Welcome to our discussion on Action Track 3

How can we move towards food production that is nature positive?Action Track 3

Producing food should not result in biodiversity loss, pollution, water use, greenhouse gas emissions and soil degradation. We need to safeguard and regenerate natural ecosystems, eliminate deforestation, and overfishing from food supply chains. Better food production should also include regenerative practices, sustainable livestock production; support and learn from traditional and indigenous knowledge in food production.

And to ensure food production that is nature positive, we need coordinated actions.

Look at some of the actionable solutions that the UNFSS Action Track process and youth have proposed.

  1. The right to a healthy and safe environment
  2. Adopt sustainable agricultural practices – a system of farming, fishing and grazing that seeks to rehabilitate and maintain terrestrial and aquatic agri-systems
  3. Stop deforestation and make livestock farming more sustainable
  4. Sustain and Expand Sustainable Resilient Blue Food Production Systems
  5. Urge governments to acknowledge that blue foods are a crucial part of our food systems
  6. Limit the use of single-use plastics in food and drink packaging, and regulate recycling measures to reduce harmful effects on the environment

Find additional information in the UNFSS Community Platform.

After reading these propositions, let us know what you think, what you can do, and what support is needed to bring the changes you aspire to obtain! You can answer one or all the following questions, using any means you prefer – write a comment, share a picture, compose a song or a poem, or send us a short video:

  1. Is there anything we have missed or that can complement these propositions?
     
  2. What concrete actions are you, your youth organization, or your community ready to take to ensure that food production becomes fully nature positive?
     
  3. How do you think Governments and other stakeholders can support youth in achieving the actions identified?
     
  4. Supposing there were coalitions formed around any of these, which one would you be interested to join?

 

Comments (68)

Pramisha Thapaliya
Pramisha Thapaliya Moderator

First Week Summary - Action Track 3 (Nature Positive Production)

Earwin Belen  rightly mentioned, “Ecosystem and food systems should go hand in hand”.

Over the past weeks, we heard interesting stories and recommendations from you all! Thank you very much for your contribution. I want to highlight some of the key issues and points raised as a part of the summary. 

Young people feel that there is a lack of affordable access to diverse and nutritious diets, produced through nature-positive production practices. Most of the participants also focused on the importance of Nature Positive Production practices like agroecology, practices based on TEK (Traditional Ecological Knowledge), sustainable fishing practices and others. Addressing food culture in food systems is key, if we need realistic transition, as outlined by Earlene Cruz . And thank you Vanessa Garcia Polanco for sharing the New Blue Deal and Climate proposal that you are working on.

Participants also highlighted the need to focus on Just Transition, economic transition for farmers and fishermen when transitioning to more sustainable practices from the current business. As mentioned by Emily food sovereignty and land justice for nature positive production, isn’t mentioned in the above action area, which is quite essential.  

Most of the youths in the discussion room recognized that young people can lead a role through increasing awareness, education and using innovative ideas. Mobilization of already available youth groups and creation of a common platform for youth (eg. incubator or accelerator programs to convert ideas into reality) to engage is very important in food systems and agriculture related issues.

Laurence on behalf of “Bites of Transfoodmation” and manifesto team highlighted the importance of quality knowledge flow through use of appropriate technology, alignment of subsidies towards environmental friendly practices, and use of practices like vertical farming, keeping in mind of both production and environment. Many young people were interested to join some or all of the coalitions proposed! 

Need of policy coherence was also a key highlight during the discussion. Comments by Genna showed that self-organized youth groups and movements like YPARD are already working for advocacy and policy push, in order to achieve Nature Positive Production!

Ida explained to us very clearly what indigenous youth wants, in terms of ‘Nature Positive Production’ through "Indigenous Youth Global Declaration on Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems". One strong recommendation is, “Indigenous Youths should be recognized as experts on resilience and sustainable food systems, keepers of first-hand experiences with extreme climate change so, the value of their traditional knowledge also calls for equitable inclusion, and very importantly, fair compensation as established in the Nagoya Protocol on access to benefit-sharing to traditional knowledge.”

On the part where we discussed about need of young people, there was more focus on capacity building (eg. mentorship) and funding youth entities (eg. microfinancing), who are working on ‘Nature Positive Production’. Including youths in policy making decision tables meaningfully, related to this action track, was also key input. Addressing structural challenges concerning youths working for nature positive production and food systems transformation was recognized as a crucial point to address.

I couldn’t thank you all enough and so excited to engage with you over the few remaining days to dive into more. Also, let's welcome my fellow moderators Mai and Treasa, who would join me in moderation. 

A BIG T.H.A.N.K Y.O.U !!!

 

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Pramisha Thapaliya
Pramisha Thapaliya Moderator

Hello everyone and Welcome to this discussion group! I am Pramisha Thapaliya, moderating the discussion in this group  on the topic, “Nature Positive Production “. It is an ‘ Action Track 3’ area, within the UN Food Systems Summit process. I am very excited to read your thoughts, comments, responses and recommendations on the topic and questions posted above. There is also a translation facility (see top right corner) so, please feel free to comment in your preferred language. Let's do this!

 

Bronika Thapa
Bronika Thapa

1)all 

2) looking at initial proposition to address these issues the gaps between industrialization and labourarizations and farmers should be addressed. High class people  are extracting our valuable mother resources for their  economical benefits and the normal people who cannot industrialize those resources are facing serious health hazards  and do are belong to minor groups.The real farmers should be benefited and the world should be headed toward sustainability. 

3) Looking at propositions 3 actions that can be taken by youths can be:

Mobilising youth talents through creation and spreading more awareness.

Pressurising national and international plan and policies level to include youths opinion for decision making as they are the future and more problems are to be faced by today's youth.

Actions to be taken from local level and spreading actions from individual level to global level.

4)Government and other bodies should invest and grant financial support for further research and campaign activities. Youth should be mobilized greatly for productive sector and for decision making process on panelist.

5) Yes ,I would be so much interested to join coliations.

 

 

Pramisha Thapaliya
Pramisha Thapaliya Moderator

Bronika Thapa , thanks a lot for your insights. Can you please expand a little bit on what actions, young people can take at the local level to strengthen nature positive production and how can the government support youths in this area? Moreover, for the last question, which coalition actually do you prioritize?

Vanessa     Garcia Polanco
Vanessa Garcia Polanco
  1. All
  2.  What are blue foods? Are we talking about ocean/land integration? The focus on plastic and single use seems out of place here, maybe focus more on fossil fuel inputs like plastic pollution and waste in ag in general.  I would like to see a more system approach to nature, focus on agroecology and TEK practices and less on regenerative/rehabilitate. 
     
  3. Or farmers are already are implementing these practices specially on grazing/livesctock, less fossil fuel inputs and sustainable practices. 
     
  4. Creating more funding opportunities for youth and youth lead organizations to carry out nature based projects in agriculture in their communities. Given youth/ youth orgs a seat at the table in decision making bodies around nature. 
     
