One Planet Network’s Sustainable Food Systems Conference

27-29 May 2025. Brasilia, Brazil. With its 5th global conference, the One Planet Network’s Sustainable Food Systems Programme intended to make a substantial contribution to inspire and encourage policymakers to take bold decisions in the key policy fora in 2025, such as the UNFSS+4 Stocktaking Moment and UNFCCC COP30.

The main theme was: "Overcoming the Barriers to Food Systems Transformation - Coherent Policies and Equity-sensitive Solutions to Simultaneously Fight Hunger and Malnutrition, Biodiversity Loss and the Climate Crisis".

• Download the conference brief
• Download the programme # 9 pp

This conference showcased concrete solutions, policies and actions to address political economy barriers at the intersection of food systems, nutrition, climate, biodiversity, livelihoods, equality and other related policy agendas, that can be adapted and replicated in different contexts.

Day 1

Plenary Session 2: Systems-based and equity-driven strategies to address political economy dynamics

• H.E. José Wellington Barroso de Araújo Dias, Minister for Social Development and Assistance, Family and Fight Against Hunger, Brazil
• H.E. Christian Hofer, State Secretary for Agriculture, Switzerland
• H.E. Henry Musa Kpaka, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sierra Leone
• H.E. Paul Gulleik Larsen, Ambassador-at-large & Special Envoy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway
• H.E. Ambassador Nosipho Nausca-Jean Jezile, Chairperson, UN Committee on World Food Security
• Joao Campari, Global Leader, Food & Agriculture Practice, WWF International
• Myrna Cunningham, President, Center for Autonomy and Development of Indigenous Peoples
• Arilson Favareto, Full Professor of the Josué de Castro Chair of Healthy and Sustainable Food Systems, University of São Paulo
• Adriana Lobo Castellón, Head of the International Cooperation Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Costa Rica
• Elisabetta Recine, Former President, National Food and Nutrition Security Council (CONSEA) of Brazil, member of IPES-Food
• Máximo Torero Cullen, Chief Economist, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
• Walter Belik, Professor, University of Campinas in São Paulo
• Chris Béné, Senior Policy Advisor and Principal Scientist, Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)
• Diva Dessai, Influencing Manager & Senior Policy Advisor (Nutrition and Food Systems), GAIN Mozambique Samuel Jose Hino, Thematic Focal Point of Green Economy and Resources, Children and Youth Major Group to UNEP
• Yessika Hoyos, Member of CAJAR, José Alvear Restrepo Lawyers’ Collective (CAJAR)
• James Leslie, Global Programme Manager, Food Systems, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
• Rodrigo Orair, Director, Extraordinary Secretary for Tax Reform, Ministry of Finance, Brazil

Solutions Workshop 1: Addressing trade-offs and maximizing co-benefits

• José Graziano da Silva, Director, Instituto Fome Zero (IFZ)
• Lee Ann Jackson, Head of the Agro-Food Trade and Markets Division, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
• Allison Loconto, Research Professor, INRAE
• Bakari Mongo, CEO, Tanzanian Organic Agriculture Movement (TOAM)
• Tebila Nakelse, Research Professor, Virginia Tech
• Balance Phala, Sustainable Food Systems Officer, ICLEI
• Juliana Tangari, Director, Comida do Amanhã Institute

Solutions Workshop 2: Leveraging the power of social protection, food procurement and school
meals for improved farmer livelihoods, healthy diets, climate and biodiversity

• Betina Bergmann Madsen, Chief Procurement Officer, Municipality of Copenhagen
• Marcos Vinicius Dias Nunes, Vice President and Secretary of International Relations, National Confederation of Rural Family Farmers – CONTAG
• Amos Laar, Professor of Public Health Nutrition, University of Ghana
• Renata Mainenti Gomes, Coordinator, National Fund for Educational Development, Brazil
• Nguyen Thi Ngoc Huyen, Youth sustainability advocate and social entrepreneur, Children and Youth Major Group to UNEP
• Angie Katherine Roncancio Sánchez, Environmental Administrator, Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, Colombia
• Luana Swensson, Policy specialist for sustainable public procurement, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
• Ana Terra Reis, Secretary of Supply, Cooperativism and Food Sovereignty, Ministry of Agrarian Development and Family Farming, Brazil
• Najla Veloso, Executive Secretary, Latin American Sustainable School Feeding Network (RAES), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
• Anthony Wenndt, Technical Officer, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)

Day 2

Plenary Session 3: Convergence and coherence: aligning policies and actions on climate, biodiversity, inequalities and nutrition through the food systems nexus

• Karima Ahmed Al-Hada’a, Planning & Liaison Specialist, Ministry of Planning & International Cooperation, Yemen
• Cherrie Atilano, Founder and CEO, AGREA Agricultural Systems International
• Patrick Caron, Researcher, CIRAD
• Agnes Kirabo, Executive Director, Food Rights Alliance & Chairperson, Scaling Up Nutrition Civil Society Network in Uganda
• Alwin Kopše, National Convenor, Head of International Affairs, Federal Office for Agriculture, Switzerland
• David Nabarro, Strategic Director, 4SD Foundation
• Lilian Rahal, Secretary of Food and Nutrition Security at the Ministry of Development and Social Assistance, Family, and the Fight Against Hunger, Brazil
• Jose Valls Bedeau, Policy Officer, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Solutions Workshop 3: Scaling Finance for NBSAPs and NDCS towards Food Systems Transformation: Exploring Solutions from the Global North & South

• H.E. Christian Hofer, State Secretary for Agriculture, Switzerland
• H.E. Henry Musa Kpaka, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sierra Leone
• Haseeb Bakhtary, Lead Scientist, Climate Focus
• Oliver Camp, Environment and Food Systems Advocacy Advisor, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)
• Joao Campari, Global Leader, Food & Agriculture Practice, WWF International
• Tereza Campello, Socio-environmental Director, Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social (BNDES)
• Wendy Francesconi, Senior Scientist, Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)
• Adriana Lobo Castellón, Head of the International Cooperation Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Costa Rica
• Liban Mahad Abdullahi, Green Economy and Resources Working Group, Thematic Facilitator, Children and Youth Major Group to UNEP
• Gonzalo Muñoz, High-level Champion, Ambition Loop • Orsayla Nyarai, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
• Maya Rajasekharan, Managing Director for the Americas, Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT and Director General CIAT

Solutions Workshop 4: Multi-stakeholder Mechanisms for Food Systems Transformation

• Tulsi Giri, Co-creator of Food Networks and Social Entrepreneur, Food Networks
• Ceres Hadich, National Coordinator, Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais sem Terra (MST)
• Agnes Kirabo, Executive Director, Food Rights Alliance & Chairperson, Scaling Up Nutrition Civil Society Network in Uganda
• Alwin Kopše, National Convenor, Head of International Affairs, Federal Office for Agriculture, Switzerland
• Beatriz Martins Carneiro, Food Systems Coordinator, Regional Office LAC, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
• Elisabetta Recine, former President, National Food and Nutrition Security Council (CONSEA) of Brazil, member of IPES-Food
• Ana Maria Suarez Franco, Secretary General, FIAN International
• Jose Valls Bedeau, Policy Officer, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
• Anthony Wenndt, Social Protection Lead, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)

