The Agroecology Opportunity: an investment in biodiversity, water, climate, soil, and community security and resilience

Global experts outline multiple co-benefits of agroecological farming for water systems, biodiversity, soil health, and farmer and community resilience, and how to integrate agroecology into NBSAPs.

Co-organizers: Pan UK and Agroecology Coalition

Speakers:

• Jago Wadley, PAN UK
• Marcela Quintero, Alliance Bioversity Ciat
• Marc Vilahur, Government of Catalonia
• Max Levy,EcoAgriculture Partners
• Ida Simonsen, Dutch delegation, Global Youth Biodiversity Network & La Via Campesina
• Martha Ngalowera, Tanzania NBSAP Focal Point
• François Moreau, City of Paris

Moderated by Oliver Oliveros, Agroecology Coalition

In-person: Netherlands Pavillion, Blue zone, COP 16 Cali

Harnessing agroecology, agrobiodiversity and family farming to transform food systems and halt biodiversity loss

Co-organizers: Agroecology Coalition, Agricord, Forest and Farm Facility (FFF), International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), World Rural Forum (WRF), International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), Alliance Bioversity-CIAT, Switzerland

This session will discuss policies and financing needed to promote and support agrobiodiversity through agroecology and family farming as essential ingredients to ensure effective implementation of the GBF Targets and National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) and integration of agrobiodiversity considerations across the Rio Conventions and associated targets (such as Land Degradation Neutrality Targets under UNCCD and Nationally Determined Contributions/National Action plans under UNFCCC). 

It will showcase local and national experiences both in the North (e.g., Germany, Switzerland or France) and in South (Brazil, Colombia and/or Tanzania) in terms of practices and approaches that protect and manage agrobiodiversity and for meeting people’s needs with sustainable use and benefit-sharing, including initiatives of Forest and Farm producer organizations and Indigenous territorial organizations to finance and scale up agroecological approaches.

Speakers:

• Jonathan Mockshell, Agroecology Transitions, Alliance Bioversity/CIAT
• Luis Facco, COPROFAM
• Vincent Peyraud, Representative of Switzerland
• Anna Sianga, Representative of Tanzania
• Yiching Song, FSN China
• Alejandro Argumedo, Potato Park

Moderated by Oliver Oliveros (Agroecology Coalition) & Elena Aguayo Rico (World Rural Forum)

In-person: CGIAR Pavillion, Blue zone, COP 16 Cali

Languages: EN/ES

Streaming available here.

Addressing the unequal burden of climate change – Articulating the value for money of investments in climate resilience, gender equality, and nutrition

Organizers: IFAD; International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI); World Bank; Agroecology Coalition; FAO; Standing Together for Nutrition/The Micronutrient Forum; Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)/I-CAN; Government of Senegal; UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO); ROPPA; AICCRA (WB)

Agroecological approaches, especially those which are gender transformative, will be essential for addressing climate adaptation/mitigation, gender equality, and nutrition goals in parallel. The overall objective is to promote investments and foster greater coordination across the environment, agriculture, gender, and health sectors to deliver on gender, climate change and nutrition goals.

Speakers:

• Dr. Lauren Phillips, FAO
• Dr. Carlo Azzarri, IFPRI
• Saskia Osendarp, Executive Director of the Micronutrient Forum
• Sarah LaHaye, Lead of the Initiative on Climate Action and Nutrition (I-CAN) at GAIN
• Pierre Ferrand, FAO and representing the Agroecology Coalition as facilitator of its WG on Implementation
• Emily Wylde, IFAD
• Representative of Senegal – TBC
• Representative of UK – TBC
• ROPPA

Location: Sheikh Zayed Centre at FAO HQ (Rome, Italy) and online 

Languages: EN/FR

Advancing Biodiversity Law and Fair Governance through Agroecology

Co-organizers: Agroecology Coalition and IPES-Food, with the technical assistance from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization

This online event will highlight the role of agroecology in promoting biodiversity law and fair governance. Indeed, the Principles and Elements of Agroecology address the whole food system transformation from agroecosystem management to inclusive governance architectures that support fair participation of local communities in decision-making related to agriculture and food as well as land and natural resources. This event will also underscore how supporting the rights, knowledge and seed systems of food producers, consumers and biodiversity guardians can uphold rights-based policy frameworks that enable biodiversity and ecosystems protection, while ensuring equitable, resilient, inclusive and healthy food systems.

