TWN Info Service on Biodiversity/TK, Sustainable Agriculture
3 December 2024
Third World Network
www.twn.my
Dear Friends and Colleagues
Agroecology in National Biodiversity Strategies and Actions Plans
Food systems are closely connected to biodiversity, and the realization of many of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework’s (GBF) targets depends on transforming food systems. There is increasing recognition that agroecology offers a promising integrated and holistic approach to designing and implementing food systems that work for biodiversity. Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) recognized the importance of agroecological food systems by including them in GBF Target 10.
This document provides guidance for integrating agroecology and food systems into the development and implementation of National Biodiversity Strategies and Actions Plans (NBSAPs) in alignment with the GBF. It outlines three critical opportunities:
- Embrace a food system approach and mainstream agroecology across the entire NBSAPs.
- Include agroecological interventions, from production to consumption, to address all the GBF target clusters: (i) Reducing threats to biodiversity, (ii) Meeting people’s needs through sustainable use and benefit-sharing and (iii) Tools and solutions for implementation and mainstreaming.
- Build the foundations for agroecological interventions through strong policies, financing mechanisms, monitoring schemes, governance rules, and institutional capacity.
With best wishes,
Third World Network
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BOOSTING BIODIVERSITY ACTION THROUGH AGROECOLOGY
Guidance for Developing and Updating National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans
Global Alliance for the Future of Food, Biovision Foundation, WWF International, Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture
https://futureoffood.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Agroecology_NBSAP_Guidance.pdf
Oct 2024
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Food systems are closely connected to biodiversity, and the realization of many of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) targets depends on transforming food systems. When designed well, food systems can simultaneously contribute to halting and reversing biodiversity loss, accelerating conservation and restoration of degraded land and water ecosystems, ensuring diversity of genetic resources, and maintaining and enhancing agrobiodiversity to bolster climate change adaptation and resilience.
There is increasing recognition that agroecology offers a promising integrated and holistic approach to designing and implementing food systems that work for biodiversity. Indeed, parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) COP15 directly recognized the importance of agroecological food systems by including it in GBF Target 10: Enhance biodiversity and sustainability in agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries, and forestry. This has also been reflected in the political and technical prioritization of parties in the update of their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs); as of August 2024, 9 out of 13 post-COP15 NBSAPs submitted to the CBD explicitly include agroecology within their national objectives.
These developments reflect how addressing food systems has emerged as a frontier for policy action over the past decade to overcome siloed, sector-specific approaches. Yet, the integration of agroecology in NBSAPs is not straightforward, and the following questions arise:
- How do the linkages between agroecology and the GBF go beyond Target 10?
- How can countries systematically integrate agroecology within their NBSAPs?
- Which intervention areas and concrete measures can be leveraged to reinforce national biodiversity action through an agroecological transformation of our food systems?
- Which means of implementation need to be considered to successfully deliver results across these intervention areas?
This Guidance aims to provide policymakers and food systems advocates with answers to these questions.