Day 3

Plenary Session 4: Measuring progress and promoting accountability mechanisms for food systems transformation Solutions Workshop 5: Linking food systems policies with biodiversity, nutrition and climate

• Abdoulaye Falla, Director of Statistics of the Ministry of Agriculture, Niger • Alejandro Guarin, Food Systems Transformation Lead, World Benchmarking Alliance 
• Thin Lei Win, Journalist, Lead Reporter for the Food Systems Newsroom of Lighthouse Reports & Thin Ink 
• Hugo Melgar-Quiñonez, Associate Professor, McGill University 
• Stella Nordhagen, Research Lead, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) 
• Sergio Schneider, Full Professor of Sociology of Rural Development and Food Studies, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul 
• Maria Siqueira, Director, Pact Against Hunger 

Solutions Workshop 5: Linking food systems policies with biodiversity, nutrition and climate

• Bambot Grace Annih, National Convenor, Secretary General, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
• Oliver Camp, Environment and Food Systems Advocacy Advisor, GAIN
• Maria Verônica de Santana, Northeastern Rural Worker’s Movement (MMTR-NE), Brazil
• Patricia Gentil, Director of Ministry of Social Development, Family, and the Fight Against Hunger (MDS)
• Karla Vanessa González Moreno, Farmer and active member of the Chamber of Livestock Producers of Nandayure, Costa Rica
• Alwin Kopše, National Convenor, Head of International Affairs, Federal Office for Agriculture, Switzerland
• David Nabarro, Strategic Director, 4SD Foundation 
• Elisabetta Recine, former President, National Food and Nutrition Security Council (CONSEA) of Brazil, member of IPES-Food
• Fredrick Edward Walugembe, Chairperson, National Food Systems Coordination Committee, Uganda
• Truong Tuyet Mai, Food Systems National Convenor for Viet Nam & Vice- Director of the National Institute of Nutrition, Ministry of Health, Viet Nam
• Eduardo Sfoglia, Head of International Advisory Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Brazil
• João Paulo Pucciariello Perez, Executive Secretary for Food Security and Sustainability, Municipality of Osasco, State of Sao Paulo
  

Key Themes and Outcomes

1. Addressing Political Economy Barriers. Participants examined how entrenched power structures, policy lock-ins, and geopolitical tensions hinder the implementation of sustainable food systems. The conference emphasized the need for equity-sensitive solutions that address these challenges, including adopting a Right to Food approach and promoting coherent implementation of nutrition, climate, biodiversity, and other relevant commitments. 
2. Promoting Policy Coherence and Integration. The conference highlighted the importance of aligning policies across sectors to simultaneously address hunger, malnutrition, biodiversity loss, and the climate crisis. It showcased concrete solutions, policies, and actions that can be adapted and replicated in different contexts to achieve this integration. 
3. Strengthening Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration. Recognizing that food systems transformation is a whole-of-society task, the conference called for meaningful, inclusive, and cross-sectoral collaboration at all levels. It provided a platform for diverse stakeholders to share experiences and deepen their collective efforts towards more equitable and sustainable food systems pathways. 
4. Informing Global Policy Processes. Outcomes from the conference are intended to inform global food systems efforts in upcoming policy forums, including the UNFSS+4 Stocktaking Moment and UNFCCC COP30. The conference aimed to inspire and encourage policymakers to take bold decisions in these key policy fora in 2025.

One Planet Network’s Sustainable Food Systems Programme

The SFS Programme is a multi-actor partnership focused on catalyzing urgent transformation towards sustainable food systems, as a critical strategy to achieve the SDGs. Through a shared vision of inclusive, diverse, resilient, healthy and sustainable food systems, our partners collaborate on joint on-the-ground activities, research initiatives and advocacy efforts in support of more coherent and holistic policies to address complex food systems challenges. To do this, the SFS Programme promotes a ‘systems-based’ approach. The SFS Programme currently has over 200 members worldwide, bringing together leading organizations from government, the UN system, civil society, farmers and fisherfolk, the scientific community, and private sector.

Boosting biodiversity through agroecology

Global Alliance for the Future of Food, Biovision Foundation, WWF International, Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture, and the Agroecology Coalition. Boosting Biodiversity Through Agroecology: Guidance for Developing and Updating National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans # 76 pp.

Integrating agroecology into National Biodiversity Strategies and Actions Plans (NBSAPs) is an opportunity to address biodiversity while simultaneously advancing other international targets, including those related to climate change, desertification, disaster risk reduction, combating hunger, reducing poverty, health and nutrition.

This document provides guidance for integrating agroecology and food systems into the development and implementation of NBSAPs in alignment with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).

Agroecology, Organic, Regenerative, Nature-based A conversation on food systems sustainability framings

3 September 2024. 02:00 CEST Agroecology, Organic, Regenerative, Nature-based A conversation on food systems sustainability framings

See also on LinkedIn

Sustainable”, “organic”, “agroecological”, “nature-based”, “regenerative” are increasingly being discussed in the context of food systems. 

• What are the differences and synergies between these concepts and frameworks, and how can they contribute to transforming our food systems? 
• Register here 

Speakers:

• Fergus Sinclair, Director of Agroecology, CIFOR-ICRAF & Transformative Partnership Platform on Agroecology
• Ercilia Sahores, Founding Member and Latin America Director, Regeneration International
• Choitresh (Bablu) Ganguly, Board Member, IFOAM - Organics International
• Natasja Oerlemans, Head of Food team, WWF Netherlands
• Moderated by Esther Kagai, Director, Cshep Kenya

The Montpellier Process: Pooling Collective Intelligence

19–20 March 2024. Montpellier. The Montpellier Process: Pooling Collective Intelligence

This event gathered 200-300 selected individuals from scientific and policy domains, focusing on intentional, diverse representation. It seeks to identify and agree on a joint roadmap. The gathering’s program was structured into three key sessions:

1. Knowledge: Sharing expert panels’ ambitions, challenges, and demands.
2. Intelligence: Interactive discussion on moving beyond fragmented intelligence.
3. Action: Developing a joint roadmap for pooling collective intelligence.

The Montpellier process was launched by CGIAR and the Montpellier scientific communities. It is a collectively owned and safe working space for  pooling collective intelligence, promoting a connective tissue across local,  national and global expertise where science, policy and action can interact. 

Objectives:

• Prepare joint messaging from global scientific communities calling for pooling collective intelligence across the International Panels and Science-Policy Interfaces to effectively address the polycrisis and related challenges.
• Facilitate and activate connection and cooperation across International Panels and a diversity of science-policy interfaces, including cross feedback on reports, alignment on definitions, collective working groups, data-sharing, and joint reporting.
• Support learning communities of practice optimizing collective expertise, including both academic, local and indigenous knowledge, and science-policy interfaces at local, national and international levels and across scales, i.e. mobilizing global expert panels’ knowledge for action at local and national levels and local knowledge at national and global scales.
  
• Define how this community can better align and coordinate its collaboration to contribute to the UN International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development 2024-2033 and in global fora such as CFS and UN Conventions COPs.
• Increase the representation and participation of actors from the Global South and of multiple and diverse scientific disciplines and knowledge systems, notably indigenous and local knowledge and those of marginalized communities, to ensure that their voices, perspectives and realities are included. 

Taken together, these actions, when supported by the Montpellier Process, provide real potential to translate Expert Panels recommendations into credible and scalable action.

