Political discussion on agroecology in the European Parliament with the participation of FAO
On the 20 March, the European Parliamentary Alliance on the Fight Against Hunger, Member of European Parliament (MEP) Maria Heubuch and the FAO Liaison Office with the European Union and Belgium (FAOLOB) co-sponsored, with the participation of the European Commission, a policy dialogue entitled “Agroecology: opportunities and challenges for European development policy,” which was held at the European Parliament.
In her introductory remarks, MEP Heubuch highlighted the “importance and timeliness of this policy dialogue on agroecology,” which took place prior to the 2nd International Symposium on Agroecology held at FAO Headquarters in Rome, 3 -5 April.
Rodrigo de Lapuerta, Director of FAOLOB, stressed that “Agroecology could significantly contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG2) aimed at ending hunger, achieving food security and improved nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture.”
Caterina Batello, leader of the FAO Ecosystem Management and Agroecology team, delivered a presentation on the FAO initiative to scale-up agroecology, which offers a “platform for dialogue on agroecology and opportunities to build fruitful partnerships with experts.”
Leonard Mizzi, Acting Director of the Planet and Prosperity Directorate-General of the European Commission for International Cooperation and Development (DG DEVCO) highlighted the “importance of sustainable agricultural practices aimed at improving soil fertility, maximizing biodiversity and improving water use efficiency.”
Representatives from the European Commission, EU Member States, academia and civil society also took part in the discussion.