brazil
Janie Rioux, IFAD
Indigenous and local women as stewards of land and food sovereignty
While Indigenous and local women are the stewards of land and biodiversity they are also paying the highest costs of climate change and biodiversity loss, and their tenure rights are highly fragile.
Moderation: David Betge, TMG
Shruti Ajit, Women4Biodiversity
Nadine Azzu, IFAD
Marlene Elias, CGIAR/Alliance
Milka Chepkorir, ICCA Consortium
Cristiane Julião, Global Alliance of territorial communities
Sivaja Nair, ICSF
How to implement food-related targets of the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework
This session highlighted successful practices from around the world that use food systems as a pathway to support countries in meeting food-related targets of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.
Stefan Schmitz, Croptrust
Cristina Eghenter, WWF
Carlo Fadda, CGIAR/Alliance
Marieta Sakalian, UNEP
Juan Lucas Restrepo, CGIAR/Alliance
Scaling demand side actions to spur a radical transformation of our food system
The consumer has the most power to affect dietary shifts and reductions in food loss and waste, both of which are necessary global enablers to allow widespread adoption of nature-positive farming without increasing the pressure to convert natural land. This side event will explore the tremendous Power of the Consumer and the enabling conditions necessary to radically scale this power.
Moderation: Brent Loken – WWF
Geneviève Parent - Laval University
Lasse Bruun - UN Foundation
Philip Loring - Arrell Food Institute
Akanksha Khatri - WEF
Diane Holdorf -WBCSD
Aligning agricultural subsidies with nature and biodiversity goals: Shifting the trillions towards a nature positive economy
Across sectors the world is spending at least $1.8 trillion a year on subsidies that drive the destruction of ecosystems. The panel brougth together experts from the world of finance and investment, academic, civil society groups and youth to discuss how we can drive change to repurpose agricultural subsidies to protect the ecosystems we rely on for food, livelihoods and for our economy.
Moderator: Helena Wright, FAIRR
Tony Juniper, Natural England
David Bennell, TIFS
Alexander Burr, Legal and General Investment Management
Eliane Ubalijoro, Sustainability in the Digital Age
Doreen Robinson, UNEP
Joao Campari,WWF
From Ambition to Action: Scaling nature positive food systems by 2030
This session deep-dived into the role of agri-food companies in scaling nature-positive food systems through the implementation of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. D
Moderation: Diane Holdorf, WBCSD
Brian Kernohan, Manulife
Fran Price, WWF
Anke Kwast, Yara
Niki King, Unilever
Farmer representative
Lord Benyon, Minister for Biosecurity, Marine and Rural Affairs United Kingdom
Outside of the formal negotiations, COP15 features the Rio Conventions Pavilion, Business Forum, Gender Caucus, Youth Forum, as well as interactive dialogues and high-level roundtables that bring together stakeholders from public and private sectors, civil society and academia to find solutions to some of the most pressing environmental problems we face today.
The conference also hosted a Nature Positive Pavilion.
8/12 Domestication of Forest plants from Taï National Park (IOPC)
Bioclimatic approach for a sustainable culture of forest plants for domestic use for local populations in Côte d'Ivoire (Initiatives on the outskirts of the Taï National Park). With an area of 536,000 ha, the Taï National Park forms with the N'ZO reserve, one of the largest expanses of primary tropical forest under strict protection in the West African zone. Managers face enormous challenges related to agricultural expansion (cocoa, rubber and oil palm) and the scarcity of utilitarian forest products valued by the populations in its periphery. To overcome this scourge, the domestication of certain popular forest plants has emerged as a viable and sustainable alternative for both the park and the surrounding communities.
Adama Tondossama: is a specialist in the management of protected areas and Director General of the Ivorian Office of Parks and Reserves since 2011. He was previously Director of the Taï National Park for 7 years and succeeded in setting up innovative solutions for management of this protected area.
Bertille Mayen is a lawyer, specialist in the governance of natural resources and public policies. She has coordinated initiatives in the field of biodiversity conservation of cross-border landscapes in Central and West Africa. Within GIZ Côte d'Ivoire, she works to improve the management effectiveness of the protected areas in the Tai-Grebo Krahn-Sapo transboundary Complex situated in Liberia and Côte d'Ivoire.
Ambroise N'Koh: has been awarded in 2019 one of the 20 prestigious “International Cocoa Awards” from the Cocoa of Excellence Programme. They honour the best cocoa in the world and are celebrated at the Paris Salon du Chocolat. Ambroise stopped using chemicals on his plantation many years ago.
Abdoulaye Diarassouba: is an Expert in the management of protected areas and the Director of the Taï National Park since 2012. He has successfully led agroforestry programs for the benefit of local populations with the support of various partners (donors, Universities and framing structures).