Download the concept note – PDF 11 Mo # 5 p.

Extracts of the program:

18/03 Day 0 From Raising the Alarm to Saving the Planet: Science
Mobilizes 

(recording forthcoming)

• 
  Carlos ALVAREZ PEREIRA, Secretary General of The Club of Rome
• Akiko Suwa-Eisenmann, Chair of the High-Level Panel of Experts of the United Nations Committee on World Food Security (HLPE-FSN) - Exchange: How to make scientific knowledge
  “actionable”? 
  
• Thomas Mettenleiter, Co-Chairman of the One Health High Level Expert Group (OHHLEP) - Health and sustainable development - Food and sustainable development
• 
  Sandra Diaz, professor of ecology and one of the world’s top 1% researchers - Biodiversity and sustainable development
• Heide Hackmann, co-chair of a recent UN report on the links between climate change and the SDGs - Climate and sustainable development
• Elisabeth Claverie de Saint- MARTIN, President and CEO of CIRAD - Strengthening the interface between science and policy
• Conclusion: Lindiwe Sibanda, CGIAR System Board Chair 

19/03 Day 1 From Knowledge to intelligence

Open & Welcome:

• Philippe Augé, President of the University Montpellier
• Lindiwe Sibanda, Chair of the CGIAR System Board
• Michaël Delafosse, President of Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole
• Jalil Benabdillah, Vice-president of Occitanie Region in charge of Economy, Employment, Innovation and Reindustrialization

Context, ambition and tone setting:

Pooling Collective Intelligence for Action: the ambition / The challenge: building a connecting tissue across sectors, across scales and across knowledge systems

• Patrick Caron CGIAR System Board Vice Chair 
• Fabrice DeClerck
• Amanda Harding 

The Framing: a common starting point and shared ambition 

Panel 1 Why knowledge makes a difference but still fails to meet the challenges of the Global South and raise Global South voices: role of science and diverse knowledge systems.

• Moderator: Heide Hackmann Hackmann (University of Pretoria, South Africa)
• Ibrahim Assane Mayaki (African Union Special Envoy for Food Systems)
• Elisabeth Claverie de Saint Martin (CIRAD)
• Sandra Diaz (Conicet, Argentina)

Panel 2 Pooling collective intelligence: a disruptive imperative for transition, transformation, change and revolution a mixed panel of leading scientists and policy makers exploring the future looking PCI possibilities.

• Moderator: Gerda Verburg
• Denis Naughten (Inter-Parliamentary Union Science and Tech Working Group, Geneva)
• Mamphela Ramphele (Club de Rome)
• 
  Stefanos Fotiou (Director, UN Food Systems Coordination Hub)
  
• Mercy Orina (University of Nairobi) 
• Jonathan Vivas Aragon (Michigan State University)
• Preetmoninder Lidder (FAO) : The assets we have: expert intervention mapping science-policy-society interfaces (SPI) principles for collaboration, existing collaboration, and typologies
• Jim Skea (IPCC) -  Orientation
• David Obura (IPBES) -  Orientation

Interactive Fish Bowl
What is it going to take for collaboration across institutions scales, sectors, actors and knowledge systems to really move the dial on effective science-policy-society interfaces. What have we learnt so far, where can we do better and what does success actually look like? Expectations, barriers and enablers for cooperation and collaboration across scales, sectors, actors and knowledge systems… Crossing perspectives from civil society, government, UN bodies, private sector, and others.

• Moderator: Cargele Masso (CGIAR) Director, Environmental Health and Biodiversity Impact Area Platform
• Ajay Jakhar (BKS India)
• Barbara Burlingame (UN Food systems hub / SAC)
• Francisco Rosado-May (Universidad Intercultural Maya)
• Joao Campari (WWF)

Parallel working session #1
WHAT is working and not working in local/national spaces key to food systems transformation

Context, ambition and tone setting: Real life Use Case experiences integrating knowledge and action across scales, sectors and knowledge systems. Exploring expectations, barriers and enablers for cooperation and collaboration across scales, sectors, actors and knowledge systems. Topics illustrated by living use cases anchored in local and national action areas, where
knowledge communities are collaborating to strengthen real-life impact.

• National food system transformation pathways: Mexico, Vietnam
• 
  National food system transformation pathways: Cambodia, Switzerland
• City food systems transformation: São Paulo, Montpellier
• Socio-ecological landscapes/territories: Occitanie (France),Tunisia (Pacte Project)
• Trade policy: OECD
• Consumers/citizens agency and action: Kenya, Costa Rica

Parallel working session #2
HOW knowledge systems integrate, contribute and participate. Building on the Use Cases to align on conditions and levers to catalyze the integration and use of knowledge across sectors, scale and knowledge systems, strengthening science-policy-society interfaces. Paying attention to ensure coherence across scales; capacity to assess collective cross-scale knowledge for agrifood systems transformation; data, information, and knowledge flows for learning across scales; coordination with Science-Policy Interfaces at all relevant scales.

20/03 Day 2 Interfaces in action: listening, challenging, committing

• Juan Lucas Restrepo, Global Director of Partnerships and Advocacy - Forward-looking actions for interrogation and commitment 
• Ismahane Elouafi, Executive Managing Director - Wrap-up and commitments

Designing connections and proposing actions for more effective decision making across models, scientific communities, scientists and decision makers, sectors.

PCI4A Champions:

• Jim Woodhill (Foresight4Food)
• Elen Lemaitre-Curri (CIHEAM)
• Sebastien Treyer (IDDRI)
• Sylvie Avallone (Institut Agro)
• Eric Welch (ASU)
• Raina Plowright (Univ. Cornell)

Curators: 

• LeeAnne Jackson (OECD)
• Bill Moseley (Macalester College)
• Selim Louafi (CIRAD)
• Renaud dePlaan (IDRC)
• Hugo Rivera-Mendoza (Expertise France)
• Vanessa McBride (ISC)

Taking pooling collective intelligence to action Focus on options, proposals and their implications for pooling collective intelligence for action: key actions harvested from previous working sessions

Pitch & Panel #1

• Moderator: Jean-François Soussana (INRAE)
• Carlos Alvarez Pereira (Club of Rome)
• Cromwell Lukorito (IPCC)
• Karen Fabbri (European Commission)
• Patrick Okori (RUFORUM)
• Thomas Mettenleiter (OHHLEP)
• Jean-Luc Chotte (IRD)

Pitch & Panel #2

• Moderator: Joao Campari (WWF)
• Aggrey Agumya (FARA)
• Akiko Suwa-Eisenmann (HLPE-FSN)
• Belinda Reyers (University of Pretoria)
• Jaime Montoya (ISG – GSDR2023)
• Juan Lucas Restrepo (CGIAR)
• Ankitha Manohar (University of Leeds)
• Rodney Asilla (University of Pretoria)

Refining the Expert Panels and Science-Policy Interfaces joint message and ambition narrative: towards the 2024-2033 International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development

• Patrick Caron & Fabrice DeClerck
• Wrap up by Francois Pierrot (University of Montpellier) & Ismahane Elouafi (CGIAR)

20/03 Side event: CULTIVATING HEALTH & FOOD SOVEREIGNTY: CROSSROADS FROM FARM TO FORK

Dialogue on food sovereignty and health. Together, let’s cultivate a sustainable vision of agriculture. A bridge between earth, plate and future.

