Online exchanges on food systems and the post-2020 global biodiversity framework convened by the SFS Programme deliver proposal on targets

A series of three online exchange were co-convened by Costa Rica, Switzerland and WWF, as Co-leads of the Sustainable Food Systems Programme of the One Planet Network, together with the Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), with the aim of building consensus among parties regarding the need to consider sustainable food systems in the negotiations that will deliver a fundamental tool to halt and restore biodiversity loss: the post-2020 global biodiversity framework (post-2020 GBF), the new 10-year strategy of the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD).

The post-2020 global biodiversity framework represents a unique opportunity to promote the urgent transformation of our food system for Nature and People. Attention on biodiversity has never been higher and it has never been clearer reversing biodiversity loss, addressing climate change and achieving food security and nutrition depends on shifting food systems towards more sustainable ones.

Around 80 participants joined each of the three dialogues, with the first being held during the 3rd global conference of the SFS Programme in November 2020 amid the COVID-19 turmoil. Each of the events aimed to further deepen the dialogue and promote convergence around potential food-related targets for the post-2020 GBF. The second dialogue also aimed to discuss on how to mobilize food and agriculture actors and the UN Food Systems Summit process to promote their engagement into the post-2020 GBF process.

A discussion paper presenting options for food-related targets for the post-2020 GBF was the key outcome of the dialogues process, an ambitious but realistic take on how to introduce the critical aspect of food systems - the main driver of biodiversity loss - into the framework. The key agreed elements to be introducedto the discussion paper, were:

• Strong support from participants to have a comprehensive food systems target
• A holistic approach that looks at the whole food system, inter-related elements, activities and actors, from production to consumption (and beyond), is needed. Notably, participants underlined that, in order to transform our food systems, we need a shift from conventional to agroecological-based systems, towards sustainable consumption and sustainable diets and address land degradation.
• Integrate in the post-2020 global biodiversity framework a food systems lens to conservation and look at the positive contributions that food and agriculture can provide to reverse biodiversity loss. Landscape approaches should be fully integrated in the framework together with the role that agriculture can play in ecosystems’ connectivity
• The idea to have a target on multi-stakeholder and multi-sectoral platforms was supported. In fact, such platforms proved to be critical to transform food systems. However, platforms are not enough. Countries need to commit to involve adequately Indigenous People and Local communities (IPLC) and all relevant stakeholders.
• We need to ensure that the biodiversity and food/agriculture silos are broken