  5. All, if they provided stipends and other compensation methods. 
Pramisha Thapaliya
Pramisha Thapaliya Moderator

Interesting points, Vanessa!

Technically, all edible aquatic organisms, are called Blue Foods. Blue Foods is one of the solution clusters within Action Area ‘Protect’ of Action Track 3.  This Solution Cluster will work to reverse the decline in wild fisheries (from oceans and inland waters) and restore their abundance through good management practices, investments in capacity-building tools for blue foods’ value chains, including aquaculture, and implementation of climate resilience strategies. It will also work with countries to strategically prioritize funding and make blue food-friendly policy decisions to support their maintenance and sustainable growth. Please find more about it here: https://foodsystems.community/game-changing-propositions/

It would be interesting to hear more from you, about agroecology, TEK practices vs. regenerative or rehabilitative practices. Also, can you please explain what kind of solutions need to be implemented in order to reduce waste in agriculture and fossil fuel inputs, as outlined above

 

Pramisha Thapaliya
Pramisha Thapaliya Moderator

Vanessa Garcia Polanco Thanks a lot for your valuable comments, insights and these useful links, I really appreciate! 

Rayan Kassem
Rayan Kassem
  1. All
  2. Our oceans are already being heavily drained. I think if the new shift in food sources is to focus on blue food, we will need to be mindful of how we are promoting this transition. 
  3. Raise awareness that juvenile fish should not be caught / bridge the gap between fishermen and science on sustainable fishing / ban harmful practices against by-catch
  4. Creating more funding opportunities for youth and youth lead organizations
  5. All
Pramisha Thapaliya
Pramisha Thapaliya Moderator

Thank you, Rayan for your insights. Can you please explain more on point 2. What factors should we keep in mind when we are promoting the transition? Also, it would be interesting,if you could expand more on your point  4. 

 

Rayan Kassem
Rayan Kassem

Pramisha Thapaliya 

Sure!

for point 2, a just transition means that we don't look at the solution in black and white. Current fishing practices are already destructive enough to our oceans so having an increased demand on blue sources of protein only means that these methods will be reinforced and cause more damage. Instead, strategies to create more sustainable fishing patterns should be implemented at the policy level prior to increasing fishing efforts and ocean farming practices. Sustainable aquaculture, sustainable seaweed production, keeping track of catch and effort data from fishermen are some examples. This cannot be completed without remembering the economic transition of fishermen and farmers.

Point 4: Much of the awareness about sustainable food systems practices are being advocated for by youth-led organizations. These efforts are, however, not funded and will only go a slight distance without financial support. 

Earlene Cruz
Earlene Cruz

Hi, everyone! 

Below are my thoughts: 

  1. What is the issue that is of primary importance to you and your communities? All
  2. Looking at the initial propositions to address these issues, can you identify any gaps? The importance of food culture in food systems is key. Many of these agricultural practices have been in place for millennia, and as such, any propositions for transformative change needs to consider cultural norms. This is not to say that cultural norms should be upheld indefinitely at the expense of the degradation of ecosystems, but it should be considered, balanced, and accounted for when suggesting any viable solution that requires active community participation.   
     
  3. Looking at the suggested propositions, identify three actions that youth organizations/individual youth can take to achieve them? In any and all of the propositions, I believe that youth can serve to 1. educate themselves on the issue 2. educate their community 3. implement change through innovative approaches to current practices. 
     
  4. How do you think Governments and other stakeholders can support youth in achieving the actions identified? Government and other stakeholders can ensure that youth and young people who are already working on food systems transformation, whether it be traditional or innovative, and engage them in the discussions about what is feasible. They have an investment in their future and in that of their country and should be included as key stakeholders and decision-makers during all of the processes. 
     
  5. Supposing there were coalitions formed around these action areas, which one would you be interested to join? I would be interested to join a coalition around the enhanced production of sustainable fish and seafood, as I believe in the power of consumer-driven change. 
Pramisha Thapaliya
Pramisha Thapaliya Moderator

Thank you Earlene for your comments and for opening the new lens of discussion through acknowledging the importance of food culture. How can we better incorporate the topic of ‘Food Culture’ in our initial proposition. What are the major areas within ‘Food Culture’ that needs to be addressed?  It would be insightful to hear your thoughts on this.

 

Earlene Cruz
Earlene Cruz

Before we tackle any food systems change, we need to empathize with the communities to understand why they implement the practices that they do. For example, burning coal or firewood for cooking is ultimately unsustainable and impairs human health, but before suggesting its eliminations, we need to understand that in many cases, this is the only option available, or perhaps the only financially viable option available, or that sometimes, people like the charred taste on some of their foods, for example in Spain and India. It is much easier to solve for financial viability than it is to transform people's palates. So, is there a way for us to achieve the same effect that upholds people's desired taste, is cost-effective, and is good for human and planetary health? Including the individual and cultural motivations is key, and this is just one small but representative case.  

Pramisha Thapaliya
Pramisha Thapaliya Moderator

Earlene Cruz Thank you, Earlene. I hope we will also have other comments and discussions on this platform to consider food culture and identity, while transitioning to nature positive production, for the transformation of our food systems.

Earwin Belen
Earwin Belen

What is the issue that is of primary importance to you and your communities?

In my opinion, all of these issues are important both to me and my communities as everything are interconnected to each other. Both ecosystems and food systems should work hand-in-hand to support sustainable communities.

Looking at the initial propositions to address these issues, can you identify any gaps?

More than the production systems, we should also put into consideration the other side of the supply chain, which is the demand coming from consumers. Also, added to this is the inequity of food distribution, thus either we have undersupply or oversupply of food. There should be a balance between the supply and the demand.

Looking at the suggested propositions, identify three actions that youth organizations/individual youth can take to achieve them?

  • Information campaign on responsible production and consumption of food.
  • Identify food items / ingredients that currently have large negative impact on natural systems.
  • Create consensus on how the youth will take part in the conversations, both low and high levels, as a key stakeholder in these issues.

How do you think Governments and other stakeholders can support youth in achieving the actions identified?

Mobilize the national youth commissions / representations in the government and civic society in their role towards nature conservation. Provide additional support to youth initiatives by allotting budgets for such.

Supposing there were coalitions formed around these action areas, which one would you be interested to join?

As a worker for agriculture, managing sustainable food systems will be my main point of interest.

Pramisha Thapaliya
Pramisha Thapaliya Moderator

Thank you Earwin Belen for your valuable inputs. In regards to your answer to the last question, I assume, you meant the coalition around Action area 2 (listed at the top i.e. Adopt sustainable agricultural practices – a system of farming, fishing, and grazing that seeks to rehabilitate and maintain terrestrial and aquatic agri-systems). Please correct me if I am wrong. Since you spoke about the inequality in food distribution, how do you think nature positive production could help to bridge this gap, what would be the relevant solutions in your thoughts (in relation to nature positive production) and how could we incorporate that solution in the existing coalitions! Can't wait to hear your insights on this!