Speakers:

• Oliver Oliveros, Coordinator, Agroecology Coalition, Chair of the Event 
• Daniel Peter Beniamino, Director of Department of Policies for Rural Environmental Management of the National Secretariat for People and Traditional Communities and Rural Sustainable Development (Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change of Brazil).
• Martha Ngalowera, Environmental Education Officer and NBSAP national coordinator, Vice President’s Office, Division Of Environment, Government of Tanzania. 
• Oliver De Schutter, Co Chair, IPES-Food, UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights (via recorded video)
• Lim Li Ching, Co-Chair, IPES-Food and Third World Network
• Michael Taylor, Executive Director, International Land Coalition
• Ysa Calderón, Founder and CEO of Sumak Kawsa, Member of Young Professionals for Agriculture and Rural Development (YPARD) Peru
• Fikru Takele, National Coordinator, Land For Life Ethiopia

Boosting NBSAPs through agroecology – launch of a new Guidance Tool

Organizers: WWF, BIOVISION, Global Alliance for the Future of Food, Agroecology Coalition & Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT

In-person: Small Room (COP CBD Cali)

Harnessing agroecology, agrobiodiversity and family farming to transform food systems and halt biodiversity loss

Co-organizers: Agroecology Coalition, Agricord, Forest and Farm Facility (FFF), International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), World Rural Forum (WRF), International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), Alliance Bioversity-CIAT, Switzerland

This session will discuss policies and financing needed to promote and support agrobiodiversity through agroecology and family farming as essential ingredients to ensure effective implementation of the GBF Targets and National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) and integration of agrobiodiversity considerations across the Rio Conventions and associated targets (such as Land Degradation Neutrality Targets under UNCCD and Nationally Determined Contributions/National Action plans under UNFCCC). 

It will showcase local and national experiences both in the North (e.g., Germany, Switzerland or France) and in South (Brazil, Colombia and/or Tanzania) in terms of practices and approaches that protect and manage agrobiodiversity and for meeting people’s needs with sustainable use and benefit-sharing, including initiatives of Forest and Farm producer organizations and Indigenous territorial organizations to finance and scale up agroecological approaches.

Speakers:

• Marcela Quintero, DDG, Alliance Bioversity/CIAT
• Karina Gonzales, Co-Founder and Director, ProNobis Agroforestal, Rede Ecovida, Brazil
• Thierry DUDERMEL, DG INTPA, European Commission
• Ludovic Larbodiere, IUCN
• Doina Popusoi, IFAD

Moderated by Oliver Oliveros (Agroecology Coalition) & Elena Aguayo Rico (World Rural Forum)

Languages: EN/ES

In-person: CGIAR Pavillion, Blue zone, COP 16 Cali

Streaming available here

Biodiversity for nutrition and health through Agroecology

Co-organizers: Agroecology Coalition, Alliance Bioversity-CIAT, IPES-Food

This side event will tackle how, through agroecology, agrobiodiversity can be sustainably managed and used while promoting nutrition and health. At the country-level, it will showcase how agroecology is as a crucial pathway for countries like Colombia and Brazil which are striving to meet their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), and how it achieves the multiples targets set by the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), including not only Target 10 (sustainable agriculture), but also Target 1 (spatial planning), Target 2 (degraded ecosystems), Target 7 (pollution), Target 8 (climate change), Target 11 (restoration), Target 16 (sustainable consumption), Target 18 (harmful subsidies), Target 20 (knowledge), and Target 21 (participation). 

At the local level, it will feature grassroots initiatives demonstrating how agroecology provides a pathway to protect nature, conserve the richness of biodiversity and restore degraded land and ecosystems, while producing healthy, diversified nutritious and culturally appropriate food.

Speakers:

• Sofia Monsalve, Secretary General of FIAN International and IPES-Food Panel member
• Marcela Quintero, Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT
• Mauricio García Alvarez, SWISSAID Colombia 
• Stacia Nordin, Never Ending Food Permaculture Malawi (recorded video)
• Diana Paola Salamanca, Government of Colombia
• Vivian Libório de Almeida, Director of the Department of Innovation for Family Farming Production and Agroecological Transition at the Secretariat of Family Agriculture within the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Family Agriculture (Brazil).

