Global and national food systems are a major driver of loss of natural resources and likewise threatened by climate change impacts. However, there is considerable potential to foster (climate) resilience through a transformation towards sustainable food systems. Agroecology and other related systemic approaches provide guidance and options for such. FAO, Biovision and World Wildlife Fund (WWF), are organizing a series of events covering technical and policy aspects, good practices as well as presenting evidence gathered to inform and inspire participants about this vital topic.

The purpose of this event is: 

• To showcase good examples of how food systems approaches based on the 10 Elements of Agroecology also increase climate resilience and how this can be considered in National Determined Contributions (NDCs) and other national food related strategies.
• To flesh out in our discussion what are the key characteristics of food systems that have become truly climate resilient.
• To find answers on how current policy processes under international frameworks (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change/Convention on Biological Diversity/Committee on World Food Security/Food Systems Summit 2021) could be geared towards taking a food systems approach.

What you can expect:

• You are inspired by existing examples from governments, CSOs and private sector about the benefits and challenges of existing food systems approaches that build on Agroecology to foster climate resilience.
• You can link-up with the speakers and other participants that are already engaged in the topic while your questions are clarified or even trigger further thought provoking discussions.
• Tangible show cases presented by Prof. Rajeshwar Singh Chandel, Sustainable Food Systems Platform for Natural Farming (SuSPNF), India; Ply Pirom, WWF, Thailand; Enos Shumba, WWF, Zimbabwe; Allan Mortensen, Chombo Project, Verstergaar
• Thought provoking panel discussions with: Tosi Mpanu-Mpanu, Ambassador and lead negotiator for UNFCCC, DRC; Fergus Sinclair, Leader Resilient Livelihood Systems at World Agroforestry (ICRAF); Emile Frison, International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food); Edmundo Barrios, Agricultural Officer at FAO.

Who can participate?

The discussion forum provides space for members of the NDC Partnership’s Thematic Working Group on Agriculture, Food Security and Land Use, and members of the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture community. This session is also open to all actors and interested people involved directly or indirectly in the NDC revision process, transformation of food systems and agroecology.

Registration:

Please register for either the morning or afternoon session via these links:

9:30am – 11:00 CET: Register here

3:00pm – 4:30 CET: Register here

Documents for preparatory reading:

Wetzel, A., et. al. 2020. The Food System Approach in Agroecology Supported by Natural and Social Sciences: Topics, Concepts, Applications. In book: Agroecology, Ecosystems and Sustainability. (pp.181-199). CRC Press, Boca Raton (FL). USA. 

Leippert, F., Darmaun, M., Bernoux, M. and Mpheshea, M. 2020. The potential of agroecology to build climate-resilient livelihoods and food systems. Rome. FAO and Biovision.

Oberč, B.P. and Arroyo Schnell, A. 2020. Approaches to sustainable agriculture: exploring the pathways towards the future of farming. Brussels. IUCN EURO.

Schulte, I. et al. 2020. Enhancing NDCs for food systems: recommendations for decision-makers. Berlin. WWF Germany and WWF Food Practice. 

Sinclair, F. et al. 2019. The Contribution of Agroecological Approaches to Realizing Climate-Resilient Agriculture. Rotterdam and Washington, DC. World Agroforestry, Bangor University and CGIAR.  

Barrios, E. et al. 2020. The 10 Elements of Agroecology: Enabling transitions towards sustainable agriculture and food systems through visual narratives. Ecosystems and People 16(1): 230-247. 

Information about WWF Thailand Project available at: https://www.wwf-scp.org/thailand/.