Dear FAO colleagues from the Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment,
Thank you for the opportunity to provide input on the draft Guidance for Target 10. We appreciate your efforts to develop a comprehensive and inclusive framework for guiding parties in the integration of agrifood systems into the design and effective implementation of their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs).
This is certainly timely, as it has been the subject of our own concerns since the adoption of the KMBGF. We strongly believe that agroecology, as highlighted in this guidance document co-developed by several actors throughout an extensive consultation process called "Boosting Biodiversity Action through Agroecology" (nbsap.futureoffood.org), offers a practical and transformative pathway to achieve the objectives of Target 10 and related goals.
As acknowledged recently in many multilateral processes - including the International Soil and Water Forum 2024, co-organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Royal Thai Government in Bangkok - transforming food systems is essential to tackling the interconnected challenges of land and soil degradation, water scarcity, biodiversity loss, pollution, and the urgent climate threats to food security and nutrition; and that innovative solutions to address these challenges recognize the importance of agroecological principles in maintaining healthy and productive food systems under climate change, protecting soil and water resources while achieving food security.
By providing concrete, evidence-based recommendations and actionable interventions, Boosting Biodiversity Action through Agroecology aligns with and could enhance the FAO’s draft guidance by addressing critical gaps and implementable policy intervention areas.
Boosting Biodiversity Action through Agroecology is the result of a collaborative effort led by five leading organizations with decades of experience in food systems and biodiversity: the Global Alliance for the Future of Food, Biovision Foundation, WWF, the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, and the Agroecology Coalition. This resource was developed through an extensive 2-year consultation process, involving experts including government representatives, civil society organizations, farmers groups, Indigenous representatives and business leaders. Colleagues from more than 22 countries were involved in its production, reflecting the expertise and perspectives of diverse groups of actors and geographies.
Launched at COP16 in Cali, Colombia, the document offers:
- Compelling evidence of agroecology’s benefits for biodiversity conservation and restoration.
- Practical advice on mainstreaming agroecology as a food system approach within NBSAPs.
- 14 agroecological intervention areas spanning production to consumption, addressing multiple GBF Targets. Examples include transitioning to ecological farming practices, fostering seed diversity, and reducing polluting synthetic inputs.
- Actionable recommendations to support these interventions through robust policies, financing mechanisms, monitoring frameworks, governance rules, and institutional capacity-building.
- Practical information on the role that agroecology can play in delivering on multiple GBF targets while addressing current and future interconnected challenges in nutrition, health, economic stability, climate mitigation and adaptation, and environmental sustainability.
For facilitating accessibility and engagement, the guidance is available as an online, user-friendly and interactive microsite available under nbsap.futureoffood.org.
We have reviewed the Draft Guidance for Target 10 and identified several areas where this guidance can specifically contribute and be referenced, particularly through case studies and practical examples. These inputs are detailed in the attached Excel Template as requested.
Additionally, we find it important to maintain consistency with the language already agreed upon in the negotiations. In this respect, the definitions introduced should align with those already included in CBD’s Guidance Notes on KMGBF targets. For example the CBD Guidance Notes for Target 10 included a section called “Relevant resources that can assist implementation”, which lists 48 resources under ‘tools and guidance’. We kindly recommend revisiting this in collaboration with CBD and other interested actors to identify the most useful resources, cluster them thematically, and thereby facilitate their selection and application by parties.
Lastly, while we commend FAO for initiating this important consultation, we believe that a longer and more interactive consultation process would have enabled broader and deeper engagement, particularly with grassroots organizations. Conducting the consultation over the end-of-year period has limited the ability of many actors to contribute fully. Our organizations have shared this opportunity with dozens of local partners, but additional time would have facilitated greater participation.
We are happy to provide further input or clarification as needed and look forward to continuing to engage and contribute to this relevant process.
Matheus Alves Zanella
Senior Advisor, Global Fora,
on behalf of
Global Alliance for the Future of Food, Biovision Foundation, WWF International, Alliance Bioversity-CIAT, and Agroecology Coalition
Dr. Matheus Alves Zanella