Hans R. HerrenPresident www.millennium-institute.org

President www.biovision.ch Co-Chair IAASTD www.agassessment.org

Coordinator UNEP GER Agriculture Chapter

Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance

Scaling-Up Agro-Ecological Food Production: What needs to be done and

by whom?

IAASTD: From Johannesburg to Rio+20

Rio de Janeiro 11:00 - 12:30. 17 June, 2012

The IAASTD Reports (www.agassessment.org)

Co-Chairs: Hans R Herren & Judy Wakhungu

Multi-stakeholder: 400 authors, 52 countries

Multi-disciplinary

Multi-locational: Global / sub-Global Reports

The IAASTD Reports (www.agassessment.org)

Co-Chairs: Hans R Herren & Judy Wakhungu

Multi-stakeholder: 400 authors, 52 countries

Multi-disciplinary

Multi-locational: Global / sub-Global Reports

The IAASTD: why?• Eradicating of Hunger and Poverty• Improving Rural Livelihoods• Improving Nutrition and Human Health• Facilitating Environmentally, Socially,

Equitable and Economically Sustainable Development

…under the Challenges of:

• Climate Change• Population and Demand Growth• Shrinking Natural Resources / Energy

….to which agriculture itself is contributing negatively

IAASTD: Key findings

1. We feed only 6 out of 7 billion people with the present food system….in addition, we count 1.5 billion obese and 300 million type 2 diabetes cases

2. The industrial food system uses some 10 Kcal to produce one, energy problem

3. The industrial and conventional food system (incl. the traditional systems are a major part of the CC problem

4. Soil degradation, water shortages & biodiversity loss underlie food security, natural resource problem

5. Jobs, Industrial agriculture emptied the rural areas and multidisciplinary research labs, social problems

6. Unfair trade works against the small-scale famers and the poor, economic and social problems

Business as usual is not an option

Grain Unctad 2011

Why change course now: Conventional models of agriculture are environmentally unsustainable

Why change the course of agriculture now? Land and biodiversity loss

Why change the course of agriculture now? Waste of natural resources , GR bases is also socially unsustainable

The IAATD: then what?

1. “a fundamental shift in AKST and the connected • agri-food system policies; • institutions; • capacity development; and • investments”2. Paradigm change: Transition to sustainable / organic / agroecology / agri - culture3. An agriculture that addresses the multifunctionality and resilience needs of the small-scale and family farmers (social & economic: equity issue, farmer status, land ownership, empowerment, women), quality job creation (Edu at all levels); 4. Need to use a systemic and holistic approach (basic ecological principles); treat cause not symptoms; is part of the solution to hunger, poverty, health, natural resources conservation, CC

Brown way ahead: mono-landscape, -crop….or

Ecological agriculture as the main solution: Multifunctionality paradigm for sustainable development

sustainable

viable

livableequitable

SustainableUn-sustainable

Low

pro

ducti

vity

High

pro

ducti

vity

Urgent need for transformation

Transition…..the never ending debate….• Can organic/agroecological based agriculture feed the

planet? (and who can afford it?)

(wrong question, as one should ask:

• Does the present industrial / conventional (green revolution) model which is being promoted?

• How can we nourish 9.5 billion people; eradicate hunger and poverty; assure rural livelihood; eradicate inequities; assure good nutrition and health; and do all this in a socially, environmentally and economically sustainable manner (back to the top)

Transformation through proven Agroeclogical practices

Encouraging a wider genetic base in agriculture…trees, fruits, grains, vegetables, lost crops, animals

for nutrition and health, cultural diversity, incomes, pest control, resilience to climate change

Barilla, 2011

Transformation through changing consumption

• Improve and expand extension services (ICT)

• Introduce capacity building (ICT)• Agriculture is very localized = local solutions

Green way ahead: is knowledge intensive

www.organicfarmermagazine.org & www.infonet-biovision.org http://www.biovision.ch

Transformation: through education

To provide timely and effective responses to emerging global challenges, the link between science and policy implementation should be strengthened, in particular taking into account local knowledge

Transformation through better science and policy interface

Taking a systemic, multistakeholder approach to policy development

Science and policy interface:

Barilla, 2011/ Millennium Institute

Global investments across sectors (1% and 2% of GDP, Stern report); 0.1% and 0.16% of GDP invested in agriculture for:- Pre harvest losses (training activities and effective bio-pesticide use)- Ag management practices (cover transition costs from till to no till , organic, agroecological agriculture, training, access to small scale mechanization)- R&D (research in soil science and agronomy, crop improvement (orphan crops), appropriate mechanization, and more)- Food processing (better storage and processing in rural areas)

Possible? Affordable? i.e., UNEP GER

Agriculture in a Green Economy (UNEP GER Report – 2011)Investing 0.1% or 0.16% of total GDP ($83-$141 Billion) / year

Year 2011 20112050Scenario Unit Baseline Green

BAU

Ag production Bn US$/Yr 1,921 2,8522,559

Crops Bn US$/Yr 629 996 913

Employment M People 1,075 1,7031,656

Soil quality Dmnl 0.92 1.03 0.73

Ag water use KM3/Yr 3,389 3,2074,878

Harvested land Bn ha 1.20 1.26 1.31

Deforestation M ha/Yr 16 7 15

Calories p/c/day forconsumption Kcal/C/D 2,081 2.5242.476

Multistakeholder Committee of World Food Security (CFS) to provide strategic Leadership for the transformation of agriculture and food systems at all levels. CFS to support continuous assessments of agricultural knowledge, science, technology, infrastructure and institutions including research on enabling mechanisms, to encourage the transformation, as now indicated in the latest draft declaration

The way forward: Leadership

1. Need to acknowledged that transformation of our current agriculture and food system is needed, if we want to nourish our people and sustain the environment.

…..we can only nourish our people, if we nurture our planet!

Conclusion

2. Effective policies and programs need to be informed by sound knowledge and scientifically proven methods.

That’s why the Committee on World Food Security, as the most participatory body currently known, shall be invited to facilitate participatory, regular, multi-stakeholder assessments on agriculture.

Conclusion

3. To support and guide the implementation of sustainable agriculture and of the Rio+20 commitment to change, mandate the Committee on World Food Security to guide the implementation of sustainable agriculture…..….again with the objective to nourish our people, and nurture our planet.

Conclusion

You cannot solve the problem with the same kind of thinking that created the problem

Albert Einstein

Thank you www.millennium-institute.org &

http://www.biovision.chIS NOW