FAO hosted a side event, Biodiversity Mainstreaming Across Agricultural Sectors, during the Global Environment Facility (GEF) 54^th Council Meeting, 24-26 June 2018, Da Nang, Viet Nam. The event aimed to raise awareness about the recently launched Biodiversity Mainstreaming Platform – which aims to improve collaboration between sectors, identify synergies, align goals and develop integrated cross-sectoral approaches in agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors. It also aimed to highlight the forthcoming publication of The State of the World’s Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture.

Speakers at the event noted that improved agricultural production and protection of biodiversity were key “intertwined challenges” (Christina Pasca Palmer, Executive Secretary, Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)) at the heart of the 2030 Agenda. The importance of cross-sectoral planning and investment across ministries was also identified. The potential for farmers to drive improved biodiversity outcomes if appropriate incentives can support and enable farmers to see the benefits of sustainable farming practices (Chris Brown, Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility, Olam International). Speakers at the event agreed that the business case for improving biodiversity outcomes needed to be better articulated, including reflecting the impact of externalities.

This clearly illustrates the role of developing packages of incentives to support more sustainable practices that not only improve the sustainability of agricultural production, but also protect biodiversity and enable co-benefits for farmers implementing these practices.