Food Policy Forum for Change
RESOURCES
This page provides useful information and resources for the members of the Food Policy Forum for Change. Click on the menu on the right to access information on upcoming and past events and a list of resources useful to develop sustainable policies.
RELEVANT TOPICS FOR THE FORUM
In the Food Policy Forum for Change, policy makers, implementers and advisors have the chance to exchange on relevant topics on how to boost a paradigm shift in the food systems of their country, at a national, subnational and local level. We identified the following relevant topics to start a discussion among the members of the forum:
- Stimulating markets for agroecology
- True cost accounting
- Organic action plan
- Resilient policies in time of crisis
Would you like to propose a new topic relevant for your context?
Please get in touch with us at
food.policy.forum@biovision.chUPCOMING EVENTS
Policies, legislations, and institutional arrangements are key enablers for an agroecological transformation of food systems. In this process of convening the involved legislative actors and stakeholders across all relevant sectors from the benefits of an agroecological approach, multi-stakeholder platforms (MSPs) play a pivotal role.
This side event of the 1st Eastern Africa Agroecology Conference (March 21-24, 2023, Nairobi) starts with an overview of the ongoing initiatives on establishing agroecological policies in East Africa. Strategies, challenges, and opportunities are synthesized from different case studies in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda. In the second step, the role of MSPs in shaping the policy landscape is elaborated on, and established MSPs, including ISFAA, will share their experiences. Finally, after a panel discussion and a Q&A session, present individuals and organizations can get in touch with collaborators during session-ending networking cocktails.
This side event is hosted by Intersectoral Forum on Agrobiodiversity & Agroecology (ISFAA)
- Link to the website of the 1st Eastern Africa Agroecology Conference
PAST EVENTS
In 2022, FAO, the Biovision Foundation and the Agroecology Coalition organized a series of three hybrid thematic dialogues, with a focus on identifying entry points, opportunities, building blocks, innovative approaches to policy, technology and institutional frameworks, that can support the upscale of agroecology. Through interactive group discussions and case studies, the dialogue explored the interface between agroecology and 1) territorial approaches, 2) biodiversity conservation between the farm level, 3) agri-input scarcity. An outcome brief was then developed for each dialogue, reflecting the key messages and recommendations of the discussions.
The event, taking place on February 22, 2023, in Bern, will summarize the key results of the agroecology dialogue series and discuss how to build on those messages. The event is organized around the visit of the FAO DDG Beth Bechdol in Switzerland.
Beth Bechdol, Deputy Director-General, FAO
Isabelle Fragnière, FAO Coordinator, Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG)
Frank Eyhorn, CEO, Biovision
Panellists:
- Beth Bechdol, DDG FAO
- Martijn Sonnevelt, President, Swiss National FAO Committee (CNS-FAO)
- Stéphanie Piers de Raveschoot, Policy Advisor, Food Systems Section, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
- Lukas Fesenfeld, Chair of the Expert Panel Future of Food Switzerland and Policy Researcher at the University of Berne
- Madeleine Kaufmann, Federal Office for Agriculture
- Link to outcome briefs of the Agroecology Dialogue Series
The invasion of Ukraine has sparked a third food price crisis in 15 years. In a context of Covid, conflict, and climate change, world food prices remain at record highs, hitting food insecure countries and populations the hardest. A spotlight is being firmly placed on the fundamental weaknesses in global food systems, including high import dependency among low-income countries, high dependency on chemical inputs, over-specialised commodity production, and lack of transparency in global food systems. However, countries around the world are starting to adopt agroecology as the means to mitigate the effects of the current crises while building the resilience urgently needed to protect against future shocks. During this event, organized during the ORFC on January 4, we hear about some of the most pioneering responses to the crisis, and global efforts to measure the impacts of these changes.
While agroecology has been much discussed at ORFC over the years, this event took stock of the evolving impacts of the food price crisis on food security and build understanding of the root causes of global food insecurity. It showcases innovative responses to the food price crisis that mitigate immediate impacts and kick-start longer-term transformation of food systems through agroecology. It also builds awareness of the opportunities to cut reliance on energy and input costs in the face of rising costs – and the challenges in diversifying production systems.
Speakers
- Yodit Kebede (IRD)
- Anne Mottet (FAO)
- Esther Penunia (AFA)
- Emile Frison (IPES Food)
Chair
- ffinlo Constain (Farmwel, Food & Global Security Network)
- Watch recording here
The event organized on December 8 during COP15, highlighted the need to profoundly transform our current food systems, which continue to be the main driver of biodiversity loss. There is compelling evidence that agroecological approaches offer viable pathways for this much-needed transformation. They maintain a central focus on ecosystem diversity, and agricultural biodiversity, and are deeply rooted in traditional knowledge and the foodways of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. It is clear that without a strong focus on agroecology, our global targets for biodiversity conservation are bound to miss the mark.
This side event also aimed to shine a light on emerging coalitions and policy actions that are linking agroecology and agricultural biodiversity, as crucial pathways to transform food systems.
This side event was hosted by
African Biodiversity Network, African Centre for Biodiversity, Biovision Foundation, Agropolis Foundation, Coventry University Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience (CAWR), Cultivate!, EcoNexus, Friends of the Earth International, Global Alliance for the Future of Food, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP), IPES-Food, Latin American Scientific Society for Agroecology (SOCLA), Laurier Centre for Sustainable Food Systems (Canada), UNESCO Chair on Food, Biodiversity, and Sustainability Studies, and the University of Vermont
This event looks at the future mandate of the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture (KJWA) that is discussed at COP27. Integrating elements of agroecology will be critical for transforming food systems, supporting the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss, and enhancing food security.
Around the world, research and practical experience show that agroecological approaches offer a promising way to protect nature, address climate change, maintain biodiversity, and restore ecosystem functions to degraded systems.
Applying agroecological approaches also contributes to food security by strengthening the production of healthy and diverse food. In the last years, agroecology has received increasing support from various stakeholders, as evidenced, for example, by the EU’s Farm to Fork strategy, countries’ national development goals, increased research interest in the topic, support from civil society organizations and private sector for implementation in this area.