Moderated by Oliver Oliveros, Agroecology Coalition

In-person: CGIAR Pavillion, Blue zone, COP 16 Cali

Languages: EN/ES

Streaming available here.

Agroecology Coalition Webinar Series #3

Agroecology in Action: Stories from the Ground

Ten years after the first International Symposium on Agroecology for Food Security and Nutrition (2014), the Agroecology Coalition publishes the report “Agroecology in Action: Stories from the ground” showcasing ten projects making the case for agroecology and illustrating how the Agroecology Principles and Elements can be operationalized in various contexts.

From Asia (India, Nepal, Himalayas), Africa (Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Tchad, Ivory Coast, Niger), the Middle East (Lebanon), to Latin America (Colombia, Nicaragua, Ecuador) and Europe many organizations work together to implement projects and initiatives to transform the food systems through agroecology.

During this Agroecology Coalition Webinar Series #3, the Agroecology Coalition is hosting a conversation to learn more about how agroecology can be implemented in different contexts, and to discuss what are the enabling conditions to ensure positive results and impact and deliver on social, economic, and environmental objectives. We will also see what the hindering factors and lessons learned are for wider implementation.

The cases featured in this publication were shared by members during the monthly interactions of the Coalition’s Working Group on Implementation. These meetings provide members with a space for co-learning and exchanging knowledge.

Speakers:

• Benoit Berger, Director, International Partnerships and EST, Fair Trade Lebanon,
  • Tarik Akhdar (Green Road), Lebanon
• Andrea Santopaolo, Junior Sector Expert, Food Security and Rural Development,
  • the Agri-Urb Project in Maputo, Mozambique,
• Yeni Carillo, Research Professional AeDLABS project, SWISSAID Colombia,
  • The Agroecology Digital Laboratories (AeD-LABs), Latin America
• Alexander Wezel, Research Director, ISARA and Baptiste Grard, Professor-Researcher, ISARA
  • AE4EU project, Europe

Moderators:

• Pierre Ferrand, FAO
• Agroecology Coalition Secretariat

Interpretation services will be available in English, French and Spanish.

The role of Youth in the Agroecological Transformation: insights from Youth Networks from all over the world

Through our hybrid side-event organized during the World Food Forum (15-19 October 2024), we will spotlight the pivotal role of youth in promoting agroecology, connect existing Youth Networks and hope ignite the creation of new movements and initiatives. We will also showcase the innovative contributions of young individuals and groups, inspiring others to join the movement towards sustainable agricultural practices.   

Co-organizers: the Agroecology Coalition, the Agroecology Europe Youth Network (AEEUYN) and the Young Professionals for Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD) 

Speakers: 

• Nicole Cecchinato, Agroecology Europe Youth Network (AEEUYN)

• Edoardo Corriere, Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD), Programme Manager 

• Ngaakudzwe Tinotenda Chifamba, Young Volunteers for Environment Zimbabwe, Deputy Director/Head of Research and Projects

• Karina Gonçalves David, ProNobis Agroflorestal, Rede Ecovida 

• Deep Jyoti Sonu Brahma, Commutiny – The Youth Collective 

Moderated by Amelie Steu, Agroecology Coalition Associate Coordinator 

In-person: Faisal Room at FAO HQ (Rome, Italy). 
Online: web streaming on World Food Forum website

Code on the WFF Online platform: YP08

Agroecology, Organic, Regenerative, Nature-based: a conversation on food systems sustainability framings 

Agroecology Coalition Strategy Launch

The road to Belem and beyond: financing and leveraging agroecology for impactful NDCs, NBSAPs and NAPs.

Hybrid event

Agriculture and Food Systems in NBSAPs: Critical Pathways to GBF implementation and beyond

In-person event

Harvesting Hope: Agroecologica Practices in Transforming Food Systems

Digital event

International conference on agrobiodiversity

Hybrid event

National Agroecology Strategies in Eastern and Southern Africa: Lighthouses for food system transformation

Hybrid event

An event to discuss national strategies aiming at supporting the agroecological transition of food systems.

Women, Agroecology and Food Systems transformation

Webinar

A conversation with Agroecology Coalition co-chairs in the run up to International Women’s Day.