Background

Current global challenges put strong emphasis on the urgent need for a sustainable transformation of agriculture and food systems. Recognizing these challenges, the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-2031 focuses on the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems. As recognized by several landmark reports, integrated biodiverse approaches including agroecology are a key part of the response, bridging the economic, environmental and social dimensions of sustainability.

Foresight processes that properly incorporate integrated biodiverse approaches – including agroecology- to foster sustainable food system transformations can help decision-makers prepare for an anticipated change and provoke a desired change that is supported by the majority of stakeholders. Therefore, sustainable food system transformation require appropriate tools designed to make behavior change attractive. In particular, agricultural foresight methodologies need to take into account complex agricultural practices (from production to consumption) that are context specific and territory-based, incorporating biodiverse and integrated production systems that favour such transformations, and that engage a broad set of stakeholders that represent all sectors of society in building future scenarios.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the The French Agricultural Research and International Cooperation Organization (CIRAD) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) are co-organizing the Global Workshop “Exploring agroecological futures: method, purposes and implications”, to be held in FAO Headquarters, Rome Italy, on 7 and 8 November 2022. The Workshop aims at increasing knowledge sharing and drawing recommendations on the role of foresight processes to support sustainable food system transformations through agroecology. This Workshop is organized as a key component of the global project “Foresight on Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Food Systems & Agro-Ecological Transition” (GCP /GLO/1039/GER-F) implemented by FAO, in collaboration with CIRAD and with financial support from GIZ.

Although the workshop is not open to the public, the online open session of November 8 will be. 

Virtual event: Foresight processes to support sustainable food system transformations through agroecology

The main objective of the virtual event is to share key findings from an ongoing stocktaking exercise on how foresight initiatives support sustainable food system transformations, including through agroecological approaches. It will also enable multi-disciplinary and collective discussions to highlight key recommendations on the use of foresight exercises to facilitate agroecological transitions that could be relevant at different levels and contexts. The event will bring together a wide variety of stakeholders, including decision-makers, farmer organizations, private sector, civil society organizations, foresight practitioners, agroecology practitioners and public authorities.

Interpretation in English, French and Spanish will be provided.

 To register, please click here