Genna Tesdall (YPARD)
Genna Tesdall (YPARD)

Earwin, I definitely agree with you! Allowing youth to mobilize to sustainably and democratically be involved in policy decision-making is key. As youth, we tend to be more open to change, as we often have limited power in the current status quo. Thus, there is incentive for youth to adopt the changes that are needed for nature positive production. After all, we are the ones who are going to deal with the effects of climate change and environmental depletion for the longest amount of time. 

Pramisha Thapaliya
Pramisha Thapaliya Moderator

Genna Tesdall (YPARD) Couldn't agree more Genna! And organization like YPARD is doing great job to open the space and create the space for youths in key processes. Can you highlight some key challenges that young people face while doing so? 

Emily.B.ND.D
Emily.B.ND.D

 Hi all! Thanks for inviting me to this space. Below are my thoughts:

 

What is the issue that is of primary importance to you and your communities? 

 

+Affordable access to a varied & nutritious diet that works with nature, and not against it (e.g. promoting local and seasonal produce). 

 

Looking at the initial propositions to address these issues, can you identify any gaps?

 

+ Yes. The (absent) notions of food sovereignty and land justice/equity are essential for nature-positive food systems, as local communities should have a level of ownership over the food they produce & consume, and over how food is produced and consumed in the natural ecosystems & lands they inhabit. This particularly applies to forest communities, pastoral communities, coastal communities and others whose livelihoods and ways of life are deeply interwined with nature. It is important to acknowledge and emphasize this due to the ongoing global trend of land dispossession and accumulation by states and corporations, which often favour monoculture plantations and intensive farming systems that lead to biodiversity loss and the displacement of local communities (and the eventual loss of local ecological knowledge). 

 

+Linked to the above, it is also important that any transitions towards nature positive food systems follow the grassroots notion of "just transition", through which workers and frontline communities are placed at the centre of any plans, to make sure they aren't adversely affected and that any damage to them can be repaired. 

 

Looking at the suggested propositions, identify three actions that youth organizations/individual youth can take to achieve them? 

 

- Building and supporting policies and political programs that consider biodiversity challenges within food systems. 

 

-Learning about their local food systems, the key actors and the issues within them, from field to fork (to bin really).  

 

-Joining campaigns and groups that promote food sovereignty, healthy diets and sustainable food systems at in their own communities. 

 

 

How do you think Governments and other stakeholders can support youth in achieving the actions identified?

 

+Funding directly and amplifying youth-led initiatives for nature-positive food systems, in particularly nascent and small-scale projects at local levels 

 

+Ensuring youth voices are actively represented and considered in policies and programmes, particularly challenging the notion that young people are simply uninterested in food sectors like agriculture.

 

+Addressing structural challenges that youth face to work within the food system. Historically, various aspects of the food systems have been known to rely often on lowpaid, unpaid, unfree and/or forced/enslaved labour, from agriculture through domestic food-related chores. This particularly affects women & girls, as well as youth disadvantaged / marginalised due to their ethnicity, religion, race, caste, citizenship/migrant status and other social factors. 

 

Supposing there were coalitions formed around these action areas, which one would you be interested to join? 

 

-The right to a healthy and safe environment

-Adopt sustainable agricultural practices 

 

I would also be interested in the areas I proposed above.

 

 

 

Pramisha Thapaliya
Pramisha Thapaliya Moderator

Thank you Emily.B.ND.D  for your thoughts. One thing that I am loving about this consultation is that I get to learn more and hear from diverse groups of young people, from different backgrounds. This also shows how one size fit solution actually doesn't work and acknowledging diversity is very crucial in every part of food systems transformation. I would love to hear more from you, on how do you think we can include the notion of food sovereignty and land justice/ equity in the above coalition? Do you have any specific ideas or thoughts on this? Another question is that how can young people play a leading role to ensure food soverignty and consideration of land justice and equity when transitioning to nature positive production or leveraging the existing nature-based practices?

Pramisha Thapaliya
Pramisha Thapaliya Moderator

Dear all,

Hope you are having a good time at SparkBlue! We have modified the question, slightly from the last version. However, if you had responded based on the earlier version of question please be assured that your comments will be here and they will form the part of the discussion, going forward. Please feel free to contact me, in case of any question or confusion. Cheers and thank you for your valuable insights! Please continue the discussion!

Rojina Kafle
Rojina Kafle

What concrete actions are you, your youth organization, or your community ready to take to ensure that food production becomes fully nature positive?

I can contribute by being conscious consumers, for example, I can avoid single-use plastic food and drinks and buy those that come with eco-friendly wrappers or those that can be reused. And I can always talk about this with my friends while doing groceries so that they can be aware too. Likewise, we can buy organically produced food and indigenous fruits and vegetables whenever possible. We can also aware rural farmers around us, the importance of safe food, soil, and the environment. 

How do you think Governments and other stakeholders can support youth in achieving the actions identified?

Government can involve youth in the decision-making process so that youth feel more encouraged and responsible towards their action. Creating opportunities and providing funding to youth organizations will motivate youths on their campaign. 

Supposing there were coalitions formed around any of these, which one would you be interested to join?

I would be interested to join in action area 2 and 6 (listed at second and last).

 

 

Pramisha Thapaliya
Pramisha Thapaliya Moderator

Thanks a lot, Rojina Kafle for your valuable comments. You had already read the propositions, listed on the top. Do you think there are any gaps in these propositions, that are made to achieve nature-positive production? Is there any other idea in your mind that can help to fill the gaps (if there are, in your thoughts) or any ideas that complement the above propositions?

Pramisha Thapaliya
Pramisha Thapaliya Moderator

Dear young people, we also have survey in the end of discussion platform. It doesn't take more than 5 minutes! Please fill the survey too :)

Daniel Mahadzir
Daniel Mahadzir

What concrete actions are you, your youth organization, or your community ready to take to ensure that food production becomes fully nature positive?

1. As a clinical nutritionist, I have been advocating for planetary diet and flexitarian diet. This is to ensure all of my client is aware about the impact of their food choices and also aware about the link between climate, food and their health outcome.

2. Collectively, I've been leading a couple of conscious consumerism projects with Global Shapers Community and Climate Reality Project focussing on food waste and single use packaging.

3. Other than than, my social enterprises also are developing prototype on precision vertical farming, regenerative agriculture and sustainable aquaculture to support existing food supply chain in Malaysia.

Combining the three, I am working towards a nature positive and responsible consumption pattern. This is just one facet of food system and I am grateful to be part of it.  

How do you think Governments and other stakeholders can support youth in achieving the actions identified?

Youth-led initiatives are often limited in term of funding, reach and scalability. Government and relevant stakeholders may assist on;

1. Microfinancing or seed-funding. Government may promote investment in early-stage idea by coming up with incentives and tax relief for companies to invest in viable ideas from young people. Other stakeholders such as business can contribute in term of mentorship, resource sharing and capacity building. Other than that, banks can come up with a financing structure that is affordable to support young people that is just starting to develop their idea. 