- Nancy Rapando, Country Project Manager, Biovision and Lead Africa Food Future Initiative, WWF
- Alex Awiti, Senior Agroecology Policy and Advocacy Advisor, CIFOR-ICRAF, Agroecology Coalition
- Rafik Aini, Coordinator of the MARHP Climate Change Committee, Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries, Tunisia
- Manei Naanyu, Head of Programmes, PELUM Kenya
- Valérie Dermaux, Agriculture and Climate Change Officer, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, France
- Oluwatosin Ogunsola, Contact Point of YOUNGO Agriculture Working Group
- Watch recording here
Over the past few years, conflict, COVID, and climate change have exposed the vulnerabilities of our food systems in the face of shocks. Many of these fragilities are a direct result of our current dependency on costly chemical inputs, lengthy commodity chains, as well as over-reliance on the import of staple foods. This has contributed to generations living in poverty and millions on the brink of starvation, particularly on the African continent. The livelihoods of small-scale farmers and consumers around the world will be greatly impacted unless we upscale practices that work with nature and deliver on the sustainable development goals, such as agroecological, organic, and regenerative farming. However, in light of heightened food insecurity, there are different perspectives on how we should move forward. Standing at this crossroads, what urgent steps should be taken to transition to sustainable food and farming systems?
- Mamadou Goita, IPES-Food
- Veronica Ndetu, Coordinator of the Climate Change Unit, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives, Kenya
- Dr. Susan Chomba, Director of Vital Landscapes for Africa, World Resources Institute (WRI)
- H.E. Hailemariam Desalegn, Board member and Chairperson of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)
- Karen Mapusua, President of IFOAM Organics International
- Dr. Alex Awiti, CIFOR-ICRAF and Agroecology Coalition
The invasion of Ukraine has sparked a third food price crisis in 15 years. World food prices reached record highs in March 2022 and remain at critical levels, hitting food insecure countries and populations hard. Food systems around the world have proven highly vulnerable to these shocks, through their dependency on costly chemical inputs and highly-specialized commodity production, over-reliance on imports of staple foods, and the ongoing cycles of poverty, climate change and conflict that leave millions of people on the brink of hunger.
Countries around the world are now taking steps to mitigate the crisis and build the resilience that is urgently needed to protect against future shocks – from farmer-managed seed systems to the replacement of chemical inputs with agroecological practices. This side event of the CFS50 will hear about the pioneering responses governments are developing and deploying, and how we can ensure coordinated, comprehensive action at the global level. We are joined by representatives of the governments of Mali, Mexico & Tanzania.
- Oliver Oliveros, Global Alliance for the Future of Food
- Amadou Cheick Traoré, Conseiller Technique au ministère du développement rural, Mali
- Hon. Hussein Mohamed Bashe Minister (MP), Ministry of Agriculture, United Republic of Tanzania
- Santiago Arguello, Ministry of Agriculture, Mexico
- Esther Penunia, Asian Farmers’ Organization & Agroecology Coalition
- Mamadou Goita, IPES-Food
- Carlo Fadda, Bioversity-CIAT
- Simon Degelo, SWISSAID
This third dialogue of the Agroecology Series on September 29 will reflect on the current global food crisis and the looming scarcity of agricultural inputs. Record prices in fertilizers, supply chain interruption, increasing dependence on synthetic agricultural inputs and on a handful of suppliers have underlined the urgency of food system transformation. As a result, a number of countries are committing to reducing their dependence on synthetic inputs. The current crisis creates opportunities to advance food system transformation through agroecology. The dialogue will focus on a better understanding of concrete implementation steps and pathways to increase the resilience of food systems to agricultural inputs scarcity through agroecological approaches, in the areas of policy reform, knowledge creation and investments.
- Beth Bechdol, Deputy Director-General, FAO
- Johanna Jacobi, Assistant Professor for Agroecological Transitions, ETH Zürich
- Marianna Guareschi, UNI Parma
- Jean-Christophe Castella, IRD
- Haintsoa Nirina, Ministry of Agriculture, Madagascar
- Laércio Meirelles, Coordinator of Centro Ecologico, Brazil
- Emile Frison, Interim Coordinator, Agroecology Coalition
This second dialogue of the Agroecology Series on September 15 intends to connect the conservation and agroecology communities to explore opportunities and limitations of agroecology to address conservation needs beyond the farm. Thus, it will look beyond classical on-farm conservation angles (e.g. conservation of local crop varieties and crop wild relatives). Instead, it will discuss the contributions of agroecology to mitigate species decline and ecosystem degradation in the landscape, which are less explicitly recognised within existing narratives of the agroecology or conservation communities. The dialogue will identify concrete pathways to increase synergies between the agroecology and conservation communities in food system transformation through policy reform, knowledge creation and investment.
- Dr. Jingyuan Xia, Director of Plant Production and Protection Division, FAO
- Dr. Tim Benton, Director Research Center, Chatham House
- Dr. Noah Adamtey, Senior Scientist FiBL
- Aymara Llanque Zonta, Leuphana University, Germany
- Abaya Alemu, Plant Health and Product Quality Control Directorate, Ministry of Agriculture, Ethiopia
- Dr. Steven Arquitt, Senior Analyst Millenium Institute
- Dr. Frank Eyhorn, CEO Biovision
- Dominique Burgeon, Director FAO in Geneva
- Dr. Emile Frison, Interim Coordinator, Agroecology Coalition
This first event of the Agroecology Dialogue Series by FAO and Biovision Foundation, in support of the Coalition for food systems transformation through Agroecology (Agroecology Coalition), will explore the interface between territorial approaches and agroecology, and how this interface contributes to the sustainable transformation of food systems. It will analyse the relation between both approaches and the pathways needed for public policies, research initiatives, investment mechanisms, and advocacy to support agroecological transitions at territorial scales.