Agroecology: A Transformative Approach Aligned with All GBF Targets
Agroecology, as an approach based on the agreed 13 Principles of Agroecology and 10 Elements of Agroecology, 1 offers a comprehensive pathway for countries to fulfill their commitments under the GBF and to realize the CBD’s vision of living in harmony with nature by 2050. Agroecology’s emphasis on the whole food system (rather than solely production) and on social values (including farmer agency, rights, and livelihoods equity) arguably makes it the most transformative food system approach. The GBF and agroecology also share foundational principles, as both frameworks underscore the importance of participation, governance, fairness, and transparency. Targets within the GBF, including Target 13 (Fair and equitable sharing of benefits from genetic resources) and Target 18 (Reduce harmful incentives), resonate with agroecology’s call for more sustainable and equitable food systems. This Guidance outlines three critical opportunities for policymakers developing NBSAPs:
1. Embrace a food system approach and mainstream agroecology across the entire NBSAPs
The full benefits of agroecology can only materialize if countries mainstream it as a food system approach throughout the formulation of their NBSAPs. More concretely, this means formulating mission and vision statements that articulate a future where food systems are major contributors to the conservation, restoration, and enhancement of biodiversity. These statements also are an opportunity to recognize the importance of agroecology in delivering on multiple GBF targets and co-benefits on nutrition, health, economic stability, climate mitigation and adaptation, and environmental sustainability. NBSAP assessments of the current state of food systems and biodiversity action must be holistic, recognizing both direct and indirect drivers of biodiversity loss, namely industrial food systems that heavily rely on synthetic inputs, monocropping, excessive tillage, and have limited connection to local food practices. In addition, the active participation of various food system stakeholders — including agroecology actors, rights holders, suppliers, producers, consumers, financial institutions, and other relevant parties — is essential to ensure NBSAPs are the fruit of co-creation and transdisciplinarity.
2. Include agroecological interventions, from production to consumption, to address all three GBF target clusters
Agroecological interventions cover various aspects of food system transformation, from production to consumption, including supply chains, processing, and market incentives. These interventions not only support countries delivering on Target 10 but also help address all three official target clusters of the GBF:
Target cluster 1: Reducing threats to biodiversity — Agroecological measures can maintain, conserve, restore, and enhance the ecological and social processes that underpin ecosystem integrity, for example by transitioning from agrochemical to biological inputs and natural cycles– based farming.
Target cluster 2: Meeting people’s needs through sustainable use and benefit-sharing — Agroecological interventions empower farmers and food providers to protect, nurture, and enhance biodiversity and be rewarded fairly, while also promoting circular economy principles and strengthening regional food systems.
Target cluster 3: Tools and solutions for implementation and mainstreaming — These efforts prioritize marginalized groups — such as smallholder farmers, women, youth, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities — who are pivotal in biodiversity conservation. Additionally, agroecological approaches promote sustainable, healthy diets and consumption, and foster knowledge co-creation and exchange.
3. Build the foundations for agroecological interventions through strong policies, financing mechanisms, monitoring schemes, governance rules, and institutional capacity
To support agroecological interventions, policies should establish incentives for profound and systemic changes, as well as redirect food system actors away from harmful practices. Policies can also facilitate knowledge exchanges and transfers, support market development, and balance equity and efficiency outcomes, among other important enabling factors. However, for these policies to truly drive impact, strengthened financing models are essential. Transformative financing for biodiversity and agroecology must not only increase funding flows but also address issues of justice, historical legacies and ecological debt that shape financing institutions, flows, and arrangements. Institutional capacity for designing, implementing, and monitoring NBSAPs is another key lever for success. In practice this means strong institutions, skilled personnel, and the right tools and methodologies to plan and execute comprehensive biodiversity strategies. Inclusive processes are equally important, ensuring vital food system actors are actively involved throughout the NBSAP journey. Last but not least, to track progress effectively, NBSAPs’ national indicators should be adapted to reflect the elements and principles of agroecology and show how they contribute to the GBF headline and component indicators.
As countries update their NBSAPs, this Guidance is a call to action for Parties to the CBD to develop sound and comprehensive plans that leverage agroecology’s ability to address the biodiversity crisis. An agroecological approach enables synergies across a range of national commitments, including to the Rio Conventions (CBD, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change – UNFCCC, UN Convention to Combat Desertification – UNCCD), the SDGs, and national pathways to sustainable food systems. By embracing agroecology, countries can align their food systems to yield co-benefits for climate adaptation and mitigation, food security, health and nutrition, ecosystem resilience, sustainable livelihoods, social cohesion, preserving cultural heritage, and protecting human rights.
Tackling biodiversity, climate, and ecological collapse requires a laser focus on transforming food systems — from production to consumption — and now is the moment to do so. We hope this Guidance helps to do just that.