2. In term of reach, Government can provide a platform for new ideas to grow such as incubator or accelerator programs to promote growth by reaching to wider audience. This platform can act as a matchmaking between ideas and industry so that there is a synergy in between this.

3. Cost of invention has always been the limiting factor. Cost of R&D is high which may result in high selling cost of new invention. Relevant stakeholders can help smaller companies to scale up their idea and reach the economic of scale. Government can provide incentives for scaling up and also support the transition of prototype into industry.

Supposing there were coalitions formed around any of these, which one would you be interested to join?

 I am the Governance Chair of Youth UNESCO Climate Action Network. We are a network of youth climate networks globally. Through my experience with this network, I believe a coalition of youth with a common goal is crucial.

A strong coalition is important to amplify youth voices globally. For instance. in achieving nature-positive food production, it involves youth working in all facets of food supply chain. Climate is a multidisciplinary concept and each coalition with a clear goal will involve youth from diverse background.

A coalition is important to break the silos of climate action. I believe a strong and firm youth coalition can ensure a more equitable and sustainable food system than doesn't destroy our planet Earth in order to feed our growing population and I would like to be a part of it.

Pramisha Thapaliya
Pramisha Thapaliya Moderator

Hi Daniel, Thank you for your valuable inputs. It is so inspiring to see that you are up to a lot of things, which are contributing to nature positive production. Regarding the last question, I wanted to confirm which of the coalitions, formed from the following action areas, would you prefer to join in the future.

  1. The right to a healthy and safe environment
  2. Adopt sustainable agricultural practices – a system of farming, fishing, and grazing that seeks to rehabilitate and maintain terrestrial and aquatic agri-systems
  3. Stop deforestation and make livestock farming more sustainable
  4. Sustain and Expand Sustainable Resilient Blue Food Production Systems
  5. Urge governments to acknowledge that blue foods are a crucial part of our food systems
  6. Limit the use of single-use plastics in food and drink packaging, and regulate recycling measures to reduce harmful effects on the environment
Genna Tesdall (YPARD)
Genna Tesdall (YPARD)

Dear Daniel,

We at the Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD) definitely agree with your suggestions on financing! Initiatives lead for youth, by youth, are often dismissed without consideration due to struggles with lack of credibility due to our age. 

Yvon François TSOLEFACK (KEKA platform)
Yvon François TSOLEFACK (KEKA platform)

Genna Tesdall (YPARD), completely agree with you. And this is more present in susbsaharian african countries

Bronika Thapa
Bronika Thapa

Pramisha Thapaliya Regarding point no .3 youths can be mobilized greatly to an extent for production using new technologies, information and systems of farming rather than sending them to foreign countries in low sustaining pennies due to unemployment.  Our barren lands should be used properly and sustainable manner for food production system. Government should ensure proper and easy implementation of subsidies and anudan rather than just mentioning in budget discussions. More funding should be provided to youths for opening more clubs, organisations fir spreading awareness, research and technologies. 

4)I would love to join in  food sustaining through proper agriculture and water preservation collation. 

Also thank you so much for amazing questions that provided us this fruitful discussion. 

Selma bichbich
Selma bichbich

Hello again!

 

*What concrete actions are you, your youth organization, or your community ready to take to ensure that food production becomes fully nature positive?

- I can give an example of what Cristiano Ronaldo did recently with Coca Cola drinks where he marked a very interesting point of drinking water instead since it is healthier, so this latter sparked the interest of the public, and according to the statistics many people stopped buying Coca Cola after that move, now we can see that this very very simple move has done a lot, and if every single one of us did this, we will be able to advocate healthy natural food to people and also manage food waste

*How do you think Governments and other stakeholders can support youth in achieving the actions identified?

The government must promote youth engagement, and participation, and support them by providing them with all the needed tools that can help them enhance their ideas and bring them to life, which will be a motivation to them to work more and do more with love and courage

*Supposing there were coalitions formed around any of these, which one would you be interested to join?

I would love to join areas 2,3 and 6.

Thank you!

Pramisha Thapaliya
Pramisha Thapaliya Moderator

Hi Selma. Thank you for your input. The example that you gave is so timely. Regarding nature positive production, what are the concrete actions, in your opinion, can young people take? Also, can you please briefly expand on the tools that you mentioned in the second answer?

Selma bichbich
Selma bichbich

Pramisha Thapaliya 

First, I would love to thank you for noticing my input and for your positive feedback!

1) Regarding nature positive production, young people can take many actions that will make them more than glad to not only make a change but to be the change that they wanted to see as well, for me as a young lady, I would love to take very simple actions that will make me happy, satisfied and also benefit myself and everyone surrounding me, it is like advocating such a mindset on my own way, through changing my lifestyle the way that serves nature, I would also go for highly recommending everyone to make their homes, schools and youth organizations more environmentally friendly by adopting environmentally friendly practices, recycling of different materials as well as preserving resources such as water..by reminding them with the beauty of embracing what is good, original and useful by promoting    
The importance of food culture in food systems, in a way where everyone can do the same, without complicating things, me personally I want to take an action that should be implemented on myself first, because I do know that if I gave a good picture of what is better for us, everyone will be more than glad to at least try it, however, if this latter did not work, I will go for starting my own Initiative or assist an environmental community group that highly believe in the importance of saving resources like water, and highly insist on sustainability, personally, I would go for spreading awareness through a promotion that won't be delivered as a direct message, but as an indirect reminder, like including some advertisements the same as we do on cheap and drinks, something that sparks the interest, something that reminds us that this latter, is made by soil, earth, sky and many more...something that will make me say, I really want to try it ou?!

2) What I meant by the tools, I didn't mean only materials, but even intangible things are needed, a supportive government, is a supportive country because if we saw that the authorities are paying attention to what will bring change to our communities, that will definitely motivate the youth to go for more and better, sometimes we do see people with brilliant ideas that can solve very challenging issues but they always find a problem in the funding or sponsorship, since such projects always need a financial aid to be set on earth, and not getting such support always make these distinguished minds starting losing the gats to even make that change, after a long while of having that desire!
to sum up, I would say that  Funding, encouraging, awarding for better innovations, organizing contests and seminars to train them and build their skills, and discover the gifted minds, and a long list goes on....all of these will always be considered as basic stuff that will always keep youth on the right path of doing good things for their communities, what and will always keep them motivated to do more and to love doing it as well.

Cathy Yitong Li
Cathy Yitong Li

Great job, Pram!!! Feel free to drop me a message/email anytime if you wish any comments related to Nature-based Solutions.

Heeta, myself, and a few other members are working on that as you probably know~~ cheers

Pramisha Thapaliya
Pramisha Thapaliya Moderator

Thank you Cathy. I will be much grateful if you could comment here based on the questions above , given that your work is directly relevant to the consultation in this room :) And please spread the message! We need more inputs on Nature Based Solutions (NBS)!

