What are the challenges faced by farmers and governments to achieve sustainable development? What are the policy choices and tools available and how can multi-stakeholder initiatives help farmers and governments to reach these goals? These were the guiding questions of the side event “Partnerships for Sustainable Livestock Development” co-organized by the LEAP Partnership and the Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock (GALS) held during the 43rd Session of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS-43) on 20 October 2016.

The side event aimed to present how stakeholders from the livestock sector are working in partnerships to address development issues and contribute to food security and nutrition. The event was chaired and opened by Mr. Fritz Schneider (Chair of the Global Agenda) and Camillo De Camillis (Manager of the LEAP Partnership). Panelists representing all stakeholder groups presented the applications of LEAP guidelines and its related benefits, and discussed about the challenges to achieve sustainable development at different levels.  Among the panelists were Jean-Baptiste Dollé (Chief of the Environment Department at Idele, French Livestock Institute, France), Michael and Marguerite Crowley (Dairy Farmers from Carbery Greener Dairy Farms Initiative, Ireland), Ivannia Quesada Villalobos (Vice-Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Costa Rica), Thomas Cherenet (Adviser of the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Ethiopia), and Khalid Khawaldeh (Pastoralists representative, World Alliance of Mobile Indigenous Peoples).

The side event was a unique opportunity to showcase concrete applications of LEAP guidelines, and demonstrate how multi-stakeholder initiatives, such as LEAP Partnership and the Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock, can make a difference in setting up inclusive sustainable development pathways for common and cohesive action tackling the sustainability challenges faced by the livestock sector. 

Our impact at CFS

The Committee on Food Security is an intergovernmental platform where stakeholders work together in the development and endorsement of policies and guidance on food security and nutrition. This year, CFS promoted the debate about “Sustainable Agricultural Development for Food Security and Nutrition, including the Role of Livestock”.

CFS’s High Level Panel of Experts elaborated a set a recommendations supporting the role of the livestock sector to sustainable agriculture development for food security and nutrition, and achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Among these recommendations, LEAP Partnership was mentioned as an example of multistakeholder platform that can be a tool for strengthening policy coherence for food security and nutrition.

To learn more about Carbery Greener Dairy Farms Initiative, Ireland’s first model for best practice in sustainable dairy farming, click here: http://carbery.com/nutrition/sustainability/

To learn more about CFS recommendations for sustainable livestock development, click here: http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/cfs/Docs1516/cfs43/CFS43_Report_for_Adoption_EN.pdf