Names and roles of stakeholders/partners :

• Cécile Berthouly, Director of Research in Plant Agrobiodiversity, Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD), DIADE
• Laurent Chevallier, doctor and nutritionist. Attached to the Montpellier University Hospital and in clinics.
• Adrien Kergueme, tractor-free intensive organic market gardener in Lecques (Gard)

COP28's Food Day

10 December 2023. COP28's Food Day highlighted the essential link between food systems and climate action, emphasizing diverse stakeholder involvement and urging private sector contributions to sustainable food systems.

The global recognition of food as a vital component in the fight against climate change is evident at COP28.. Acknowledging the indispensable role of farmers and Indigenous peoples in food system transformation, the recently signed Emirates Declaration on sustainable agriculture by 152 countries marks a significant achievement.

10/12 AIM for Climate: Scaling Climate-Smart Agriculture and Food Systems Innovation

Key announcements on food systems transformation during Food, Agriculture and Water Day:

COP28's Food, Agriculture, and Water Day witnessed significant global initiatives addressing water scarcity and food security, notably the endorsement of the COP28 UAE Declaration on Agriculture, Food Systems, and Climate Action by 152 countries, mobilizing over $7.1 billion for climate-positive measures in the food sector.

The Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM4Climate) The Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM4Climate) announced an increased $3.4 billion in aggregated funding for climate-smart food systems and agriculture, as well as 27 new innovation sprints. Launched by the UAE and US at COP26, AIM4Climate has evolved into the largest advocacy and coordination platform for increased investment in dual climate-food investment. Philanthropic funders announced USD $389 million to support food producers and consumers. The funding will help to drive ambitious implementation of the objectives that leaders agreed in the Declaration. 

Technical Cooperation Collaborative (TCC) Building on a USD $200 million commitment from the COP28 Presidency and a group of international organizations and governments to support the TCC, Italy pledged a further commitment of up to EUR €10 million to be made available over the next two years, and the United Kingdom announced a new commitment of GBP 45 million over the next five years which will be channeled through the World Bank's Food Systems 2030 Trust Fund.

Food and Agriculture for Sustainable Transformation (FAST) Partnership Over 200 diverse non-State actors – including farmers, cities, businesses, financial institutions, civil society and philanthropies – have signed the Call to Action for Transforming Food Systems for People, Nature, and Climate
Convergence Initiative on Food Systems and Climate. This will support countries in their efforts to integrate agriculture and food systems into their climate action plans and help drive momentum towards the objectives of the Declaration. The initiative is supported by the UN/FAO Food Systems Coordination Hub. 

Agrifood Sharm-El Sheikh Support Program. FAO, the World Bank, CGIAR and IFAD announced the creation of the Agrifood Sharm-El Sheikh Support Program, a three-year program to facilitate dialogue and knowledgesharing amongst global and regional policymakers. The program aims to drive consensus within the UNFCCC process and ultimately enable countries and regions to unlock finance and support for farmers, food producers, small agribusinesses and local communities.

Food-Agri-Climate National Action Toolkit for National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and Nationally
Determined Contributions (NDCs) A taskforce comprised of the FAO, WWF, the NDC Partnership, Climate Focus and the Global Alliance for the Future of Food launched the Toolkit. Created in collaboration with the German government, the toolkit will provide guiding principles for governments to enhance their climate policy frameworks and represents a vital resource for countries as they implement the Declaration.  See also: WWF Pavilion at COP28

Alliance of Champions for Food Systems Transformation (ACF) A new coalition was formed by Brazil, Cambodia, Norway, Cambodia and Rwanda and Sierra Leone aimed at helping reorient policies, practices and investment priorities to deliver better food systems outcomes for people, nature and climate.

COP ministerial dialogue on building water-resilient food systems Ministers from more than 25 countries convened the first-ever COP ministerial dialogue on building water-resilient food systems, co-convened by the UAE and Brazil. A two-year partnership was also launched under the UNFCCC to assist countries with integrating water and food into their NDCs and NAP, targeting COP30, noting that agriculture accounts for 70 percent of freshwater consumption. 

Water and Climate-Resilient Infrastructure Investment Strategy USD $100 million was announced by Water Equity, raised as part of their Water and Climate-Resilient Infrastructure Investment Strategy.

Urban Water Catalyst Initiative (UWCI) At COP28, EUR 42 million in funding was announced for the UWCI including EUR 32 million from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and EUR 10 million from the Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Freshwater Challenge  Thirty-three countries signed up to The Freshwater Challenge, which aims to ensure 300,000 kilometers of degraded rivers and 350 million hectares of degraded wetlands are committed to restoration by 2030. Stuart Orr, WWF Freshwater Lead said: "the climate crisis is a water crisis and the COP28 Presidency has ensured that water is higher up the agenda than ever before. We urgently need to protect and restore our rivers, lakes and wetlands, which are central to mitigation and adaptation.”

NDC Partnership pavilion at COP 28

2 - 10 December 2023. NDC Partnership pavilion. The NDC Partnership brings together more than 200 members, including more than 120 countries, developed and developing, and more than 80 institutions to create and deliver on ambitious climate action that help achieve the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Extracts of the programme

03/12 Reflecting product energy efficiency in Sub-Saharan African countries’ NDCs

This event raised awareness on and discussed the opportunities resulting from reflecting product energy efficiency targets and policies in Sub-Saharan African countries’ NDCs.

It will showcase achievements in building vibrant markets for efficient products in the region, including the adoption of regionally harmonized and ambitious MEPS for lighting and cooling products by the SADC and EAC regions, one of other policies and activities, led by the Ministries of Energy, supported by the Energy Efficient Lighting and Appliances (EELA) project in East and Southern Africa, a project funded by the Government of Sweden through Sida, and implemented by UNIDO, EACREEE, and SACREEE, with SEA and CLASP as technical partners. The EELA project is planned to expand to the ECOWAS region in its second phase.

03/12 Neglected opportunities to implement NDCs in food systems: Incorporating youth employment and women’s empowerment in African countries

By Netherlands Development Organisation
Co-organized by: South South North (SSN), World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF), Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UNSDSN); Coalition for Action for Soil Health (CA4SH);

Youth and Gender are mentioned in three quarters of NDCs but many times it is a throwaway phrase and it doesn't have any meaningful implementation or money behind it! This event was a call to action for member states to pick up these and other neglected opportunities to transform Food Systems. The panel also explored entry points for local actors to ensure their role in the practical operationalization of NDCs. Recommendations included topics like soil health, sustainable livestock, youth employment, land tenure and women empowerment.

03/12 Pathways to Financing, Scaling & Accelerating NDC Ambitions in Energy & Food Systems

Organized by CGIAR and SNV, Netherlands, Kenya; Global Alliance for the Future of Food (GAFF), African Group of Negotiators Experts Support (AGNES), Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank (FMO), IKEA Foundation, Equity Bank, Rabobank, African Group of Negotiators Experts Support (AGNES) 

While it's clear from recent NDC reports on the urgency and importance of making our energy and food systems climate resilient, the pathway to financing, scaling and accelerating the transformation is not. This event highlighted two keynote speakers to present philanthropic and financing initiatives at the forefront of mobilizing investments for fossil-free, regenerative food systems and reducing food loss & waste that work for people and the planet. 

