summary on the regional meetings on agroecology held in 2015; brazil, senegal and thailand
TRANSCRIPT
Summary on the Regional Meetings on Agroecology held in 2015
Brazil, Senegal and Thailand
30 August 2016International Symposium on Agroecology in China
Caterina Batello – Senior Officer FAO
• Growing need to shift towards more sustainable food systems, producing with more social and economic benefits and less environmental costs.
• In line with such a trend, agroecological practices, supported by research and policies can contribute to enhance sustainability of food and agriculture.
Background
Recognizing the role that Agroecology can play in food security and nutrition, FAO organized the International Symposium in Rome - September 2014
• Multi-stakeholder participation: 400 scientists, food producers, policy makers, farmers’ organizations, private sector and NGO representatives
• Stock taken for evidence base on agroecology: great number of best practices, scientific knowledge and policies
FAO International Symposium on Agroecology for Food Security and Nutrition - 2014
Better understanding of agroecology’s role in:
the transition towards more sustainable, inclusive and productive food systems (conserving and enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem services)
ensuring food security and nutrition on the ground (nutrition, diversification of diets and right to healthy food)
facilitating adaptation to climate change (building more resilient livelihoods)
combining farmer’s knowledge with science to promote local innovation (context-specific solutions)
Main Outcomes: International Symposium - 2014
Effective work on agroecology needs to address regional, national and local contexts
Regional multi-stakeholders Meetings on Agroecology for FSN
Latin America (July 2015 – Brazil)
Sub-Saharan Africa (November 2015 – Senegal)
Asia and the Pacific (November 2015 – Thailand)
Europe (November 2016)
Main Outcomes: International Symposium - 2014
1. Mainstream agroecology into agricultural public policies, legal frameworks and regulations
2. Promote local innovation, co-creation of knowledge and evidence base on agroecology through multi-disciplinary research, learning and education systems Regional and national inter-sectoral innovation platforms
3. Recognize and promote the role of agroecological family farmers, in particular rural women and youth’s rights and equity in agricultural development guardians of biodiversity, seeds , genetic and natural resources
4. Increase investment in agroecologyapplied agroecological research and data collectionprograms targeting agroecological producers, local products and food systems
5. Ensure smallholders access to natural resources through agroecology (land, water, seeds, oceans, forests, commons, biodiversity and territory) within VGGT and VGSSF
Main Outcomes Regional Meetings - 2015 Common recommendations across regions
6. Ensure smallholders’ access to markets and link producer with consumers- create and strengthen local agroecological markets and cooperatives- advocate on nutritional value of agroecological products- public procurement policies oriented to agroecological local products- empower women and youth through increased employment and income
7. Recognize the potential of agroecology to ensure adaptation and resilience to climate change- agroecology is integrated into climate policies- increase applied research and data on impacts of agroecology in resilience- ensure selection of varieties, species, livestock and trees is done at farm-level
8. Promote South-South Cooperation on agroecology- involve academia and researchers, governments and CSOs- foster participatory exchange of experiences and knowledge across countries and regions
Main Outcomes Regional Meetings - 2015Common recommendations across regions
Main Outcomes Regional Meetings – by regionAfrica Asia Latin America and the Caribbean
Mainstream agroecology into regional economic communities
such as CAADP, including the creation of innovation platforms on
agroecology.
Mainstream agroecology into sub-national agricultural policies, prioritizing resource-poor environments such as uplands, rain-
fed, arid and degraded areas.
Mainstream agroecology policies in regional and sub-regional organizations such as:
- the Working Group on Family Farming and Rural Development of CELAC
- the Specialized Meeting of Family Farming of Mercorsul (REAF)
Securing smallholders’ tenure of land – VGGT implementation
Ensure coherence among policies favouring the transition to agroecology
and those hindering it.
Assure the social role of land and water through agrarian reforms, guaranteeing land rights of
traditional communities.
Review and transform current agricultural subsidy systems, trade,
investment and finance policies
Monitor environmental costs and risks derived from existing practices and
policies.
Recognize and safeguard traditional knowledge and cultural identities, through the promotion of knowledge dialogue and participatory research
systems.
Promote agroecological innovations in value chains and markets to empower youth in agriculture
Support and revive traditional management practices, local rice varieties
and drought-resistant crops
Promote the productive organization of family farmers, women and youth supporting their
agroecological activities.
Integrate agroecology curricula in formal and non formal primary and higher education, based on co-created knowledge among farmers and researchers
(including Farmer Field Schools)
Support rural agroecological schools, strengthening education and professional
training for rural youth.
Create agroecological zones and territories at community levels, integrating social, economic and environmental aspects.
Enable reciprocity of participatory guarantee systems among countries
Agroecology in FAO 2016
Following request of interested countries and regions, FAO continues to facilitate multi-stakeholder Seminars and Symposia on Agroecology. Focus is given to national and regional policies, frameworks and regulations.
• Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) with support of FAO will organize the “ II Regional Meeting on Agroecology” to follow up on recommendations (September 2016, Bolivia)
• Regional Seminar on Agroecology in Europe and Central Asia (November 2016, Hungary)
Follow up activities on the symposium in sub-Saharan Africa
52 profiles on agroecology - http://www.fao.org/family-farming/themes/agroecology/en/
Website on agroecology – launched end of 2016
Creation of an agroecology knowledge hub
Activities on Climate Change and agroecology