Issa Diarrassouba: is a Forestry Engineer with over 15 years of relevant professional experience in planning, management and monitoring-evaluation. He contributed to the development of the master plan for the protected areas of Côte d'Ivore and the adoption of a dozen participatory management plans for protected areas
08/12 Atewa Forest, Ghana, and Nature-Based Solutions for critical public goods (A Rocha Ghana)
Atewa Forest – an upland forest critical for biodiversity and ecosystem services – is threatened by illegal mining, logging and farming, and now the government’s plans to mine bauxite on its mountaintops. There are many options for ensuring financial and community benefits without causing irreversible damage. This can be achieved through state-financed green development projects such as ecotourism, sustainable harvesting of NTFPs and botanicals, agroforestry with tree crops around the forest, emissions reductions projects, and others. This session will present the case of Atewa Forest and promote participant discussion of opportunities, ideas, and innovations for green finance and sustainable development pathways in highly biodiverse forests.
Dr Seth Appiah-Kubi: National Director of A Rocha Ghana. He has served on both national and international conservation committees, platforms and forums dealing in various conservation protocols.
09/12 09/12 Our Climate's Secret Ally: Uncovering the story of nature in the IPCC 6th Assessment Report (WWF)
In this event WWF brought to life the latest IPCC science on climate and nature. The panelists explored some of the key messages of its newly published report, and what they mean for how we approach the nature and climate crises.
Virginia Young, IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA), Member of its Specialist Group on Climate Change and its Task force on Primary Forests
Prof. Dr. Josef Settele, IPBES Secretariat, affiliated with Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ
Prof Dr Andreas Fischlin, IPCC Vice-Chair WGII
Manuel Pulgar Vidal, Global leader of Climate & Energy at WWF and interim chair of the IUCN Climate Crisis Commission
09/12 Science Basis for a Nature and People Positive World (Earth Commission)
Despite decades of conservation efforts, biodiversity decline continues. What are the missing pieces? The Earth Commission introduces the concept of safe and just Earth system boundaries as a possible solution. The Earth Commission is defining safe and just boundaries to underpin science-based targets for nature (such as those being developed by the Science Based Targets Network). A novelty is that justice is integral to this framework. Panelists introduced what this means for biodiversity, as well as science syntheses from GEOBON and Future Earth.
The importance of both Nature and People positive narratives were highlighted, including six components that may deliver the GBF: 1) reversing drivers of decline; 2) halting biodiversity loss and initiating restoration; 3) regenerating ecosystems; 4) raising minimum wellbeing and distributing responsibilities equitably; 5) eliminating overconsumption; and 6) respecting the rights of all communities, present and future.
David Obura: Director of CORDIO East Africa (Kenya), focusing on research and conservation of coral reefs in the context of climate change in the Western Indian Ocean. David Obura is now turning towards science-policy engagement from local to global levels, including with African and regional bodies, IPBES, and the Earth Commission.
Diana Liverman: Regents Professor Emerita. Diana Liverman focuses on the human dimensions of global environmental change. including climate impacts, vulnerability and adaptation, and climate policy and mitigation especially in the developing world. She is co-leading the the justice and transformations work streams of the Earth Commission.
Paul Leadley: Professor Paul Leadley's research focuses on the impacts of global change on ecosystem functioning and the interactions between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. He co-led the development of science briefs from GEOBON and BioDISCOVERY.
Varsha Viyay: PhD and Technical Director, Science Based Targets Network (SBTN). As Technical Director at SBTN, Varsha provides strategic oversight and leads the development of methods, tools, and guidance companies can use to set SBTs for nature for all key pressure categories. Outside of SBTN, Varsha’s research focuses on global biodiversity and anthropogenic land use using a socio-ecological systems perspective.
Resources:
The bioDISCOVERY programme of Future Earth and the Secretariat of the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON), convened a group of experts to prepare six briefs to provide scientific support for the negotiations of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework (GBF) at the fourth meeting of the Working Group on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework in Nairobi, from 21 to 26 June 2022.
The following 8 briefs aim to provide an updated assessment and recommendations for select targets and goals of the GBF, as well as the monitoring framework.
11/12 Shared spaces approaches to a nature and people positive future (CORDIO East Africa)
This ‘people positive, nature positive’ approach will help countries and actors implement multiple targets of the GBF, focused on local needs and agency by communities, stakeholders and local governments
12/12 Agri-business supply chains and biodiversity conservation and restoration
There is an increasing need for agri-businesses to understand how their supply chains depend upon and simultaneously impact biodiversity. Agribusinesses are also increasingly interested in engaging in conservation and restoration activities. This event presented innovative tools that are used by agribusinesses to understand biodiversity in the landscapes they source products from and examples of restoring and conserving biodiversity in agribusiness supply chains. It showcased some examples of work between IUCN and agribusinesses using these tools.
13/12 Regenerative Agriculture: Achieving Biodiversity Targets in Textiles and Apparel (Textile Exchange)
Sharing successes and lessons learned on how regenerative agriculture is helping to drive outcomes towards meeting the targets of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.