OUATTARA KOUAKOU SOUALIHO
OUATTARA KOUAKOU SOUALIHO

1- All

2-What are blue foods? Are we talking about ocean/land integration?

thank you so much for amazing questions that provided us !!!

Pramisha Thapaliya
Pramisha Thapaliya Moderator

Hi Ouattara, thanks for signing into the platform. This is appreciated. Can you please respond, based on these questions and propositions above:

After reading these propositions, let us know what you think, what you can do, and what support is needed to bring the changes you aspire to obtain! You can answer one or all the following questions, using any means you prefer – write a comment, share a picture, compose a song or a poem, or send us a short video:

  1. Is there anything we have missed or that can complement these propositions?
     
  2. What concrete actions are you, your youth organization, or your community ready to take to ensure that food production becomes fully nature positive?
     
  3. How do you think Governments and other stakeholders can support youth in achieving the actions identified?
     
  4. Supposing there were coalitions formed around any of these, which one would you be interested to join?
Genna Tesdall (YPARD)
Genna Tesdall (YPARD)
  1. Is there anything we have missed or that can complement these propositions?
  2. What concrete actions are you, your youth organization, or your community ready to take to ensure that food production becomes fully nature positive?

YPARD is promoting nature positive food production by engaging in policy advocacy, training for our members in nature positive production, and partnering with organizations which reflect these values.

  1. How do you think Governments and other stakeholders can support youth in achieving the actions identified?

Governments must support youth by recognizing us not only as the leaders of tomorrow, but the leaders of TODAY. They can do so by funding civil society actions which fund organizations and projects organized by youth, but also consistently and democratically involving youth voices in policy dialogues. Youth are one of the stakeholder groups most invested in positive change in our food systems, as we are the ones who will either benefit or suffer the longest from decisions made today.

  1. Supposing there were coalitions formed around any of these, which one would you be interested to join?

YPARD members would likely be interested in all these topics, as our members are active in many areas of agriculture and food systems. As a global organization, YPARD prioritizes coalitions which are BY youth FOR youth, as we add the most value in this area as an organization for young professionals. The above topic areas 1, 2 and 3 are most relevant to us as an organization focused on agriculture.

Pramisha Thapaliya
Pramisha Thapaliya Moderator

Thank you Genna for your valuable inputs in this consultation, and for highlighting the works of YPARD. We have already seen the valuable works done by YPARD leaders both internationally and on-ground; you, Earwin Belen , Nikita Bhusal , to name a few! Can you briefly highlight some key challenges that you and your organization face while advocating for nature positive production in policy spaces?

Ida Stromso
Ida Stromso

These input come from the "Indigenous Youth Global Declaration on Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems" issued during the Global Indigenous Youth Forum 2021:

1/3) We assert that the Indigenous and biocentric ecological restoration must be urgently prioritized by Member States and relevant stakeholders, as it is the insurance for our collective future on the planet and the surest way to mitigate the impacts of climate change. We call upon the Private Sector and all parties to cease practices causing destruction and contamination of our waters, forests, air and lands.

1/3) We call upon Member States, to ensure that Indigenous Youth are granted access to our lands and territories in order to protect and uphold our cultural rights and carry forward our food systems.

1/3) We urge Member States and UN Agencies to value Indigenous Peoples’ traditional knowledge equally as scientific knowledge. We, Indigenous Peoples, are the local observers and experts of the environment. The value of our traditional knowledge also calls for equitable inclusion, and very importantly, fair compensation as established in the Nagoya Protocol on access to benefit-sharing to traditional knowledge. We ask Member States and relevant stakeholders to allocate resources to sponsor Indigenous Peoples and youth to ensure their effective participation and consultation toward the Food Summit.

1/3) We ask Member States and the UN Food Systems Summit Secretariat to meaningfully engage with Indigenous Youth in their Action Tracks and Action Areas, recognizing Indigenous Youth as experts on resilience and sustainable food systems, keepers of first-hand experiences with extreme climatic changes, and holders of rich cultural traditional knowledge of our food systems.

2) We, Indigenous Youth, are ready to offer our determination and conviction of the importance of combining innovation with technologies and looking for new ways to stop the disappearance of ancestral knowledge, much of it oral, in our Indigenous Peoples’ communities about plants, animals and ecosystems that constitute the foundations of our cultures, customs, beliefs, cosmogony and language. We are aware of the urgency of looking for new formulas that guarantee the transmission of the knowledge of our peoples before it disappears, along with the departure of our elders, old women and old men.

Pramisha Thapaliya
Pramisha Thapaliya Moderator

Thank you Ida for this extremely important voice and excerpt from the indigenous youth communities! It is worth recognizing the history and contribution of indigenous communities as a true land and biodiversity steward. Can you please briefly touch on the coalitions that you and your group would love to join, and also if there is anything specific that you want to add in the above proposition?

Juliette Tronchon
Juliette Tronchon

Hello! Thanks for organizing this consultation. I only want to highlight again that currently, the livestock industry isn't sustainable at all. Animal agriculture is responsible for at least 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Stopping subsidies for intensive farming is a key solution to address one of the biggest issues of the farming world. 

We need to offer the possibility to farmers to switch to sustainable and resilient farming practices, even if it means they have to change everything they were doing so far: We only need to give the possibility and empower them. Governments need to make sure this is possible!

Thanks!


 

Pramisha Thapaliya
Pramisha Thapaliya Moderator

Hi Juliette, Thank you for your concrete recommendation regarding the intensive animal agriculture and factory farming practices. Can you please give some suggestions on how to empower farmers, in order to drive them towards resilient and nature-positive production practices? And what role could government play in this regard? Would love to hear more insights and suggestions!

Nikita Bhusal
Nikita Bhusal

First of all, thanks to the organizers for initiating this consultation.

The action solutions are indeed very constructive. Here I would like to share some additional thoughts that might be helpful. These points, I think, may not match exactly to the given questions but might help build the proposition.

  1. Investing more in environment friendly food production researches. These researches may include, studies of local/indigenous foods, alternative food packaging, novel biocontrol technologies for food contamination, utilization of byproducts from food industries etc.
  2. Working in educating children and youth of the first world countries like USA on being responsible towards nature.
  3. Collaborating with government for demotivating anti- green products and their advertisement. I think, one of the solutions for this might be implementing higher taxes in such products.

To the last question #4, all of the coalition are interesting but if I really have to choose, I would go for the last one “Limit the use of single-use plastics in food and drink packaging, and regulate recycling measures to reduce harmful effects on the environment”.

Thank you, 

Pramisha Thapaliya
Pramisha Thapaliya Moderator

Hi Nikita. Thank you for your valuable inputs. It is indeed, noteworthy that environment should be forefront at the any point of the whole food systems process, if we want to achieve the sustainability! Moreover, given your wide experience with YPARD, Youth Ag Summit, Thought For Food community and you, as a young researcher and youth advocate, I think, we could lear more . Can you please briefly highlight on follwoing points:

  1. What concrete actions are you, your youth organization, or your community ready to take to ensure that food production becomes fully nature positive?
     