The Global Alliance for the Future of Food (GAFF) shared highlights from a new report, which maps how food and energy systems are intertwined, quantifies the fossil fuel dependency of food systems, and explained why these two systems are crucial to keeping global warming below 1.5C. FMO will underscore the Paris Agreement and food security connection, and share methodologies & current practices including the use of biowaste for energy generation to reduce food waste and reduce fossil fuel dependency. 

A high-level mixed panel of governments, commercial and equity banks, policymakers and agri-business representatives discussed some recommendations and advocate for policymakers and funders to collaborate more effectively across food and energy issues. Special attention was given to farmer-centric and inclusive approaches to regenerative food systems via a nexus approach that integrates the productive use of renewable energy.

04/12 Long-term Climate Vision and Development Strategies - Lessons from Senegal and Nigeria

Organized by Senegal and Nigeria, France (AFD)

The IPCC documents an increasing gap between current global greenhouse gas emissions and trajectories compatible with the 1.5°C goal in the Paris Agreement. The agreement proposes Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategies (LT-LEDS) as a key instrument to align national climate ambitions with the global climate goal, and the achievement of climate with national development goals. Only a few African countries have submitted LT-LEDS to-date. 

Going forward, LT-LEDS in African countries must align climate and development objectives by considering national circumstances and challenges, including low energy access, industrialization needs and high vulnerability to economic- and climate shocks and climate resilience. In the context of just transition, LT-V and LT-LEDS development requires a strong buy-in from national stakeholders, a policy-relevant degree of details on long-term priorities, and a nationally led and country owned process of elaboration. Building on lessons learnt in the ongoing project in Nigeria and Senegal, this event will discuss challenges with building LTV and LT-LEDS in an African context, and how to ensure that LTV and LT-LEDS can effectively support the achievement of climate and multi-scale development objectives. Furthermore, the event will also discuss how LTV and LT-LEDS can be useful in structuring international financial cooperation in support of its implementation.

• Senegal /Ministry of Environment, Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition. Madeleine DIOUF (MEDDTE); 
• Senegal/Ministry of Petroleum and Energy (MPE); 
• Nigeria/Ministry of Environment Nigeria (tbc);
• Senegal/Enda Energie (Samba FALL); 
• Nigeria/Centre for Climate Change and Development (CCD): Chukwumerije Okereke; 
• France/IDDRI; France/AFD; 2050 Platform Pathways

05/12 National actions for climate and food: Launch of new NDC guidance tool for Agriculture and Food Systems

By German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

This high-level side event officially launched the NDC guidance tool on agriculture and food systems. The tool offers guidance to policy makers and practitioners to support the implementation of policies, governance, and on the ground measures that enable systematic shifts in agriculture and food systems to meet NDC targets and enhance mitigation of GHG in the food sector.

  

09/12 Unlocking Quality Climate Finance for Agrifood Systems

Organized by FAO

Recent analysis show that Agrifood systems receive only 4.3% of total climate finance despite being responsible for up to 37% of global GHG emissions. As collective efforts are redefining the financial goal to support the achievement of targets at country level, it is crucial that climate finance takes into consideration not only the quantity but also the quality of its investments. The event explored the importance and impact of putting in place proper knowledge sharing and capacity building activities to enhance access to finance to the most vulnerable, data transparency, and relevant policy making as building blocks to stronger climate investments to accelerate agrifood systems transformation.

09/12 Advancing Sustainable Food Systems: A Pathway to Climate Resilience 

 Advancing sustainable food systems represents a crucial pathway to building climate resilience in our ever-changing world. These systems not only provide nourishment but are also key to mitigating climate change and adapting to its impacts. As the world grapples with the dual challenges of climate change and food and nutrition security, the need for sustainable food systems has never been more pressing. Achieving sustainable food systems through Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) targets requires a holistic approach that integrates food and agriculture into climate action plans, promotes sustainable practices, reduces emissions, and enhances resilience to climate change. This interactive side event brought together experts, policymakers, and stakeholders to explore innovative approaches and best practices in building climate-resilient food systems. 

The event was a collaboration of various stakeholders, including farmers, the private sector, civil society, and international organizations, to implement sustainable food system initiatives effectively. By embracing sustainable agricultural practices, conserving biodiversity, respecting indigenous knowledge, promoting healthier diets, empowering communities, and fostering global cooperation, we can create resilient food systems capable of withstanding the challenges posed by a warming planet.

 

09/12 Roundtable: NDC for Food Systems – what next after COP 28

By FAO/CGIAR/RF/IFAD 

The Roundtable Dialogue addressed how the newly launched NDC Guidance for Agriculture and Food Systems can bolster these endeavors and contribute to the strong and ambitious actions required at national level to achieve a 1.5 degree Celsius target. The event will bring together high-level representatives from member states, UN Entities, science and donor organisations.

09/12 Scaling up inclusive climate action through private sector engagement in agriculture and land-use 

By UNDP and FAO

Recognizing the critical need for transformation in agriculture and food systems to achieve the 1.5°C target and to strengthen resilience to climate change, the event will address some of the barriers hindering progress, by zooming in challenges such as insufficient private sector engagement, climate finance gaps and the need for inclusive decision-making. Government action is crucial, as it can create an enabling environment for engaging the private sector, incentivizing private investment, and ensuring inclusive decision-making that prioritizes marginalized groups.

 Bringing together government, civil society, indigenous communities, private sector and donor representatives, this event showcased country-level approaches, discussed mitigate barriers and risks, explored the needed regulatory measures, and underscored the importance of private sector engagement and inclusive decision-making in climate action to move towards more effective, equitable, and sustainable climate solutions.

 

10/12 Coordinating National Responses on Climate and Nature - NDCs and NBSAPs Alignment By WWF 

 This high level event explored approaches for both NDC and NBSAP enhancement; and Parties can consolidate and coordinate these efforts. The experiences in biodiverse rich countries can provide a blueprint for how to implement these actions and NDC partnership countries from the diverse regions will join to illustrate this in practice.

WWF Pavilion at COP28

2 - 10 December 2023 The WWF Pavilion at COP28 hosted a wide array of events on topics ranging from the much-needed phase-out of fossil fuels to food systems, finance, forests and nature-based solutions.

WWF’s Food expectations paper for COP28 is available here, and all WWF’s climate-focused food work information is here: www.panda.org/food_and_climate . 
All events of the #PandaHub   were streamed and archived on the WWF YouTube channel.

Extract of the programme

02/12 Tackling Climate Change in Africa's Protected Areas

WWF’s Regional Office for Africa (ROA) and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) wish to leverage the COP28 WWF Pavilion’s Africa Day to showcase the Climate Adaptation and Protected Areas (CAPA) Initiative, funded by Canada’s Partnering for Climate funding envelope. The event highlighted the critical role of nature and Nature-based Climate Solutions (NBCS) in tackling climate change in Africa’s Protected Areas and the international partnerships on adaptation and nature that have been facilitated by Canada’s ambitious climate commitment.

02/12 Powering Climate Adaptation: The critical Role of Decentralized Renewable Energy in Africa

Energy is an enabler of several Adaptation Agenda goals, including the expansion of sustainable irrigation, increasing crop yields through climate-resilient, sustainable agriculture, halving losses in food production, providing basic and essential community services and enabling access to the tools and information required to integrate climate risks into decision making. The latest IPCC adaptation and vulnerability report recognised that there was a strong evidence of the role of Decentralised renewable Energy in reducing vulnerability to climate change especially among rural populations. Despite its contribution to adaptation, it is estimated that 70-80 percent of people without access to clean and renewable energy reside in Africa as this remains a significant obstacle to socioeconomic / /resilience building in the region.

