Policies Working Group
Objectives
- Support the implementation of country pathways for evidence-based food system transformation through agroecology.
- Facilitate peer-to-peer learning among countries on agroecological policies.
- Mainstream agroecology in international organizations and other international discussions.
- Present best practices in agroecology.
- Contribute to co-learning between science/policy, civil society and private sector.
Outputs
- Advocacy to promote agroecology in international arenas through events (e.g.: Bonn Climate Change Conference, UNFSS, Committee for Food Security, UN Climate Change Conference COP 28)
- Development of a Tracking Tool for the CFS Policy Recommendations on Agroecology, in collaboration with the Research, Innovation and Education Working Group of the Agroecology Coalition
- Boost NBSAPs through Agroecology: A crucial approach to comprehensively meet KMGBF targets. See the flyer here and find out more here
- Inputs in Food Forward NDCs: a guidance tool to support the enhancement and implementation of NDC ambitions for agriculture and food systems transformation.
- Inputs in outcome brief: National Agroecology strategies in Eastern and Southern Africa: Lighthouses for food system transformation by Biovision
- Guide to UNCBD COP 16 in Cali, available here
- Guide to UNFCCC COP 29 in Baku, available here
- Guide to UNCDD COP 16 in Riyadh, available here
- Boosting Biodiversity Action Through Agroecology: Guidance for developing and updating National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans
- Policy brief: Agroecology: Connecting People, Land, Climate and Biodiversity (February 2025)
Co-Facilitators
Martina Fleckestein - WWF International
Martina Fleckestein focuses on conservation, agriculture and sustainable production at national and international level. She previously worked for more than two decades with WWF-Germany as Director, Agriculture & Land Use Change. Among other issues, she worked on sustainability standards, transparency in supply chains, international commodity markets, and sustainable consumption for a range of projects in Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America.
John Garcia Ulloa - Biovision
John Garcia Ulloa has been a member of Biovision’s policy and advocacy team since 2020. He is an environmental scientist from Colombia and holds more than ten years of experience in managing and implementing research and development projects on food systems across Latina America, Africa and Asia. His work focuses on understanding and influencing the drivers and policies that shape our food systems, as well as the impacts, benefits and interactions of food system transformation processes.
Ronnie Brathwaite - FAO
Ronnie Brathwaite is a national of Barbados, an agriculture and rural development specialist with experience in agriculture policy development, small farmer livelihoods development and agricultural health and food safety. Dr Brathwaite is a Senior Agriculture Officer at FAO where he leads the Ecosystems Approach to Sustainable Crop Production Intensification team and the Scaling up Agroecology Initiative. His areas of expertise include small farmer oriented policy development, arable land distribution programmes and services geared towards sustainable small farmer livelihood development. He previously worked with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat as the Deputy Programme Manager for Agriculture Development where he coordinated regional agriculture programmes and projects for the 15 Member Countries and developed agriculture policy in the area of agriculture and trade in agricultural goods.
- Martina Fleckestein – WWF International
- John Garcia Ulloa – Biovision Foundation
- Ronnie Brathwaite – FAO
Banner photo credit: Himalayan Permaculture Centre (HPC)