- Li Lifeng, Director Land and Water Division, FAO
- Basile van Havre, CBD Co-Chair
- Ludovic Larbodiere, Senior Agricultural and Environment Specialist at IUCN
- Thomas Wanger, Agroecologist and Interdisciplinary Scientist leading the Sustainable Agricultural Systems & Engineering Lab at Westlake University, China
- Juan Jose Molina, Veterinary and Researcher at CIPAV
- Marion Hammerl, Managing Director of the Lake Constance Foundation
- Dominique Burgeon, Director FAO in Geneva
- Martina Fleckenstein, WWF Global Policy Manager, Food
The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Madagascar, in collaboration with the Syndicat Malgache pour l’Agriculture Biologique, IFOAM – Organics International and the Tranoben’ny Tantsaha Mpamokatra, organised a series of workshops from 14 to 16 December 2021 entitled “Organic Agriculture in Madagascar: A project for society?”.
These workshops aimed to create an international network of policy makers on the decision-making process linking agroecological transformation with the development of markets for organic products. The forum brought together more than 100 participants, representing relevant ministries, producer organisations, organic farming companies, local authorities, NGOs and projects, research, consumers and technical and financial partners.
The overall objective of this event was to strengthen the capacities of Malagasy stakeholders in relation to the creation of the policy and legal framework for the development of organic agriculture in Madagascar, a project that began in 2017 and culminated in the promulgation in July 2020 of the Organic Agriculture Act 2020-003, and the development of the National Strategy for the Development of Organic Agriculture in Madagascar in 2019-2020. The event allowed national political and economic actors to take ownership of the environmental and health issues and economic opportunities that agroecology and organic farming offer the country. The aim was to take the opportunity to collectively reflect on the proposal of concrete and priority actions for the development of organic agriculture in Madagascar.
The programme of the forum was based on a series of workshops on the presentation of the policy and regulatory framework to support organic agriculture in Madagascar and the tools it proposes, such as Participatory Guarantee Systems and Organic Farming Territories. Policy-makers from Tunisia, India, Italy and Bhutan also presented by videoconference to participants the policies to support organic agriculture at the territorial level in their respective countries.
The forum concluded with the production of a set of recommendations summarising the interventions and concerns of the participants regarding the promotion of organic and agroecological agriculture in Madagascar.
- Read the recommendations in French and English here.
The Nepal Permaculture Group, in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, the Department of Agriculture of Nepal and IFOAM – Organics International organized a series of workshops at municipal, provincial and national levels between September 2021 and February 2022.
The main objective of the initiative was to strengthen the policy environment for the promotion and marketing of organic agriculture by working together with policy makers and practitioners to raise awareness on quality standards and strategy on organic agriculture.
The first municipality level workshop on “Policy Discussion on Promotion of Organic Agriculture in Nepal” was conducted on 22 September 2021 in Bharatpur Metropolitan, Chitwan. About 30 participants from different sectors working directly and indirectly on promotion and marketing of organic farming attended the workshop. Small groups were formed to develop a common understanding on different aspects and get suggestions from different stakeholders. All small groups suggested technical and procedural aspects for organic agriculture production and marketing.
A one-day provincial-level workshop was organised on 1 October 2021 in Surkhet, Karnali province, to discuss provincial-level strategies and strengthen the policy framework for promotion and marketing of organic farming in Karnali. About 45 participants from different sectors attended the workshop. Again, small groups were formed to discuss the various aspects of organic farming in Karnali and develop a common understanding of them.
On 15 February 2022, the national workshop brought together 57 high-level participants from ministries, departments, programmes, traders and sectors at both federal and provincial levels. The outcomes of the previous workshops were a discussion point for the national workshop which was then followed by short presentations on organic farming efforts in Nepal, national action plans in organic farming, a brief presentation on Sikkim’s experience in organic agriculture systems and concluding with a policy scenario for promoting organic agriculture in Nepal. The outcomes of the workshops included concerns, lessons learned and a recommendations for Nepal’s journey towards organic agriculture.
- Read about the lessons learned and recommendations here.
On November 23, the Food Policy Forum for Change co-organized a roundtable in collaboration with the Alliance for Agroecology in West Africa (3AO), the National Council for Organic Agriculture (CNABio) of Burkina Faso and the Centre Ecologique Albert Schweitzer Switzerland (CEAS).
The aim was to bring together political decision-makers and other actors involved in the development of policies related food systems, link the different efforts towards a food systems transformation in West Africa and enrich the discussion on the role, and instruments of action at the country level to ensure food security and nutrition.
The session was opened by Adama Savadogo, focal point for agroecology in the Ministry of Agriculture and Hydro-agricultural Development and Mechanization in Burkina Faso, followed by a short presentation on the political landscape conducive to agroecology in West Africa and beyond and two panel discussions; one focusing on political decision-makers and one comparing visions from other actors of the region.
Speakers:
- Charlotte Pavageau –Biovision Foundation
- Adama Savadogo – Ministry of Agriculture and Hydro-agricultural Development and Mechanization, Burkina Faso
- Ernest Aubee – Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
- Yvonne Bonzi Coulibaly – Ouagadougou University
- Eugene Rurangwa – Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
- Elhadji Faye – Enda Pronat
- Karim Savadogo – Alliance for Agroecology in West Africa (3AO)
- Abdoulaye Ouedraogo – National Council for Organic Agriculture (CNABio)
Moderated by Dr. Mamadou Goïta – IPES Food
- It is not sufficient to develop isolated policy initiatives for agroecology. Instead, agroecology must be integrated and anchored in all national policies, particularly those related to agriculture, environment, health and economy.
- Even though investment for agricultural transformation is a key concern of the ECOWAS community and regional approach (e.g. for standards) is indispensable, the mobilization of economic resources should start from within the countries. Financing a food systems transformation towards agroecology and organic agriculture cannot only improve food security but simultaneously holds advantages for health and trade (e.g. establishing local markets).
- A holistic food system approach needs to break silos and create synergies between different ministries and among sectors. In Senegal, the “Dynamique pour une Transition Agro-Ecologique au Sénégal (DyTAES) brought together 30 organizations and institutions from different fields to hold a national consultation for an agroecological transformation. In the case of Burkina Faso, a national strategy for agroecology and an accompanying action plan will be issued towards the end of 2021 and will integrated an inter-ministerial coordination platform.