The African Development Bank’s High 5 on Light Up and Power Africa aim to help Africa achieve universal electricity access by 2025 with a focus on encouraging clean and renewable energy solutions. The African Union Commission in its 2063 Agenda of the Africa we want equally emphasizes that energy is a bedrock for Africa’s development and therefore the need for increased effort is required in ensuring affordable and reliable access. According to the AUC, Africa will need 25 billion in investment annually to meet its energy targets.

This side-event was an opportunity to harness collaboration amongst partners to promote renewable energy solutions for adaptation in Africa. The event highlighted the findings of a recent paper by WWF and partners titled ‘GOGLA (2023) Powering Climate Adaptation and Justice’  # 50 p.

The paper illustrates how Decentralized Renewable Energy is contributing to resilience building, the injustices of climate vulnerability and energy poverty and profiles the urgent need to address these interlinked challenge.

02/12 Scaling up tangible NbS for adaptation initiatives in Africa

This event highlighted evidence on NbS for adaptation investment in Africa on finance, policy, partnerships and large scale implementation that will serve as a model for scaling up in Africa and beyond.

05/12 National actions for climate and food: Launch of new NDC guidance tool for Agriculture and Food Systems

By German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
World Wildlife Fund (WWF)


This high-level side event officially launched the NDC guidance tool on agriculture and food systems. The tool offers guidance to policy makers and practitioners to support the implementation of policies, governance, and on the ground measures that enable systematic shifts in agriculture and food systems to meet NDC targets and enhance mitigation of GHG in the food sector.

  

8/12 The Global Stock take: An opportunity to accelerate food systems transformation through enhanced NDCs

The Global Stocktake provided an opportunity to scale up action and provide investments for food systems transformation. This event highlighted why food systems transformation should be a key outcome for COP28, including for the Global Stocktake, and for accelerating climate action at the national level. It also presented the new and exciting NDC Guidance Tool For Food Systems, demonstrating the added value of better integrating food systems in countries’ NDCs and other national policy instruments.

• Julia Wolf, Natural Resources Officer, FAO, Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity, and Environment, commented: "The COP28 Toolkit draws upon the expertise and experience of leading organizations in the field and will certainly be an important asset for governments to rely on when implementing the Emirates Declaration.”
• Juan Lucas Restrepo, Global Director of Partnerships and Advocacy at CGIAR, and the DG of the Alliance of Bioversity & CIAT 
• Hasseb Bakhtary, Senior Consultant, Climate Focus 
• Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England.

10/12 Empowering agents of transformation: Paths towards inclusive governance for sustainable food systems

This event focused on strategies to empower agents for sustainable food system transformation. Participants will delve into the latest initiatives and policy frameworks, emphasising the need for inclusive governance aligned with international agreements on climate, biodiversity, and land degradation. 

10/12 African Voices call for Nature Positive Adaptation 

African voices campaign for better-placed food system adaptation. Maladaptation degrades the environment and increases future costs. There is an urgent need to implement effective, long-term strategies that build on biodiversity and take a landscape approach to agriculture and food systems.

10/12 Coordinating National Responses on Climate and Nature - NDCs and NBSAPs Alignment By WWF 

 This high level event explored approaches for both NDC and NBSAP enhancement; and Parties can consolidate and coordinate these efforts. The experiences in biodiverse rich countries can provide a blueprint for how to implement these actions and NDC partnership countries from the diverse regions will join to illustrate this in practice.

Related:

• COP28 food, agriculture and freshwater day wrap-up: WWF responds to key announcements
• UAE COP28 Presidency taskforce develops guidance for policymakers to incorporate actions on food production, consumption and loss and waste in NDCs and NAPs

COP28 Agriculture, Food and Climate National Action Toolkit

FAO (2023) COP28 Agriculture, Food and Climate National Action Tool kit. Taking stock of good practices, initiatives, and tools for food system transformation through Nationally Determined Contributions and National Adaptation Plans # 42 pages

The COP28 Food Systems and Agriculture Agenda calls for accelerated food systems, agriculture and climate action and urges governments to align and integrate those actions within national strategies, including Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) amongst others. It is built upon four pillars, covering national leadership, non-state actors, scaling up innovation, and finance as critical enablers to climate-resilient food system transformation.

This task force, including WWF, Global Alliance for the Future of Food, Climate Focus, NDC Partnership, FAO, Alliance of Biodiversity International and CIAT, synthesised all guidance material available and lessons learned on NDC and NAP implementation for food system transformation. 

The “COP 28 Agriculture, Food and Climate Action Toolkit” developed serves as a key resource for national policymakers and decision-makers aiming to accelerate and align national efforts on climate action and food and agriculture system transformation by 

1. providing a summary of priority actions, 
2. giving an overview of good examples of NDCs and NAPs in how they integrate agriculture and food system measures, and 
3. providing overview of existing initiatives, platforms, and tools that can help governments in developing and implementing agriculture and food system policy measures as part of their NDCs and NAPs.

Priority actions identified in the Toolkit include shifting to nature-positive food production, reducing and repurposing food loss and waste, and transitioning to nutritious and healthy diets. Only a combination of these actions will bring food-based greenhouse gas emissions within a 1.5 degrees Celsius carbon budget, and ensure that food producers can adapt to changes in what, where and how they can grow and harvest food.

Although most countries have introduced at least one food-based measure in their NDCs and NAPs, many continue to face significant challenges in holistically integrating and implementing food system measures. Most countries focus on food production, with a limited number including actions on food loss and waste, and only a handful considering consumption and diets. By identifying good examples from different parts of the world, the toolkit will support policymakers in introducing additional measures that will deliver the most impact in their own context.

By equipping policymakers and other key stakeholders with a useful set of knowledge assets, the Toolkit specifically aims to support countries in aligning food, climate and nature goals. It can help strengthen the integration and alignment of NDCs and NAPs with National Biodiversity Strategic Action Plans, under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, and national food systems transformation pathways, developed as part of the UN Food Systems Summit. Greater alignment can enable more effective implementation of resources and accelerate efforts to deliver the Paris Agreement, Global Biodiversity Framework and Sustainable Development Goals.

See also: WWF Pavilion at COP28 

Analysis of the Implications of Africa’s Food Systems Development on Environmental Sustainability

WWF (2023) Analysis of the Implications of Africa’s Food Systems Development on Environmental Sustainability, # 86 pages

This report was as jointly commissioned by Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF), the Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), and the African Development Bank (AfDB).

The report analyses the main trends and drivers of Africa’s food systems, how food systems have responded to these drivers, and what the resulting environmental impacts of these responses have been across the continent. It identifies policy-levers for engagement in the food systems space and 

concludes with recommendations on how to move away from an unsustainable “business as usual” trajectory. The analysis was largely based on a review and analysis of publicly available literature and data.

• The report is available for downloading here.
• The report has been released at a side event on COP28, held on 12th December 2023.