  2. How do you think Governments and other stakeholders can support youth in achieving the actions identified?
Nikita Bhusal
Nikita Bhusal

Hi Pramisha, thank you for your reply. 

Here are my answers: 

1. What concrete actions are you, your youth organization, or your community ready to take to ensure that food production becomes fully nature positive?

 Me and my youth groups are actually continuously advocating for sustainability through different platforms i.e. social media, policy-making dialogues, organizing awareness and capacity building events for youths.  In YPARD, we actually updated our mission for advocating and working towards sustainable food system in 2018 i.e. “Enabled and empowered young agricultural leaders shaping sustainable food systems”. To achieve this, YPARD is organizing various events, open discussions and participating in dialogues.

In other youth groups Thoughts for Food (TFF) and Youth Ag Summit (YAS), as an organization they are encouraging young people for presenting their innovations for sustainability. In fact, in YAS 2019, the organizers kept track on the carbon emissions produced during 4 day event and urge to reduce it. In both TFF and YAS, the ideas which are more towards nature positive are selected as finalists and winner are awarded grants for continuing their project for sustainable food system. I think, this is highly encouraging factor for youths to work harder for better and cleaner world.

2. How do you think Governments and other stakeholders can support youth in achieving the actions identified?

I think following can be done by government and stakeholders to support youth in achieving above actions:

  1. Support youth’s project by providing them seed funding through different programs or competitions.
  2. Promoting nature-positive and sustainable foods through main stream media and conducting discussions including youth.
  3. Government must include syllabus and organizing programs on sustainability at school level.
  4. Must include youth representatives in policy making dialogues nationally and internationally.

 

Nikita Bhusal
Nikita Bhusal

I also want to highlight that the proper funding for related researches should be provided by government and stakeholders. There are many emerging debate like, organic food being better than GMOs? However, findings suggests that, organic farming in fact causes more environmental damages. Therefore, investing in related researches must be done. 

Laurence Jeangros
Laurence Jeangros

The following comment is made on behalf of our youth-led group "Bites of Transfoodmation", in which we have created a vision for the food systems we want in the future in this manifesto.

  1. During discussions in the context of the Bites of Transfoodmation, we often mentioned the importance of technology, used in the right manner, in agriculture to share knowledge and offer a wider variety of nature positive practices with a consequent better use of natural resources. Quality should be favoured above quantity and knowledge should flow easily between producers - decision-makers - science - etc....
  2. In the group we talked a lot about urban and vertical farming, which, if well planned especially in terms of energy sources and reuse of inputs, can have great potential both in making marginal areas self-sufficient and in reducing the environmental impact, eventually allowing people to reconnect with their food. For example, a concrete project advanced by a member of the group concerned the installation of hydroponic cultivation and vertical farming in refugee camps that, in addition to the environmental aspect, would contribute to the emancipation of refugees hosted in the camps. 
  3. We demand governments to reform current agricultural policies, in particular subsidies, and move towards policies that are environmentally and socially friendly, eventually returning to producers and all actors of the chain the true value and true cost of their products and their work. 
  4. Based on what has emerged so far, the proposals most aligned with the discussions are those listed below: (2) Adopt sustainable agricultural practices – a system of farming, fishing and grazing that seeks to rehabilitate and maintain terrestrial and aquatic agri-systems; (3) Stop deforestation and make livestock farming more sustainable and (6) Limit the use of single-use plastics in food and drink packaging, and regulate recycling measures to reduce harmful effects on the environment.
Pramisha Thapaliya
Pramisha Thapaliya Moderator

Thank you so much for these comments, Laurence on behalf of Bites of Transfoodmation team ! It is interesting to explore these recommendations, made by youths after wider consultations. 

Parth Bhatt
Parth Bhatt

I feel that Policy Coherence at all levels is the need of the hour. All the sectors and stakeholders should come together to address this issue, moreover we must break the silos. For example, Water, Energy, agriculture shouldn’t be taken care separately by different ministries working in silos, but the issue of ‘food security’ should be discussed as a whole when making policies.

Pramisha Thapaliya
Pramisha Thapaliya Moderator

Hi Parth, 

Exactly, we need a collective approach rather than a silo approach! It would be interesting to hear more comments from you.Can you please expand on following questions:

  1. Is there anything we have missed or that can complement the propositions listed above?
     
  2. What concrete actions are you, your youth organization, or your community ready to take to ensure that food production becomes fully nature positive?
     
  3. How do you think Governments and other stakeholders can support youth in achieving the actions identified?
     
  4. Supposing there were coalitions formed around any of these, which one would you be interested to join?
Shiny Christy
Shiny Christy

Great Insights 

 

Could we also add localization of food as per its nutritional value please.  Importing avocados to say India does more ecological damage than good.

Pramisha Thapaliya
Pramisha Thapaliya Moderator

Hi Shiny Christy  ,

Nothing can win over locally produced food! It would be interesting to hear more comments from you.Can you please expand on following questions:

  1. Is there anything we have missed or that can complement the propositions listed above?
     
  2. What concrete actions are you, your youth organization, or your community ready to take to ensure that food production becomes fully nature positive?
     
  3. How do you think Governments and other stakeholders can support youth in achieving the actions identified?
     
  4. Supposing there were coalitions formed around any of these, which one would you be interested to join?
Trent McKnight
Trent McKnight

Better, more sustainable food production begins with better education.  

School-based agricultural education (SBAE) is a proven way to prepare youth for careers across the agri-food value chain and engage them as early adopters and change agents to introduce new ideas and technologies into their communities.  By combining livelihood skills (hard skills) with life skills (soft skills), young people gain confidence, leadership, science, entrepreneurial and farming skills that can serve them in any career.  

SBAE empowers school-aged youth, as community change agents, to shift behaviors towards better farming practices and innovations that protect, manage and restore natural resources and ecosystems.  

SBAE requires government support through Ministries of Education and Agriculture.  President Kenyatta formally launched 4-K, Kenya's SBAE program, Kenya's SBAE program, last month.  More countries should follow Kenya's leadership.

Other organizations, such as the Future Farmers of America4-H Korea, and 4-H Liberia, are among the many SBAE organizations with historic government partnerships.  

My organization has launched The Movement for School-Based Agricultural Education -- a movement intended to bring together youth organizations, donors and agriculture groups interested in creating an enabling environment for SBAE.  

If youth are going to transform nature-positive production, we must reach them where they live and learn -- in their local school.  

Pramisha Thapaliya
Pramisha Thapaliya Moderator

Thank you Trent for your inputs and for sharing the best practice, from your experience. It is worth seeing the grassroots level organizations, working to transform agri-food systems and as you said, education plays a significant role. Can you please expand on hurdles that young people face when implementing these solutions and how can government support young people?

