The roundtable “Agrifood systems taking action for nature,” hosted by FAO, and broadcast on UN Web TV was held alongside the sixth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI-6) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). It brought together high-level government representatives and international partners to examine how agrifood solutions are being integrated into countries’ National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs). 

Agrifood systems are playing an increasingly central role in countries’ NNBSAPs, according to preliminary findings presented during the high-level roundtable that explored how countries are moving from planning to implementation under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Adopted in 2022, the Framework guides global action to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. 

Discussions drew on FAO’s analysis of updated National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans and highlighted growing recognition that agrifood systems are both vulnerable to biodiversity loss and essential to achieving biodiversity outcomes. 

“Biodiversity is the basis of food diversity, and is critical for ensuring food security and nutrition,” said FAO Director-General QU Dongyu in his opening remarks. “Today’s roundtable reaffirms agrifood systems as a strategic entry point for biodiversity conservation, high-quality growth and sustainability. But we must transform them to be more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable.”  

Hambardzum Matevosyan, Minister of Environment of Armenia and incoming President of CBD COP17, underlined that the next Conference of the Parties, COP17 will mark the mid-point to the 2030 biodiversity targets. He emphasized the need to translate commitments into measurable results and highlighted how biodiversity and food security are mutually reinforcing, noting that resilient agrifood systems depend on healthy ecosystems, genetic diversity and sustainable resource management. He further highlighted the importance of cross-sectoral cooperation, strengthened monitoring and scaled-up investment to ensure effective implementation of national biodiversity commitments. 

Astrid Schomaker, Executive Secretary of the CBD, underlined that meeting the needs of a growing global population requires more sustainable production systems. She warned of ongoing declines in biodiversity and pollinators with direct consequences for food security and resilience. She reiterated that the Global Biodiversity Framework must move from commitments to concrete implementation, through action plans that fully integrate agrifood systems. Targeted investments across the entire value chain, she noted, will be essential to ensure that biodiversity action delivers measurable benefits for both nature and agrifood systems. 

Attendees also heard from representatives of Japan, Mexico and Nigeria, who shared national experiences in integrating agrifood systems into biodiversity planning, implementation and monitoring with reflections on catalyzing investments for biodiversity financing from a representative of the Global Environment Facility (GEF). 

New evidence on agrifood systems and biodiversity action 

FAO tracks biodiversity commitments to assess how agrifood systems (including agriculture, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, the related value chains and their actors) are used in actions and policies to achieve national biodiversity targets.  

Preliminary results of this analysis indicate that 35 percent of all actions planned by countries to implement their national biodiversity targets are directly related to agrifood systems, collectively contributing across all 23 targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework. In fact, all countries who have submitted NBSAPs have included agrifood-related biodiversity actions. At the same time, 48 percent of countries report in their NBSAPs that biodiversity loss is already affecting or threatening agrifood systems. Among reported impacts, 33 percent cite effects on yields and productivity, while others highlight pressures linked to pests, invasive species, and rural livelihoods. 

Many countries also identify significant capacity, monitoring and financing needs to ensure effective implementation of biodiversity commitments, reinforcing the importance of technical support, data systems and resource mobilization. The complete FAO NBSAPs analysis will be published in the lead-up to COP17. 

From planning to implementation ahead of COP17 

The roundtable builds on efforts initiated under the Colombian Presidency of CBD COP16, when FAO, the Government of Colombia and the CBD Secretariat launched the Agri-NBSAPs Support Initiative. 

With countries preparing their seventh National Reports under the CBD, discussions at SBI6 and the FAO hosted event helped shape the next phase of implementation, monitoring and resource mobilization. 

FAO continues to support Members as a custodian agency for biodiversity-related indicators and by providing technical assistance that helps align agrifood policies with biodiversity objectives. 

Further reading 
FAO Biodiversity