- There is also demand for multi-stakeholder frameworks that allow to showcase food system champions, provide practical evidence from the ground and raise awareness of the benefits of agroecological and organic agriculture. These benefits must furthermore be communicated to society and consumers.
- It is also crucial for research and farmer groups to have a space where they can share and exchange scientific and traditional learnings and co-create knowledge. Continuous innovation is key for a food systems transformation and must be supported and picked up by national governments.
- A major challenge for agroecological policies is to maintain a broad, systemic and long term vision, and to sustain its implementation over time. Among the key barriers to long-term continuity are a poor understanding of the implementation barriers, or other political barriers such as changes of governments.
- Inclusion must be a core value of an agroecological and organic food system transformation. Actors on the ground, particularly indigenous peoples, farmers, women and young people must be involved in the design of frameworks, platforms and initiatives mentioned above.
- Summary and key messages (in English): link
- Summary and key messages (in French): link
- More information about the West Afrian Organic Conference: waoc.wafronet.bio/
- News article about the conference (in French): Agriculture biologique : Plus de 200 experts et professionnels réunis à Ouagadougou du 23 au 26 novembre 2021 – leFaso.net
- Video summary of the conference (in French): link
- Final report of the conference (in French): link
At the 2nd International Agrobiodiversity Congress, Steve Arquitt from the Millenium Institute presented the case study on rice in Bhutan.
This research on balancing organic agriculture and food self-sufficiency is part of the Food Policy Forum for Change and aims to identify policies that incentivize a large-scale shift to organic farming while improving self-sufficiency in rice.
Lead Author:
- Steve Arquitt (Millenium Institute)
- Derek Chan (Millenium Institute)
- John Garcia Ulloa (Biovision Foundation)
- Charlotte Pavageau (Biovision Foundation)
- Emil Zaharia-Kézdi (Millenium Institute)
- Goals for 100 percent organic agriculture and improved self-sufficiency in rice in Bhutan appear to be at odds.
- Traditional organic rice yields are approximately 25 percent below those of conventional, synthetic chemical dependent, agriculture.
- A solution may be the widespread adoption of the agroecological methods espoused by IFOAM and FAO that are organic but higher yielding than traditional organic. However, uptake to date has been slow, perhaps due to farmer expectations of lower returns compared to conventional agriculture.
- A simulation model developed by the Millennium Institute shows that a “feebate” policy that increases production cost of conventional agriculture while simultaneously decreasing cost of agroecological production may speed widespread farmer adoption of agroecology.
On October 25, The Policy Forum for Change, in collaboration with the Global Alliance for the Future of Food, organized a virtual workshop for policy makers on the topic of True Cost Accounting as an effective tool for policy makers to assess the hidden costs and benefits of agriculture and food systems.
In the first part, the True Cost Accounting (TCA) approach was introduced, follow by two presentations on embedding TCA in policy making processes in Indonesia and the Global Farm Metric (GFM) framework. In the second part, participants had the opportunity to discuss the relevance of TCA for policy making and share existing experiences in smaller breakout groups.
Speakers
- Kavita Sharma – ETH Zurich
- Tomas Declercq – UNEP
- Adele Jones – Sustainable Food Trust
Organic World Congress 2021 Pre-Conference: Policies driving sustainable food systems
On September 7, the Policy Forum for Change organized a session at the Pre-conference of the Organic World Congress 2021. The aim of the session was to give a comprehensive overview of innovative policy examples around the world, that try to show a way out of these crises and which are introducing and implementing the principles of organic agriculture and agroecology, presented by the policy makers themselves.
The key outcomes drawn from the Pre-conference did not only feed into Organic World Congress session, but also into the UN Food Systems Summit 2021.
- Sylvia Kuria, IFOAM Ambassador, organic farmer
- Frank Eyhorn, CEO, Biovision Foundation
- Raymond Auerbach, Nelson Mandela University, South African Organic Sector Organisation
- Kesang Tshomo, National Organic Flagship programme Manager, Ministry of Agriculture, Bhutan
- Silvana Eugenia Vargas Winstanley, Academic Director of Social Responsibility
- Paul Holmbeck, Director, Holmbeck EcoConsult, Denmark
- Alex Lwakuba, Commissioner, Crop Production Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries
- Vijay Kumar, Executive Vice Chairman, Rythu Sadhikara Samstha, Government of Andhra Pradesh
- Marina Rakotoniaina, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries, Madagascar
- Rajeshwar Chandel, Executive Director, Himachal Pradesh
- Laura Edwards-Orr, Director of Institutional Impact, Center for Good Food Purchasing Programme
- Zejiang Zhou, President, IFOAM Asia
- Thilak Kariyawasam, President of Lanka Organic Agriculture Movement and Managing Director to SriCert
- Sundar Anbalagan, Chief Executive Officer, Sikkim Organic Farming Development Agency, Government of Sikkim
- RunchiWang, Project Supervisor, Organic Food Development and Certification Center of China (OFDC-China)
- Carolina Duran, Secretary for Economic Development, The Mayor’s Office, Bogotá, Colombia
- Silvia Schmidt, Policy Associate Manager, IFOAM – Organics Europe
- Gábor Figeczky, Senior Manager Global Policy, IFOAM – Organics International
Read the summary of key messages here.
Find out more about the event here.
Burkina Faso: Two workshops with policy makers to integrate agroecology in the National Rural Sector Programme
In July and August 2021, the Food Policy Forum for Change supported the organization of two workshops with policy makers and relevant actors in Burkina Faso:
First, on 29 and 30 July, the National Council for Organic Agriculture (CNABio), in partnership with the Permanent Secretariat for the Coordination of Agricultural Sectoral Policies, held an awareness and information session in Koudougou, Centre-West region. The objective was to bring together the actors of the inter-ministerial technical team for the drafting of the national rural sector programme (PNSR) and discuss issues related to production and consumption of agricultural products.
