To date, the efforts towards SDGs have not succeeded in reducing socio-economic inequality within and between countries.
How can FAO and CSOs work together to regain the momentum lost and work jointly to "leave no one behind”?
As the first step in the direction of collectively making up fpr the lost momentum, it is crucial to define the most urgent areas of intervention and the target groups. In the experience of Global March, the issue of child labour is the biggest sign of continuing socio-economic inequalities and in sectors such as agriculture and its affiliates, the evolving complexities due to climate change and structural poverty are changing the ecosystem in which child labour thrives. This means that the need of the hour is to collectively identify the key areas of intervention with the CSO and exchange technical expertise and resources to work on the identified issues. Both CSOs and FAO have untapped synergies and intersectional factors that need to be simplified to be able to generate effective, climate responsive and sustainable solutions to address challenges of the agriculture sector with child labour, gender and other human rights issues at its heart. FAO and CSOs can collaborate on specific projects and programs. For example, they might work together on community-based agriculture initiatives or food security interventions in specific regions as both have immense potential to address deep rooted socio-economic inequalities.
FAO seeks to accelerate transformation of agrifood systems to be more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable as a mean to achieve the 2030 agenda.
What and how can CSOs contribute to such transformation to boost impact on the ground? Please suggest concrete actions.
CSOs bring a nuanced, community-centric and human rights-oriented lens to complement the technical aspects of interventions related to strengthening agrifood systems. To transform food systems and their impact on the ground, CSOs can leverage their role in involving a diverse range of stakeholders, including marginalized and vulnerable communities, in the various initiatives. This ensures that no one is left behind. CSOs can also advocate for policies that support sustainable and inclusive agrifood systems. This can include but is not limited to lobbying for regulations that incentivize sustainable agriculture practices, equitable access to resources, fair market conditions for farmers, gender inclusive policies among others.
Climate change threatens our ability to ensure global food security, eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development.
What FAO and CSOs could maximize collective impact to adapt and/or mitigate climate change?
Climate change and its impact on food security is leaving millions of children and their vulnerable communities at the brink of devastation. From being impacted by natural disasters to dissipating agricultural conditions, children bear the worst impacts of climate change as they end up being displaced, trafficked and forced into hazardous work. The fight with climate change can prove to be very effective if approached from the lens of child labour and community welfare. FAO and CSOs should target the most vulnerable communities and work with an area-based approach to set up innovative and climate responsive measures that provide means for income as well as food security to the communities. FAO and CSOs should collaborate on developing and implementing innovative models for climate-resilient agriculture with a focus on child labour which may involve exploring climate-smart investment opportunities and public-private partnerships.
At present, what are the most significant challenges CSOs face in their engagement with FAO? What could FAO do to address some of those challenges? Please provide concrete examples.
The FAO can work more in proximity, collaboration and communication with CSOs instead of working in silos. It is crucial to acknowledge that even though transforming agri-food systems is a huge task that requires in depth technical knowledge, it is not possible to create meaningful change that focuses on the community’s deep rooted socio-economic inequalities without the support of CSOs. At a practical level, the FAO can focus on communicating more about their interventions, share knowledge and be open to learning more from CSOs as well to integrate the experiences in their programmatic interventions. Additionally, the FAO can act as a key technical partner in facilitating resources for collaboration on issues of child labour, climate change and sustainable income and food security in the agriculture sector.
Gazal Malik