Trent McKnight
Trent McKnight

Pramisha Thapaliya:

The main challenge for School-Based Agricultural Education (SBAE) is government support and investment. For SBAE to be successful and impact both youth and agriculture, the Ministry of Education (MoE) and Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) must cooperate.  MoA has the agricultural knowledge and technologies capable of transforming agricultural production; MoE administers schools and teachers.  SBAE can serve as the link between these critical institutions, but only if governments are willing to cooperate.  

SBAE is inexpensive, but it does require investment.  Government budgets already include teachers, schools, agricultural research and some form of extension.  SBAE requires an additional investment to link these assets to better achieve common goals.  

The greatest obstacle youth face, in regard to SBAE, is the perception by adults.  Adults tend to view youth, at best, as objects of their care and nurture; at worst, as objects to be seen and never heard.  SBAE turns these concepts around by empowering school-aged youth as change agents capable of transforming agricultural systems and rural communities, today.  

However, once adults witness their children outproduce them on the farm (because the youth are using science-based methods), they begin to listen and adopt those same methods.  For more on the behavioral science behind this, check out my TEDx Talk:  "You're Doing it Wrong, Dad!"

Yvon François TSOLEFACK (KEKA platform)
Yvon François TSOLEFACK (KEKA platform)

Hello everyone and thanks to the moderator Pramisha to allow us to express our thoughs concerning agricultural food systems resilience against climate changes.

I'm Yvon François TSOLEFACK, from cameroonian nationality. I've been going through all your fruitfull insights, and deep analysis, and they are very very rich in solutions. 

I'm speaking here on behalf the KEKA platform, a project which purpose is to promote young leaders innovative ideas for a resilient agriculture.

In many countries of sub-Saharan Africa, agroecology and permaculture have been practiced for centuries as ancestral practices. It is the chemical fertilizer and pesticide industries with the arrival of GMOs, which have forced organic farmers to indulge in poor agricultural practices, because they are forced to update themselves because of  the competitiveness of large farmers, who practice intensive agriculture, having an impact on the evolution of food prices on the markets.

 

To answer the various questions, I will base myself on a French -speaking sub-Saharan African country, namely Cameroon , of which I have a better understanding of the agricultural context . Although the proposed solutions may also be applicable in other contexts .

 

The Cameroonian economy is dominated by the primary sector in which agriculture, breeding and fishing occupy more than 70% of the working population and represents 30% of the GDP . In Cameroon, there are 71,250 km² of arable land ha 7.2 million) from which just 29% have so far exploited ( 1.8 million ha) . It is one of the pillars of the country's economy, as it employs 70% of the working population and contributes to the growth of other sectors of economic activity. It has many undeniable assets in Central Africa, and has a traditional and modern character.

 Its climatic diversity, which ranges from a rainy equatorial climate near the Atlantic Ocean to a tropical Sahelian climate near Lake Chad, allows a varied agriculture; Varied soils (clay, volcanic, aerated ) which favor varied productions; A very dense hydrographic network which favors irrigated agriculture.

However, despite all these advantages, this cameroonian agricultural rich potential  suffers many problems that affect the entire agricultural value chain, and which also prevent young people from finding a truly valuable professional career in agriculture.

It is in this sense that the KEKA project aims to offer innovative solutions based on nature, developed by dynamic young people from various backgrounds and with the various skills necessary for resilient and sustainable agriculture in the face of climate change.

1. Is there anything we have missed or that can complement the propositions listed above?

From my personnal analysis, I thing everything have been highlighted

 

2. What concrete actions are you, your youth organization, or your community ready to take to ensure that food production becomes fully nature positive?

a) Natural handicaps     

The aging plantations Faced with this problem, we propose the promotion and saw the popularisation of organic fertilizer made base of feces of animals and plants, to improve crop yields and plantations, in order to promote recycling and the circular economy, and fight against the environmental effects of chemical fertilizers ;            

 

Climatic constraints (drought, decrease in rainfall) :           

 

  • Development of IoT and big data digital technologies applied to agriculture to collect and analyze climate data and transmit to farmers in real time, in order to allow better planning of crops and avoid any loss of investment due poor evaluation of the seasons, in view of climate change; 
  • In the Sahelian zone, an alternative to climatic constraints would be to promote photovoltaic agricultural greenhouse solutions and optimal use of water ( collection and recycling of rainwater), thanks to intelligent drip irrigation techniques by solar pumping.

 

The harmful actions of predators (locusts, migratory birds , caterpillars) Development and promotion of bio pesticides based on organic products such as garlic, onion, chilli or neem oil , products locally accessible and  available. Their advantages are that they are biodegradable and do not leave harmful residues, respectful of the environment, they can be less expensive than synthetic pesticides when they are produced locally and can be more effective in the long term. ;             

 

The impoverishment and soil dégradation due to erosion :           

 

  • The techniques to be popularized to improve soil conservation include crop rotation, cover crops and the planting of windbreaks which affect both erosion and fertility. When plants, especially trees, die, they decompose and become part of the soil .     
  • Promotion of traditional farming techniques, namely polyculture, breeding and organic fertilizers which combines culture and breeding, since animals are reared alongside crops; it uses only organic fertilizers such as manure , based on the principles of permaculture and agro ecology .   
  • The transplantation of strongly rooted species whose large tufts grow spontaneously in the shallows .

 

b) Human handicaps     

 

The current agricultural production does not ensure the food self-sufficiency of the country, hence the importation of foodstuffs from Asia (particularly rice) Develop capacity building programs for all segments of actors agricultural (small and large producers, technicians and engineers, financiers, state actors, etc.) and education on new crops with high added value, by establishing appropriate academic and scientific partnerships ;            

 

The fall in the prices of agricultural raw materials on the international market :           

 

Development and promotion of mobile applications and web platform integrating artificial intelligence and machine learning solutions to provide real-time information on fluctuations in the prices of agricultural commodities and raw materials. Useful and essential services, accessible without the need for internet access, and also available in the local language, to all stakeholders of the agricultural value chain and more particularly to farmers in areas not connected to internet and without access to electricity (rural and peri-urban areas) .

The low use of agricultural machinery and the use of traditional tools and techniques :           

  • Development of digital services (mobile applications and platforms) that connect manufacturers and traders of agricultural machinery, with farmers, through a business model that allows the farmer to rent the machinery for a specific period, this that promotes efficient technology transfer ; 
  • Encourage rural community development initiatives to foster useful community action to raise enough funds for the purchase of agricultural machinery needed by the community ; 
  • Stimulate and promote the creativity and inventiveness of artisanal agricultural machines manufactured locally by local craftsmen and technicians using local accessible and sustainable materials.