Second, on 26 August, the General Directorate of Plant Productions of the Ministry of Agriculture of Burkina Faso organized a training and awareness-raising workshop, providing the representatives of the regional chambers of agriculture and the regional representatives of the confederation of farmers of Faso with knowledge on the challenges of agroecology. The aim of this session was to foster the inclusion of agroecology in the development of the national rural sector policy phase.
- State actors can constitute a force or an obstacle to the promotion of agroecology. It is therefore necessary to involve technicians and executives from the various departments of the rural sector for the success of advocacy.
- The economic and political environment in the field of agroecology in Burkina Faso is slowly changing but more synergies between different actors are required. National consultation processes for the development of the new national Investment Program in the Rural Sector offer an opportunity to unite actors.
- One of the key recommendations is to reorient research toward funding solutions to the problems of the peasant world and endow it with a substantial budget.
- Another one is to establish an economic model for agroecological approach in consultation with all stakeholders and to compare the true costs of agroecology and conventional agriculture
Strengthening food systems transformation through agroecology
This event at the UN Food System Pre-Summit took place July 27, 19:30 – 20:20 CEST
The aim of this session was to pull the agroecology-related strings together that have emerged in the UNFSS preparations and to translate them into calls to action and commitments. The session provided space for various constituencies from different contexts to demonstrate how agroecology works in practice and how they overcame obstacles and limitations, share their commitments (e.g. on social media) and invite others to act. It helped building and strengthening multi-stakeholder coalitions to transform food systems based on agroecological principles.
Speakers:
- Urs Niggli, Member of the UNFSS Scientific Group and the Swiss National FAO Committee
- Estrella Penunia, Secretary General, Asian Farmers Association
- Alwin Kopse, Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture
- Roberto Azofeifa, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Costa Rica
- Lauren Baker, Senior Director, Global Alliance for the Future of Food
- Fergus Sinclair, Chief Scientist CIFOR-ICRAF and co-convenor Transformative Partnership Platform on Agroecology
Watch the recording of the event here.
Find out more about the UN Food System Pre-Summit here.
The Transformative Partnership Platform (TPP) on Agroecology and its partners have organised a virtual event on 15 July, 14:00 – 16:00 CEST, to discuss policies for transitions to agroecological food systems.
After introducing the TPP and outlining the essential role that policy plays in accomplishing the TPP’s mission, the presenters have unveiled the latest draft of “Agroecologically-conducive policies: A review of recent advances and remaining challenges” for discussion. The feedback collected during the discussion will be integrated into the document before final publication.
By examining country case studies and current scientific evidence, the event then highlighted the opportunities and challenges involved in scaling-up agroecology over the next decade. Such knowledge will help set research, policy and investment priorities for actors at all levels.
A panel discussion and an interactive Q&A session with the audience completed the event.
Speaker list:
- Étienne Hainzelin Advisor to the president of CIRAD
- Fergus Sinclair Agroecology TPP co-convener and chief scientist at World Agroforestry (ICRAF)
- Frank Place Director of the Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM) CGIAR Research Program
- Paulo Niederle Professor of agrifood studies and economic sociology at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)
- Arlène Alpha Senior research fellow at CIRAD
- Stéphane Guéneau Socioeconomist and senior research fellow at CIRAD, Montpellier Interdisciplinary Center on Sustainable Agri-food systems (MOISA)
- Vincent Gitz Director of the CGIAR research program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA)
- Saliou Ngom Director of the Plant Protection Directorate (DPV) and President of the National Federation for Organic Agriculture (FENAB), Sénégal
- Bernard Hubert Emeritus senior scientist at INRAE, professor at EHESS and chair of the French Commission on International Agricultural Research (CRAI)
- Cláudia Oliveira Program manager of the Environment and Income Program, Banco do Brasil Foundation
- Fernanda Rocha Senior Regional Technical Specialist in Rural Institutions for the Latin America and the Caribbean region, IFAD
- Les Levidow Senior research fellow at the Open University, UK
- Sébastien Treyer Executive Director of IDDRI
- Natalia Estrada Associate Scientist – Landscape ecologist, Multifunctional Landscapes Initiative, Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT
- Emma Siliprandi FAO lead focal point
- Paulo Petersen AS-PTA Executive Coordinator
- Ernest Aubee Head of Agriculture Division at the ECOWAS Commission
- Guy Faure Senior policy officer, European Commission (DG INTPA)
- Maria Tekülve Deputy Head of Division and Focal Point at BMZ for Rural Development and Agroecology list
Executive summary
Member's Exchange -
Follow Up
On 22nd June, 2021, the Food Policy Forum for Change organised an informal exchange between policy makers from different countries. The aim of the conversation was for the policy makers to exchange between each other, learn about public policies and food system transformation processes in the countries and to explore how the Food Policy Forum for Change could support their work. During the Session, members from two countries – Namibia and Burkina Faso – presented current challenges and future developments concerning agricultural and food system policies in their country.
- Alisa Shidhika and Petrus Uushona, Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform in Namibia
- Adama Savadogo, national focal point for agroecology, Ministry of Agriculture and Hydraulic Infrastructures of Burkina Faso
- In Namibia, a National Agriculture Investment Plan is currently under development. This is a chance to create more synergies, as it involves different public and private stakeholders, as well as different parts of the economic sector and hence provides a more holistic framework.
- Burkina Faso has already organised trainings for farmers to teach them how to restore soil and several stakeholders have been working together on the level of small-scale farms.
Find a summary of the event here.
Last 28 & 29 April, high-level policy experts gathered at the digital event “Scaling up Agroecology in the Himalayas Together” to discuss and inspire key decision-makers on policies supporting agroecology and organic agriculture in the region.
The Himalayas event was organised by IFOAM – Organics International and the World Future Council, with the support of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The two-day sessions provided in-depth analyses of approaches and tools to help promote and implement the 10 elements of agroecology and the four principles of organic agriculture on a policy level in the Himalaya region, where there is a building momentum of policies driving transformation.
