Finance and Investments Working Group
Objectives
1. Tracking, analyzing and influencing (public and private) investments and existing funds for agroecology
How
- On-going work on the tracking of investments (follow up of the Berlin workshop): Share and promote methodology once finalized
Work by TIFS on the analysis of investments funds for AE (pilot starts in Africa) - Regional funds of the Agroecology Fund
- Influence donors/investors/funding vehicles to integrate agroecological principles into investment decision making
- Share and promote what already exists (funding vehicles, funding programmes) to coalition members
2. Support governments in increasing their funding for AE approaches/policies
How
- Support peer-to-peer exchange with government officials on how to reallocate/shift resources to implement AE approaches/policies
Governments need an AE strategy in place to put their own funding and budgetary allocations: Link to policy working group for peer-to-peer exchanges on how to develop such strategies - Support governments in mobilizing and re-directing (e.g. repurposing conventional agricultural subsidies) funds for AE through programmes or connect to existing funds
3. Promoting the Agroecological Business Case to increase public and private investments
How
- Promoting inspiring and promising showcases (e.g. agricultural enterprises or agroecological funding vehicles) -> link to communication/advocacy working group
- Convince donors/investors about the multidimensional returns of AE (economic, ecological and social benefits of AE) by relevant tools, reports and convenings-> Link to research working group and advocacy working group
- Show to donors and investors what transformative investments are (e.g. work by TIFS)
- Conduct match-makings between AE enterprises and donors/investors
Outputs
The group has worked on the Agroecology Finance Assessment Tool, a collective online tool which provides a methodological framework based on the 13 principles of agroecology elaborated by the HLPE to measure progress in finance towards agroecology and provides a guide to elaborate projects implementing agroecology. It was launched in October 2023 and it can be accessed here.
The working group also played a crucial role in the organisation of the Agroecology donors convening (Rome, 20-21 October 2023).
Co-Facilitators
Banner photo credit: “Clagett Farm Community Supported Agriculture Oct 28, 2017 at 1-056_sharing” by krossbow is licensed under CC BY 2.0.