The role of agrifood systems across the Rio Convention Conference of Parties to the United Nations CBD, UNFCCC, and UNCCD

9 October, Brussels/Geneva/New York/Rome - The FAO Liaison Offices in New York, Brussels and Geneva together with FAO's Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment and the Division of Land and Water held a briefing on the upcoming Rio Convention's 'triple Conferences of the Parties'in 2024. The briefing, moderated by Dominique Burgeon, Director of the FAO Liaison Office in Geneva, was an opportunity to showcase how agrifood systems can tackle the multiple interlinked challenges, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation, food insecurity and poverty.

These issues were recently highlighted during the Summit of the Future. With the adoption of the Pact of the Future, a number of action areas to be addressed were identified, including promoting equitable, resilient, inclusive and sustainable agrifood systems, strengthening action on climate change, and restoring, protecting and ensuring sustainable use of the environment, as noted by Mr Guangzhou Qu, Director of the FAO Liaison Office in New York in his opening remarks.

One FAO approach to the triple COPs

The upcoming Rio Convention Conference of Parties (COP) to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) offer the possibility to not only share agrifood system solutions which can address challenges related to biodiversity loss, climate change and land degradation, but also provide support to Parties in integrating agrifood systems into national planning processes and strategies.   

Mr Kaveh Zahedi, FAO's Director of the Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and the Environment, underlined the work FAO is doing in this regard, with a "One FAO" approach throughout the three COPs.

At COP16, FAO will support a number of initiatives, including the launch of the Agri-NBSAP Support Initiative, designed to support countries to integrate agrifood solutions into biodiversity strategies, policies, and actions.

At UNFCCC COP29, FAO is supporting the COP29 Presidency's Baku-Harmoniya Climate Initiative for Farmers , and supporting countries highlight opportunities for agrifood solutions, including through the Sharm-el-Sheikh Joint Work on Agriculture and Food Security, and country support through the Scaling up Climate Ambition on Land Use and Agriculture through Nationally Determined Contributions and National Adaptation Plans (SCALA) initiative.

Mr Zahedi also emphasized that the transformation of agrifood systems must be equitable, inclusive and gender responsive for maximum impact, with adequate finance which effectively reaches agricultural communities as a key overarching message for all COPs.

Ahead of UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh, the Director of FAO's Land and Water Division, Mr Lifeng Li, stressed the importance of restoring agricultural land to meet Land Degradation Neutrality Targets (LDN) of the UNCCD Convention, as agriculture accounts for 60% of human-induced land degradation. FAO will support Members with 1) setting LDN targets, 2) providing technical support to advance policies and implementation of sustainable land management, integrated land use planning, drought management, and 3) improving the enabling environment, such as the governance of tenure, gender responsiveness and finance. FAO will also be supporting the presidency's initiative on land restoration focusing on degraded agricultural land and co-leading the organization of the Agrifood System Day and Governance Day.

COP Presidencies' Perspectives

Looking towards CBD COP16, Ms Manuela Rios, Counselor of the Permanent Mission of Colombia in New York, noted that Parties are expected to present updated and ambitious National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAP) or national targets. Colombia is preparing their own NBSAPs with an all-of-government, all of society-approach along with mainstreaming biodiversity across all sectors, as well as decision-making processes with a participatory approach in order to sustainably manage ecosystems while ensuring food security and food sovereignty. Recalling that this COP is the "COP of the people", she stressed the importance of a participatory approach which ensures the involvement of all stakeholders. She also highlighted the importance of Indigenous and traditional knowledge in addressing biodiversity and food security. In line with the theme "Peace with Nature", the Colombian Presidency is launching a global coalition and a voluntary multistakeholder declaration, with the aim to strengthen environmental actions with human rights at its core.

Mr. Rovshan Safarov, First Secretary, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Switzerland, outlined the UNFCCC COP 29 Presidency's vision, emphasizing agrifood systems as key to tackling climate change and ensuring food security while combating land degradation and water scarcity. He also noted the Baku-Harmoniya Climate Initiative for Farmers serves as an aggregator to identify synergies and gaps, facilitate finance, and foster collaboration. He highlighted that the three presidencies of the Rio Conventions are working together (Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia and Colombia), to increase synergies among the conventions, and are aligned in urging a shift from dialogue to concrete action.

Ahead of UNCCD COP16, Mr Abdullah Alanezi, First Secretary, Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva, noted the importance of agrifood systems as not only fundamental in providing food security and nutrition, but also for their economic and social contributions. COP16 will have a day dedicated to food systems to promote sustainable land management and agriculture practices with a focus on private sector and its role in transforming food systems.

Engaging all actors for agrifood system solutions

Also joining the discussion was a representative from the World Farmers' Organization, Ms Luisa Volpe, and a representative from the UN Major Group of Children and Youth and focal point of SDG 2, Ms Genna Tesdall. They underlined the key role of farmers and youth, describing how they are already contributing to the COP processes, as well as their actions on the ground to reduce food insecurity and poverty.

In closing, Mr. Raschad Al-Khafaji, the Director of the FAO Liaison Office with the European Union and Belgium, reaffirmed that the global goals on biodiversity (Biodiversity Plan), climate (Paris Agreement) and land degradation neutrality are unattainable without agrifood system solutions.  

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