13/12 Science-based targets for nature: enabling corporate action (SBTN)
Leading companies shared their insights as they prepare to set science-based targets for nature; a critical lever to taking corporate action in support of the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Erin Billman has over 20 years of experience in the private and non-profit sectors. She has focused her career on working with organizations to best steward the natural world as a strategy toward long-term success. Erin has led the Science Based Targets Network since its launch in 2020.
Varsha Vijay: Dr. Varsha Vijay is a quantitative scientist with expertise across biodiversity, land, data/modelling, monitoring and corporate supply chains.
David Obdura: PhD and Director of CORDIO East Africa (Kenya), focusing on research and conservation of coral reefs in the context of climate change in the Western Indian Ocean. David Obura is now turning towards science-policy engagement from local to global levels, including with IPBES, the Earth Commission and other bodies.
Eva De Keyser, Sr Sustainability Manager Plant-Based Europe, Alpro:
Nadine McCormick, Nature Lead, WBCSD: a global, CEO-led organization of over 200 leading businesses on sustainability.
Perspectives from different institutions in search of ways to harness the power of regenerative agriculture's multifunctional benefits for soil health, carbon capture, water quality, and biodiversity conservation.
Alan Martinez, Cornell University (Moderator)
Bas Rüter, Rabobank
Romie Goedicke, UN Environment Program
Mary Beth Gallagher, Domini Impact Investments LLC / Finance for Biodiversity Foundation
Elisa Vacherand, World Wildlife Fund International
13/12 Agriculture in the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (WBCSD, IUCN)
This session explored the success factors needed to accelerate business action towards an inclusive and farmer-centric transformation of the agriculture value chains. Practical examples were presented from business representatives, farmers and other key actors in the agriculture value chain, on the way they are shifting action towards more sustainable agricultural models while contributing to the implementation of the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (target 3, 10, and others).
Tim Lee, Director Sustainability & Responsibility, Pernod Ricard North America
14/02 Scaling corporate support for convergence actions on nature positive ambitions in Africa (NFC)
Africa presents the largest restoration opportunity among all continents – with more than 700 million hectares of degraded landscapes that can be restored. There are emerging opportunities to help accelerate restoration and conservation efforts in Africa. This session discussed how the private sector and corporate organisations whose businesses are negatively affected by the various environmental crisis and challenges, could scale up support for convergence actions on nature positive ambitions in Africa.
Mr. Martin Harper: Regional Director, Europe, and Central Asia, BirdLife International.
Dr Eugene Itua: CEO, Natural Eco Capital
Dr Joseph Onoja: Director General, Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF)
Indekhwa Anangwe: Senior Program Design Officer, African Wildlife Foundation (AWF)
15/12 Nature-Positive Infrastructure Financing: The Role of Multilateral Development Banks
MDBs discussed on how to effectively incentivize infrastructure investment that maximizes social objectives and enhances biodiversity – at the speed and scale the world needs. Panelists explored effective incentives for infrastructure investment that maximizes social objectives while enhancing positive outcomes for biodiversity.
Christine Mwangi: Ms. Mwangi, CFA, is Regional Coordinator of the Africa Sustainable Investments and Infrastructure Programme at WWF-Kenya. She is a Sustainable Finance professional passionate about sharing and advancing her knowledge on optimal blended utilization of natural and financial capital to support development of nature-positive infrastructure in Africa through policy, advocacy and innovation.
Juan Pablo Bonilla: Dr. Bonilla is Manager of Inter-American Development Bank’s (IDB) Climate Change and Sustainable Development Sector and was Chief of Staff to the Executive Vice President. Previously he was on the UN Clean Development Mechanism Executive Board and in Colombia, was principal advisor to the Vice President, Deputy Minister of Environment, and acting Minister of Environment, Housing and Territorial Development.
Adonai Herrera-Martínez: Dr. Herrera-Martínez is the Director of European Bank for Reconstruction and Development's (EBRD) Environment and Sustainability Department and leads the team determining the Paris alignment and green finance attribution, monitoring and reporting for the Bank. Prior to this, he coordinated sustainable energy activities for EBRD in Turkey.
Dr. Valerie Hickey: Ms. Hickey is the Global Director for Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy at the World Bank
Eva Mayerhofer: Ms. Mayerhofer is Head of European Investment Bank's (EIB) Environment Policy Unit in the Sustainability and Quality Management Department and Lead Biodiversity Specialist. She has over 20 years of experience in environmental impact assessment, natural resource management and biodiversity conservation across Europe, Asia, the Pacific, and Africa.
Francesco Riccardi: Dr. Ricciardi is a Senior Environment Specialist at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) with over 12 years of experience in Europe, Asia and South America working on environment and ecology, including renewable energy plants, large coastal infrastructure projects, and natural resources development and protection.
Vanessa Ushie: Dr. Ushie is Acting Director of African Development Bank Group's (AfDB) African Natural Resources Management and Investment Centre. She oversees their policy work and interventions on the management of natural resources for sustainable development and serves as Manager of the Centre’s Policy Analysis Division, leading economic and policy analyses on natural resource management.