Speakers Day 1:
Ms. Louise Luttikholt , Executive Director, IFOAM – Organics International
Dr. Gerd Müller, Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany
Mr. H.E. Narendra Singh Tomar (TBC), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare, Ministry of Rural Development, India
Dr. Rajiv Kumar, Vice-Chairman, NITI Aayog
Mr. Dominik Ziller Vicepresident, International Fund for Agricultural Development
Mr. P. V. S. Suryakumar, Deputy Managing Director, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development
Mr. H.E. Walter Lindner, Ambassador of Germany for India and Bhutan
Mr. H.E. Prem Singh Tamang, Chief Minister Sikkim
Mr. Sundar Anbalagan, Executive Director, Sikkim Organic Farming Development Agency
Mr. H.E. Shri Jai Ram Thakur, Chief Minister, Himachal Pradesh
Dr. Rajeshwar Chandel, Executive Director, Himachal Pradesh
Concluding remarks – Prof. Dr. Claudia Warning, Director-General for Asia, SouthEastern and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Latin America, Civil Society at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
Speakers Day 2:
Mr. Ashok Khosla, Founding Councillor, World Future Council Founder, Development Alternatives
Ms. Dr. Yogendra Kumar Karki, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Nepal
Ms. Xhona Hysa, Global Policy Expert, IFOAM – Organics International
Dr. Hari Bahadur KC, Head of Planning and Policy, Ministry of Agriculture and livestock development, Nepal
Ms. Renate Künast, Member of Parliament and former Agriculture Minister, Germany
Mr. H.E. Lyonpo Yeshey Penjor, Minister of Agriculture, Bhutan
Ms. Anne-Sophie Poisot – Deputy Team Leader for Pest and Pesticide Management – Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Dr. Pema Gyamtsho, Director General International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development
Ms. Kesang Tshomo, National Organic Flagship Programme Manager, Ministry of Agriculture, Bhutan
Concluding remarks Mr. Philipp Knill, Head of Division India and South Asia, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
100 Percent Organic
In the
Indian state of Sikkim, in the predominant cardamom cultivation, pesticide use
has always been low. In 2003, the government committed itself to organic
agriculture and since 2016 the state is completely organic. Many new jobs were
created and tourism grew. Processing and Marketing still remains challenging.
Increasing Yields through Natural Farming
Also other
Indian states are moving towards organic agriculture : In Himachal
Paradesh, where most of the population lives in rural areas, and where
pesticides had been used heavily for a long time, there is now a programme ‚Subhash
Palekar Natural Farming‘ which manages completely without external fertilizers.
Due to the programme, production costs decreased and yields increased.
Certification and Marketing are Key
In Nepal,
Karnali is planning to be the first Bio province. Key elements are the
subsidization of organic fertilizers and the certification. Bhutan now targets
100 percent organic by 2023, which will be reached through access to organic
inputs and marketing of the produce. Culture and religion play an important
role as well.
Brand Organic from the Himalayas
A proposal
was to establish an international initiative or even brand for organic
agriculture in the Himalayas, since the special conditions in this mountain
region also require special cultivation methods. A holistic approach and a
common road map will be key.
More information about the Himalayas Virtual Event here:
Furthermore, find the recordings of the event here:
Finally, find a summary of the key messages here.
On April 14, the Food Policy Forum for Change organized a virtual exchange for a selected group of national policy makers to share their experience in transforming food systems in their countries. During the event, two main cases were discussed; agroecological approaches in Andhra Pradesh in India and the transformation towards organic agriculture in Tunisia. In a second step, participants discussed how the Food Policy Forum for Change can support its members and their food system transformation processes.
- Vijay Kumar Thallam, Executive Vice Chairman, Rythu Sadhikara Samstha (India)
- Samia Maamer, Director General for Organic Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture (Tunisia)
Fiscal savings: In Andhra Pradesh, India, even though the move towards agroecological farming practices originated as a response to the crisis in farmer livelihoods, with time, other aspects such as consumer health and diets increased the interest in these approaches. Furthermore, an important incentive for policy change towards agroecological approaches are the advantages they entail in terms of fiscal savings.
Certification systems: Similarly, in Tunisia, the interest in organic agriculture started as an opportunity to generate income and support the country’s economy before including broader health and environmental aspects as well. To create incentives for organic farming, the country relies on a certification systems that is subsidized by the government and which has received international recognition
Policy champions: Both case studies emphasized the need to identify champions of agroecology, strengthen group dynamics and promote synergies between different policy sectors. Furthermore, it is recommended to start mobilizing people and resources around a specific topic and with clear, coherent messages about agroecology. These topics are context-specific and may evolve with time.
The Forum’s role: Discussing how the Forum can support the needs of its members and their food system transformation, several new ideas were brought up, such as facilitating media exposure of policy champions, organizing field visits for policy makers and engaging in bilateral conversations with members.
Find a summary of the event here.
- Adama Savadogo, Secrétaire Généeral du Ministère en charge de l’agriculture du Burkina Faso (MAAH)
- Eugene Rurangwa, Bureau sous-régional pour l’Afrique de l’Ouest, FAO
- Laure Diallo, Représentante de la Plateforme Dynamique de travail pour une Transition Agroécologique au Sénégal (DyTAES), Sénégal
- Marina Rakotoniaina, Directrice de la Direction d’Appui à l’Agro Business (DAAB), Ministère de l’Agriculture, de l’Elevage et de la Pêche, Madagascar
- Haintsoa Nirina Rakotomainty, Responsable de la Divison Agriculture Biologique, Ministère de l’Agriculture, de l’Elevage et de la Pêche, Madagascar
The event was moderated by Charlotte Pavageau, programme manager, Biovision Foundation.
The recording of the webinar is private. Contact us to get access.
This session at the BIOFACH’s eSpecial Congress on 17 February 2021 highlighted the role of four governments to develop conductive and innovative policy instruments to introducing and implementing agroecological and resilience principles. The session connected governmental efforts in order to increase learning between policymakers, as well as enriching the discussion on the role and instruments for country-level action.
- Sundar Anbalagan, Chief Executive Officier Government of Sikkim (India)
- Dhan Bahadur Kathayat, Agri Extension Officier Ministry for Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperative (Karnali Province)
- Alex Lwakuba, Commissioner Crop Production Department Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (Uganda)
- Prem Thapa, Executive Director Nepal Permaculture Group (NPG)
The event was moderated by Gábor Figeczky, Senior Manager Global Policy, IFOAM – Organics International.