The difficulty for farmers to access financing and credits :           

  • Development and popularization of digital and fintech solutions allowing farmers to obtain loans at reduced interest rates from micro-credit agencies and banks ; 
  • Support for farmers in putting together a business plan in order to participate in multiple support programs and calls for projects to obtain appropriate funding (prices, subsidies, loans) ; 

 

The low level of popularization of research results from agricultural centers and institutes Provide scientists, researchers and engineers with national, inter-regional and international platforms and initiatives, competitions and innovation challenges, and calls for research proposals, in order to highlight research and obtain prizes, grants and financial support to encourage their results ;           

 

The poor condition of the roads and the isolation of certain production areas which do not allow the products to be easily sold from rural areas to urban centers Development and promotion of mobile and multifunctional solar cold rooms to fight against post harvests losses, during the transport of foodstuffs which can take days along the way for lack of precarious road infrastructure.           

 

 

3- How do you think Governments and other stakeholders can support youth in achieving the actions identified?

As far as governments are concerned, we suggest that they take the following actions depending on the main issues below : 

 

Land conflicts between farmers and herders :           

  • Define a legal framework for the prevention and management of conflicts, preventive measures for land security and pastoral development .
  • Develop pastoral resources management bodies 
  • Improvement of the legal framework and capacity building to ensure the effectiveness of conflict prevention and management mechanisms 

 

The difficulty for small producers to access very expensive agricultural inputs :           

  • Provide subsidies on agricultural inputs, especially those from imports ; 
  • Define fiscal measures favorable to food exports and internal trade in agricultural products .

 

Integration of young people and skills building and access to fundings :           

  • Enable young people to participate in political decision-making on innovative methods of agriculture ; 
  • Create a legal framework conducive to effective support for youth initiatives ; 
  • Promote the teaching of good agricultural practices (theoretical and practical) within primary and secondary education programs, from basic education, in order to shed more light on the professions of farmers that are not usually considered as a profession or valuable professional career, for most young people, due to  many prejudices, generational conflicts in the sector, and corruption .
  • Associate agricultural knowledge and training with other economic development sectors such as water, energy and digital, because it is more than urgent to understand the interdependence between these different development sectors which are inseparable .

 

Misappropriation of funds allocated to the development of agriculture Digital systems for monitoring and evaluating project funding exist nowadays. It is up to governments to rely on NICTs to reduce, as much or little, the phenomena of corruption which globally prevent the financing of agricultural projects, in particular for young people.           

 

4Supposing there were coalitions formed around any of these, which one would you be interested to join?

Honestly I will joined all the 6 coalitions. Difficult to make one choice

 

Best regards

Yvon François TSOLEFACK (KEKA Project)

Dr. Anne H.J. Lee
Dr. Anne H.J. Lee

Hello everyone,

I'd like to urge by sharing my experience with you related to Question 3 in particular, and by expanding the solutions provided above by Yvon: "Integration of young people, skill building and access to fundings"  We NEED to "promote the teaching of good agricultural practices."

In South Korea, although some provincial/regional governments have initiated good programs in order to transform the global food systems, I find that most young farmers/chefs working in these food/agriculture-related areas do have NO ideas/information about UNFSS and UN Youth Community. We have to work on this problem so that many more interested young farmers and chefs and any other food related professionals can join the programs.  Some initiatives even offer well-developed Eco-friendly Home Meal Delivery Program; Eco-friendly School Meal Program, but cannot be shared with others around the world (as an example).

My question is: how can we make much more young people be interested and get involved in these UN programs?

Thanks,

Anne

 

Yvon François TSOLEFACK (KEKA platform)
Yvon François TSOLEFACK (KEKA platform)

Hello, Dr Anne.

You are right. 

And concerning your question, I think the answer is stated in your intervention. The answer is providing them useful informations about all this program. And this is the role of local government entities in rural areas to make information accessible to communities. But when government can't do their work, it is therefore indispensable for innovators and any other people to developp solutions tools  which may help those rural communities to get informations about these programs.

This is my humble analysis about your question.

Thanks, 

Yvon

Mateusz Ciasnocha
Mateusz Ciasnocha

The biggest feedback on the proposed solutions is its' framing: the conversation should not be centred on "sustainable", but "regenerative".

Two concrete examples of this being implemented in real-life are:

  1. The Farm of Francesco (more information here and here) developing a global network of regenerative demo farms with a vocational education model inspired by Pope Francis' the Economy of Francesco,
  2. The European Carbon Farmers, who builds on the experience of Ciasnocha Family Farms in transitioning its farm from conventional to regenerative, and now is promoting carbon farming understood as part of a much larger conversation on farmers being stewards of their ecosystems and its ecosystem services.
Kelly Guevara Estelo
Kelly Guevara Estelo

Amazing job, Pramisha!!! Feel free to send me a message/email anytime if you wish any comments related to Action for Climate Empowerment. Bas, Tim, Hailey, and all the ACE team are working on that issue. Best Vibes. 

Caroline Wimberly
Caroline Wimberly

Thanks so much, Pramisha! This is a wonderful resource, it's so interesting to read what different youth have proposed.

A coupe random thoughts:

  • I think it's important to be honest about the situation facing humanity, our fellow species, and the Planet. We have several declared "emergencies", but little to no mandate to address them. Coordinated actions are certainly needed, but they won't have much impact unless we move beyond voluntary adoption. 
  • While of course it makes sense to have thematic areas, in the end these all need to complement each other so they are working towards the same goals. 

And on to the questions:

Something potentially missing is a systems-thinking approach to production: one practice or food product may be excellent for nutrition, but extremely damaging to biodiversity or land use, for example. Nothing is perfect, but it's important that we examine food and agriculture from different lenses to ensure the best outcomes.

I would be inclined to adjust the wording of #3 to read "make livestock farming sustainable" because overall the sector is pretty abysmal (obviously individual examples vary, and traditional husbandry practices serving small communities tend to be the best examples with larger scale, export-based models being the worst).

I work with a group of youth on a campaign called Food@COP, requesting that the COP26 organizers serve plant-based food at the conference as a symbolic and practical gesture that they are taking the climate emergency seriously, and food systems are a critical component of the negotiations. We would be happy to help organize multi-stakeholder discussions with the purpose of determining how food systems can equitably transition in different contexts, specifically highlighting the voices of different youth. 

In order to stop deforestation and make livestock farming more sustainable, we need to stop producing crops, products, and animals at the rate we have been. This is a clear and logical step, but not ever included as a serious and necessary one in forest, agricultural, economic, climate, and/or finance policy. I would request that language be more precise around this particular point, because you can't make livestock sustainable without signifiant intervention, such as eliminating factory farming and incentives that prop up the commodity crop trade (via Just Transition).

I would be most interested in action-oriented coalitions with accountability at the core related to ending deforestation, sustainable agricultural practices, and shifting away from industrial livestock systems.

 

THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY!

Cheers,

Caroline

Steven Bentley
Steven Bentley

Hi, 

I work with many Hindu people
. these people believe that killing animals that have a complex brain is ungodly... I am planning to utilize stem cell to help them be able to eat complex proteins and meats for the first time.