Dr. Claudia Ringler (see video recording @1:00:15), Director, Natural Resources and Resilience Unit of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) said: 

I looked at some numbers of agriculture growth and population growth over the last 20 years. Cereal yield growth over the last 20 years has been 1.5% per year. Total production growth of course has been larger. But most of the production growth has been still contributed from land expansion. And that's obviously goes 100% against our focus on preserving and cherishing natural capital. So we are obviously not going in the right direction.

• Cereals are doing better than other crops. And that's in part because CGIAR and partners continue to invest a little bit in agricultural research for cereals. 
• Root and tuber crops yields growth only 0.2% per year over 20 years. That's nothing, nothing. Only 4% of production growth contributed from yields. The rest from area expansion. This is obviously not going in the right direction. 
• Vegetable yield growth over the last 20 years has been negative. That doesn't mean that vegetables are shrinking. It means that there has been a shift from larger vegetables: something like  pumpkins to something smaller like peas. We obviously not doing well at all. Negative yield goes across all vegetable crops in Africa. 

And when we compare this with a population growth of 1.9% per year, over the same 20 years. What we are getting is an increased net import dependency of the continent. It continues to grow in a business as usual scenario. By 2050, 54% of what Africans consume will have to be imported. So under a business as usual scenario, things are not going better but worse. And they have been getting a lot worse. We see a very rapid increase in hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition in all directions, including stunting, obesity. That's maybe a parallel trend. I do not see any difference. 

I don't see any change happening. We really need to put all hands on deck. It means obviously agro ecological approaches, industrialization  approaches. But first and foremost, we do need investment in agricultural research in Africa. There's no country in the world that I have ever encountered that has been able to get agriculture growth going without investing in agricultural research. We see only one continent in the world to experiment this and that is Africa: trying to develop agricultural crops without investing in agricultural research. 

And I just wanted to put those numbers because you specifically asked for the Malabo declaration and CAADP calls. There is an agreement by all African states that 1% of GDP generated in agriculture, - where sometimes 50% of the population is engaged - should be invested in agricultural research. But in fact 44% (almost half) of all investment in agricultural research on the continent is done in only three countries: Egypt, South Africa and Nigeria. The rest is pretty much investing nothing. There has been a decline in the share of agricultural GDP that African governments are investing in research. The decline has been from 0.54%, which is far from the 1% agreement to 0.39% of Agricultural GDP that countries invest on average.  37 of 44 countries with data, obviously, are under 1%. 24% of these countries spent much less than 0.5%. 

So I'm not saying that Africa is to be blamed for that. There is a whole system to be blamed. If we want to be serious about making Africa as the food basket for the world - the potential is there - we actually have to invest. We actually are not doing this. It is going in the wrong direction. Hunger is growing as a result, and we'll see also a lot more migration. I wish it wouldn't be the case but that is what the numbers tell us 

Extracts

Initiatives such as the African Union’s Common Africa Agro-Parks (CAAPs) aim to attract private investments to establish transboundary mega agro-industrial hubs – but the potential environmental impacts of these investments are yet to be assessed. (page 8)

The proportion of medium- to larger farms is likely to continue to grow and export-oriented production will probably increase – posing increasing environmental threats, but also opportunities for the development, adaptation and scaling out of sustainable practices. (page 8)

Ambitions to achieve national food self-sufficiency have not always considered comparative advantages for food and nature – for example, the extent to which a country’s natural resources are better suited for food grain production, cash crop production or ecotourism.  (page 9)

By 2040, the value of food purchased in East and Southern Africa will grow seven-fold. (page 16)

WWF’s Africa’s Food Future Initiative (AFFI)  (page 13)

AFFI was created on the notion that Africa food production systems are not sustainable, delivering neither on socioeconomic nor environmental objectives. (...) AFFI aims to establish scalable models of productive and sustainable food systems and support resilient livelihoods via three workstreams: (i) integrated land- and water-use planning and management; (ii) agroecology; and (iii) sustainable and inclusive value chains, with a cross cutting theme on policy enhancement at country and continental level. The policy work of the initiative aims to transform Africa policy processes by ensuring increased investments in food system approaches that are ecologically responsive. 

This work builds on the earlier African Ecological Futures (AEF) report, published by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and WWF in 2015, which was designed to guide policy and investment decisions of governments, inter-governmental organizations, development banks, bilateral and multilateral agencies, amongst others. The WWF (2015) report included a review of the main pressures on ecosystems, including pressures from the agri-food system.

The results of this [present] study will provide the basis for engagement with key stakeholders around futures scenarios that will guide Africa on its road towards long-term ecologically sustainable development path.  

Scenario development

Scenario development can be used to explore alternatives to a “business as usual” (BAU) trajectory – either in a participatory way with stakeholders, or as a quantitative research tool to inform modelling. The report presents an example for a generic (continental) scenario process including an example from Zambia.(page 9)

2023 Norman Borlaug International Dialogue

24 - 26 October 2023. Norman Borlaug International Dialogue - harnessing innovation, adaptation, and diversification to improve systemic resilience, recover from shocks, and sustainably nourish all people. 

16 - 20 October 2023. Virtual Side Events 

The theme Harnessing Change is a deliberate progression of the 2022 theme, Feeding a Fragile World. After focusing last year on the ongoing impacts of COVID-19, climate change, and conflict, this year focused on harnessing innovation, adaptation, and diversification to improve systemic resilience, recover from shocks, and sustainably nourish all people.

1. Resilience: How can we rebuild the food system to be more resilient to future shocks? A resilient food system is one that can absorb shocks, overcome stressors, and mitigate risk, all critical components of ensuring reliable food access for all. At the Borlaug Dialogue, we will discuss how different sectors can enhance resiliency at every level of the food supply chain.
2. Innovation What innovations will tip the scale towards forward progress on hunger and malnutrition? Continuous innovation is critical to meet increasing food and nutrition demands amid crosscutting challenges like climate change, increased migration, and resource competition. Food system leaders are encouraged to harness Dr. Borlaug’s legacy of innovation and discuss and implement novel ideas to improve global food and nutrition security at the Borlaug Dialogue.
3. Empowerment How can we empower future generations and those most vulnerable with the necessary tools and resources to become leaders in the food system? In order to harness change in food systems, all actors - farmers, businesses, universities, nonprofit organizations, governments, youth, and more - must be engaged and empowered to make change. Empowering individuals to embrace progress, deploy innovations, and think critically about the future of food and agriculture is a hallmark of the Borlaug Dialogue.
4. Mobilization - How can we mobilize resources to implement solutions at scale? To decrease current and future levels of food insecurity, food system leaders must unite and mobilize resources to implement solutions at scale. The Borlaug Dialogue provides a space for diverse actors to come together to build effective solutions to the planet’s most intractable food and agricultural challenges.
5. Nourishment - How can we center not only feeding but nourishing the planet, without leaving anyone behind? Properly nourishing the global population requires not just producing enough food, but also producing the right food to support good physical, cognitive, and societal health for all. With every country in the world facing the double burden of malnutrition, the Borlaug Dialogue encourages discourse that places increased attention on nutrition security and the acceptability, accessibility, and affordability of nutritious food.
6. Regeneration - What role does regeneration play in a sustainable recovery? Regenerative approaches to the food system promote symbiotic relationships between agricultural and ecological systems, using context-specific knowledge to avoid or mitigate harm and replenish natural resources. The Borlaug Dialogue welcomes leadership in this area, recognizes its roots in Indigenous knowledge, and seeks to further explore its potential. 

