For governments to improve their strategies for improving biodiversity in the future, they should incorporate agroecology – Biovision’s goal – as a key concept. This is why Biovision’s policy and advocacy team organized a peer-to-peer workshop in Nairobi on 9 and 10 May that included a visit to agroecological farms in the Kenyan district of Kiambu.
Practical workshops
During the visit, participants gained insights into agroecological farms. They learnt how methods for conserving water, improving soil health and creating additional sources of income for farmers can make targeted contributions to biodiversity. In addition, participatory workshops were held to discuss how countries can integrate agroecology into their national biodiversity strategies and action plans (NBSAPs) currently and what concrete steps are needed next.
Dozens of key decision-makers from environmental and agricultural ministries, as well as civil society representatives from Colombia, Cambodia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe attended the event.
Strengthening international cooperation
Moritz Fegert from Biovision’s policy and advocacy team explained: “Above all, this peer-to-peer format enabled a constructive dialogue between government representatives and agroecological actors from civil society in different countries. Thanks to this format, in October 2023 we already began promoting the exchange about national agroecological strategies that are currently being developed in several countries in South and East Africa to support the agroecological transformation of food systems.”
Through participatory peer-to-peer formats like these and exchange with governments and other actors in the food system, a handbook that summarizes such activities at the intersection between biodiversity and agroecology, with practical recommendations for countries, is soon to be created. Publication is planned for autumn 2024.
Important partner organizations
Moritz Fegert concluded by emphasizing: “Agroecology can help countries fulfil their international obligations in terms of biodiversity protection and restoration. With this event, we have shown that agroecological measures promote biodiversity.”
The initiative itself was launched by Biovision, the Global Alliance for the Future of Food, WWF, the Alliance of Biodiversity International and CIAT, and the Agroecology Coalition.