Further information to come.
More information about the event here
In this session at the Oxford Real Farming Conference, three leading policymakers from three different countries (India, Denmark and Uganda) presented good policy practices they are helping to put in place, which make possible the long-term transformation of the food and agricultural systems of their countries. The event explores the key entry points and drivers of transformational policies inclduing the multifacted crisis, climate change, health, and environmental pressures.
- Prof. Rajeshwar Singh Chandel, Executive Director of the State Project Implementing Unit Government of Himachal Pradesh (India)
- Alex Lwakuba, Commissioner for the Crop Production department Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (Uganda)
- Paul Holmbeck, Director of Holmbeck Eco-Consult, Former Director of Organic Denmark (Denmark)
The event was moderated by Charlotte Pavageau, Progamme manager, Biovision Foundation.
- Agroecological and organic farming is on the rise in all three countries
- In Himachal Pradesh, conversion to agroecology was successful within the framework of Palekar Natural Farming
- In Uganda, after 16 years of development, a policy on organic farming was successfully launched in 2020
- In Denmark, NGOs were an important driver of the country becoming the world leader regarding organic sales.
Further key messages of the event here.
This webinar initiated by Biovision, IFOAM and the Millennium Institute focussed on direct exchanges between policy makers. It aimed at providing a deeper understanding of existing approaches and legal frameworks to operationalise organic principles at the policy level with a focus on organic action plans and other type of supportive policy frameworks.
- Sundar Anbalagen from India, Chief Executive Officer, Sikkim Organic Farming Development Agency
- Paul Holmbeck from Denmark, Policy advisor Holmbeck Eco – Consult
- Dhan Bahadur Kathayat from Nepal, Agri Extension Officer, Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperative, Karnali Province
- Alex Lwakuba from Uganda, Comissioner Crop Production Department within the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries
Several speakers emphasized the importance of building policy interventions that are bottom-up and able to involve a wider range of actors and stakeholders at the very beginning of each policy cycle, so that the policy processes become an exercise of co-creation and deliver more meaningful and effective measures. As they both underlined, it is key to have well-thought-out strategic plans in order to ensure a well-balanced mix of measures supporting organic production (“push”) and consumption (“pull”).
- Sundar Anbalagan told the story of Sikkim, the first 100% organic sate. Their action plan, together with its linked policies, is unique in its boldness to convert an entire state to organic agriculture. The policy package combines mandatory requirements, such as gradually banning chemical fertilizers and pesticides, with support and incentivesfor training and certification.
- Alex Lwakuba and Dhan Bahadur Kathayat highlighted the relevance of political willingness, commitment and stakeholder involvement as driving forces for a successful policy formulation through examples of newly adopted organic policies.
- Alex Lwakuba presented the recently adopted National Organic Agricultural Policy (NOAP) in Uganda, which aims to harness the country’s potential in organic agricultural by ensuring a regulated sub-sector that contributes to national development. The formulation of the policy was initiated by the National Organic Agricultural Movement of Uganda (NOGAMU).
- Dhan Bahadur Kathayat gave us an insight into the Organic Agriculture Act of Karnali Province in Nepal, which is at its early implementation stage. The act intends to establish an organic agriculture directorate committee as well as an organic certification unit to develop organic standards. This is done with the objective to prohibit the use of in-organic fertilizers and pesticides and to transform the province into 100% organic.
- The recording of the event is not public (contact us for access).
- Find a synthesis of the event here.
The creation of markets for agroecological products is key to facilitate the transformation of our food systems. This process is often driven by consumer movements (e.g. through campaigns) or producer groups (e.g. farmer associations). Yet, public policies can also contribute to creating an enabling environment. In this roundtable, four invited panellists discussed how public policies can enable, transform and consolidate markets for agroecology, based on the experiences in their regions.
- Omar Aguilar, Director General for agricultural policy, Minister of Agriculture and Husbandry of the Republic of Nicaragua
- Hugo Rojas, Director of Supply at the Secretary of Economic Development, Mayor’s Office of Bogota, Colombia
- Patrick Honauer, co-founder Food Networks, social entrepreneur
- Moussa Sowe, 2nd vice-president of the Network of Farmers’ and Agricultural Producers’ Organisations of West Africa (ROPPA)
The event was moderated by Céline Termote, Alliance Bioversity International and CIAT.
Agroecology is emerging in a very dynamic way in diversified nested markets. Markets for agroecology refer to a wide diversity of initiatives or networks that ensure that food from agroecological production is exchanged and traded between producers and consumers. Public policies, including financial and regulatory mechanisms, can create market conditions that are favourable to rural and urban agroecological systems and their value chains by:
- Fostering domestic demand for agroecological products, which includes:
1. Communication and education programs, building consumer awareness on healthier, safer and more sustainable products. In particular, public authorities can have a very important role to play in building consumer trust;
2. Encouraging public procurement to guarantee market access for small-scale producers and for local and healthy food;
3. Increasing commercialisation channels, mainly allowing or supporting alternative channels to emerge. They can be public farmer markets, itinerant markets or regional digital market platforms for urban consumers supported by city councils - Identifying products that are produced agroecologically or that have sustainable qualities
Ensuring fair competition and fair pricing for both producers and consumers - Increasing the offer and availability of products from indigenous or local communities (e.g. encouraging farmer associations, conducive policies on seed systems), while making the whole value chain more sustainable
- Watch the event here on our Youtube account
- Access the minutes of the event
- Further resources:
– Agroecology Knowledge Hub
– Family Farming Knowledge Platform
– Family Farming & Agroecology Community of Practice
– FAO/INRA (2018) Constructing markets for agroecology
– FAO (2016) Sustainable value chains for sustainable food systems
The Food Policy Forum for Change was officially launched during the side event “Connecting Agroecological and Integrated Policies in Times of Crisis” at the CFS High-Level Special Event on Global Governance of Food Security and Nutrition on 13 October 2020. This panel discussion showcased good policy practices aimed at introducing and implementing agroecological and resilience principles. It illustrated the key role of policymakers as agents of change when it comes to the long-term and resilient transformation of food and agricultural systems.