Extracts of the Agenda

16/10 Side event of the Borlaug Dialogue on Regenerative Agriculture

17/10 Multi-stakeholder action for scaling soil health globally for food security now and in the future

The Coalition of Action 4 Soil Health (CA4SH) and the Sustainable Productivity Growth Coalition (SPG Coalition) co-hosted a virtual side event at the 2023 Borlaug International Dialogue. 

Healthy soil is the very foundation of our food systems and provides several vital ecosystem services, from carbon sequestration to improving food and nutrition security. Healthy soil is critical for supporting sustainable agricultural productivity growth and moving from scarcity to prosperity and healthy diets for all. With over one third of the Earth’s surface degraded and over 3.2 billion people negatively affected by degradation, continuing business as usual is no longer an option. Now is the time for multi-stakeholder action to build an enabling environment at multiple levels for supporting, financing, scaling and monitoring healthy soil ecosystems globally. The objectives of this session were to: 1) Raise awareness of the critical role of healthy soil for sustainable agricultural productivity growth, food and nutrition security, biodiversity, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and ecosystem restoration; 2) Showcase the goals, actions and progress of the Coalition of Action 4 Soil Health (CA4SH) and the Coalition for Sustainable Productivity Growth for Food Security and Resource Conservation; 3) Highlight progress on collaboration and partnership to scale and finance soil health. 

• Dr. Leigh Winowiecki, Soil and Land Health Research Lead and co-Founder of the Coalition of Action 4 Soil Health (CA4SH) 
• Dr. Elise Golan, Director for Sustainable Development for the US Department of Agriculture, and a co-Lead of the SPG Coalition 
• Dr. Rattan Lal, Soil Scientist, Ohio State University, World Food Prize recipient 2020, co-Founder of CA4SH 
• Dr. Joao Campari, WWF-International Food Practice Lead 
• Adrian Leitoro, Youth Representative and Co-founder of Kenyan NGO Nature and People as One (NaPO) 
• Kate Newbury-Hyde, Senior Manager, Agriculture and Food, World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) 
• Dr. Jack Hannam, Reader in Pedology, President of the British Society of Soil Science

18/10 Climate Action for Resilient Food System Transformation – Policy and Institutional Insights from Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean

Co-organized by IFPRI and Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)

• Suresh Babu, Senior Research Fellow / Head of Capacity Strengthening, IFPRI

19/10 Utilizing Adaptive Management to Harness Change

Land O'Lakes Venture 37 hosted a Borlaug Dialogue webinar on leveraging adaptive management to harness change, drawing on lessons from a Feed the Future pest management activity in the DRC.

26/10 World Food Prize Africa Agriculture Dialogue

• Dr. Victor Oladokun, Senior Advisor to the President for Communication and Stakeholder Engagement, AfDB
• Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina - President, AfDB

From Dakar to Des Moines: Fulfilling the promise of agricultural transformation in Africa

• H.E. Mrs. Sahle-Work Zewde, President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
• H.E. Kashim Shettima, Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
• Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina - Tribute to Professor Gordon Conway, former President of the Rockefeller Foundatio

Panel: US Public and Private Sector Investment Opportunities in African Agriculture

• Ramin Toloui, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, U.S. Department of State
• Dina Esposito, Assistant to the Administrator for the Bureau for Resilience, Environment and Food Security, USAID
• John Coumantaros, Chairperson, Flour Mills of Nigeria (FMN)
• Stuart Knight, Global Commercial Operations Leader, Health and Agriculture, Thermo Fisher
• Jason Brantley, Vice President, Small Ag and Turf, John Deere

26/10 Without water, there is no food security

• Margaret Zeigler, IICA Representative of USA. 
• Alvaro Lario, President of IFAD. 
• Fernando Schwanke, IICA Project Director. 
• Christopher Neale, Director of the Water for Agriculture Institute at the University of Nebraska. -
• Zulfikar Mustapha, Minister of Agriculture of Guyana.

26/10 Bringing Space to Place: Transforming African Agriculture with Better SOILS 

 Hosted by the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC). SOILS-Space to Place (SOILS-S2P) is an innovative strategy for addressing global food security and soil health issues. Funded by the American people through the USAID Bureau for Resilience and Food Security, SOILS-S2P showcases a model of collaboration and forward-thinking approaches. The initiative collaborates with research- and development-minded public and private partners, including AGRA, CIMMYT, Kansas State University, and Ma’aden. SOILS-S2P connects advanced technology, like GIS-based data, with local knowledge, empowering communities to make informed decisions regarding soil health and agricultural practices. 

The remarkable results achieved, including yield increases of 40-200% and substantial reductions in fertilizer wastage, underscore this approach’s effectiveness. Its potential for global scalability sets SOILS-S2P apart. The initiative demonstrates how we can collectively address multifaceted challenges from the impacts of crises, conflicts, and climate change, by fostering collaboration and implementing innovative solutions. 

• 
  Dr. Upendra Singh Vice President, Research International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC)
• Dr. P.V. Vara Prasad Distinguished Professor and Director, Feed the Future Sustainable Intensification Innovation Lab, Kansas State University Feed the Future Sustainable
  Intensification Innovation Lab, Kansas State University 
• 
  Dr. Tilahun Amede Director of Sustainable Farming, Climate and Resilience AGRA 
• Dr. Thomas G. Coon Professor Emeritus, Michigan State University Michigan State University 
• Dr. Jonathan Atkinson The Meridian Group 
• Dr. Bram Govaerts Director General of CIMMYT and 2014 Borlaug Field Award Laureate CIMMYT (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center)

26/10 6:50 - 7:50pm CEST Food System Repercussions of the Russia-Ukraine War

This IFPRI session examined the impacts of the conflict in Ukraine on food systems around the world. Russia’s February 2022 invasion triggered trade disruptions and dramatic price increases for energy, agricultural commodities, and fertilizers, which were already high following the COVID-19 lockdowns and value chain disruptions. While international prices have come down from the peaks seen in 2022, domestic inflation levels remain high in many low- and middle-income countries, and food and fertilizer affordability remains a challenge. The war has also led to a sizable drop in agricultural production in Ukraine, which has been an important exporter of grains and cooking oil. Given that 30 percent of Ukraine’s agricultural land may be riddled with land mines, production in this major breadbasket may not recover swiftly when hostilities cease.

• Lindiwe Majele Sibanda, Chair, CGIAR System Board
• Speaker from Ukraine's Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food (Invited)
• Dina Esposito, Assistant to the Administrator for the Bureau for Resilience and Food Security (RFS) at USAID, Feed the Future Deputy Coordinator for Development, and Global Food Crisis Coordinator, and the Agency’s Global Food Crisis Coordinator - Mitigating the Global Impacts of Food System Shocks: Key Takeaways for Resilience Building Efforts
• Antonina Broyaka, Kansas State University, Department of Agricultural Economics - Outlook for Ukraine's Agricultural Sector
• Joseph Glauber, Senior Research Fellow, Market, Trade and Institutions, IFPRI - Impact of the War on Global Markets
• David Laborde, Division Director, Agrifood Economics Division (ESA), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) - How Domestic Policy Measures Exacerbate the Impact of the War
• Caitlin Welsh, Director, Global Food and Water Security Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) - Prevalence and Impact of Landmines on Ukrainian Agricultural Production\