- Dr. Maria Tekülve, Senior Policy Officer, Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
- Pio Wennubst, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to FAO/IFAD/WFP
- Dr. Papa Abdoulaye Seck, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Senegal to FAO/IFAD/WFP
- Dr. Vijay Kumar, Head of Department of Natural Farming, Andhra Pradesh, India
- Emma Siliprandi, FAO Scaling Up Agroecology Initiative Team Leader
- Louise Luttikholt, Executive Director, IFOAM – Organics International
- Aline Boy, Deputy Head Agroecological project, French Ministry of Agriculture and Food.
The event was moderated by Frank Eyhorn, CEO, Biovision Foundation.
- Policy instruments are crucial to scale up agroecological systems. They create a space for actors to develop solutions or to integrate agroecological elements in mainstream systems for continuous improvements.
- Agroecological policy instruments include:
1) Legal instruments: to foster farmer networks and collective action, for instance with a collective label for economic and environmental interest groups
2) Direct financial support measures: support for research through public calls for projects that focus on agroecology, or co-finance of institutions involved in agricultural advisory to accompany farmers in the agroecological transition
3) Support for capacity building: through programmes for vocational training, financial support to build capacities of communities and local institutions to facilitate change on the ground in a bottom up manner
4) Mixed financial instruments: between government, philanthropies and development banks to scale up approaches - Bottom up and participatory processes remain key for the development of integrated policies: it is mainly about getting all actors on board and creating a common vision across sectors and departments.
- Powerful entry points to initiate a policy dialogue on agroecology are:
1) Strong evidence base processes
2) Having a visible proof of concept of successful approach with a critical mass
3) Fostering exchanges between experiences that have some common ground
4) Embedding agroecological approaches on the ground with traditional and cultural elements to get a strong support from local actors - Integrating agroecological elements to existing policy instruments, rather than creating new ones, is one of the key factors of success and necessary to get major and decisive actors on board.
- Factors to bring an approach to scale include relying on existing collective institutions at the local level
We hosted a Q&A session with potential members, where we had the chance to introduce the Food Policy Forum for Change initiative and to answer some questions from particpants. The Forum is an interactive network of policy makers interested in making our food systems sustainable in the face of current global challenges. Through this network you will have the opportunity to meet, learn and get inspired by other policy makers via peer-to-peer exchanges.
Further information about the forum here
RESOURCES
1. Hubs:
- “Agroecology Knowledge Hub”:
Knowledge hub by FAO: Starting point to access existing knowledge on agroecology. - “AgroecologyLex”:
Specialized database on different legal frameworks, policies and programmes concerning agroecology in different countries. - “Organic at the UN Food Systems Summit 2021”:
IFOAM website with information and updates regarding the UN Food Systems Summit 2021.
- “Agroecology Knowledge Hub”:
2. Articles & Publications:
- “Africa at the crossroads – Time to abandon failing Green Revolution”:
Recent article on Africa’s failing green revolution and the alternatives being supported by governments such as Senegal’s. - “Agroecological and other innovative approaches for sustainable agriculture and food systems that enhance food security and nutrition”:
HLPE report on food security and nutrition. - “COVID-19 et agriculture – Une opportunité pour la transition agricole et alimentaire?”
The French Academie of Agriculture has asked itself this question in a new collective work. - “Enabling Sustainable Food Systems”:
Recent released innovators guidebook by FAO-INRA. - “Finance for Agroecology: More than just a dream?”
Recent publication by CIDSE about financing Agroecology. - “Organic farming is worse than atom bomb and does not suit Indian conditions, only adds to greenhouse emissions”:
Interview about the current debate regarding organic agriculture. - “Organic Food Systems – Meeting the needs of Southern Africa”:
Publication on policy innovation driving organic market development by Prof. Raymond Auerbach. - “Pathways report”:
Evaluation of trends that will shape our future highlighting what is happening on and to our land. - “Scaling sustainable agricultural practices”:
Newly published Policy brief at Ethos Public Policy Lab. - “How feebate policies could upscale organic agriculture and food self-sufficiency in Bhutan“: Policy Brief by the Millenium Institute that looks at how farmers might respond to policies aimed at incentivizing agroecology and improving rice self-sufficiency
3. Initiatives:
- “Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming”:
Twitter account to know more about the work happening in Natural Farming in Andrah Pradesh. - “Living Labs in agroecology”:
Webinars within the EU and associated countries on how to build the candidate partnership on agroecology living labs and research infrastructures. - “Natural Framing in the State of Himachal Pradesh, India”:
A project that supports farmers of the state to adopt organic farming.
4. Videos:
- “Food Policy Series” by Biovision Foundation in Partnership with Devex’ Future of Food Systems.
In a total of four videos, decision makers from Madagascar, Colombia, India and the Philippines tell us about how to strengthen farmers’ networks, connect rural food producers with urban consumers and promote organic agriculture as a means of combating food security and preserve biodiversity.
- Series of short videos from Madagascar
- Participatory Guarantee System (PGS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rA47tuYkCX4
- Symabio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5WhP0hfLhk
- Organic Law and strategy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW22zxBbtF8
- Organic Farming Territories: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SC8Dmi4XmNo
“Examples of Resilience in Himalayas from the words of a farmer practicing Natural Farming”: A video documentation by SPNF.
- “Training videos in Hindi that can help with scaling AE in Himachal Pradesh”:
Promotion of agroecological principles and rural entrepreneurship by Access Agriculture - Organic Farming Territories, A Malagasay Innovation: In English and French
ABOUT US
These activities are part of the initiative “Coherent policies for transforming food and agricultural systems – a peer to peer exchange among policy makers” led by a consortium of prominent organizations in the fields of sustainable food systems and support to agricultural policy processes: Biovision Foundation, IFOAM – Organics International and the Millennium Institute, with support from FAO. The initiative is financed by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ), and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
