On 2 and 3 May, FAO hosted the hybrid validation workshop on the Tool for Agroecology Performance Evaluation (TAPE) 52 implementing partners, representatives of civil society, scientists, and government representatives, along with 100 participants online representing more than 50 countries and all world regions attended the event with the goal to:

• Provide an update on the development and implementation of TAPE.
• Take stock of the lessons learned over the past four years of data collection and analysis on measuring the performance of agroecology.
• Discuss possible the next steps, including possible adjustments and adaptations to the framework for better supporting agroecological transitions around the world.

TAPE has been confirmed as a very useful, innovative and well appreciated framework to characterize and assess agroecological transitions. It methodology has been refined and validated thanks to the collective process of co creation and sharing of knowledge that is the basis for agroecology.

The two-day event was also an opportunity to meet in person for the growing members of TAPE informal community of practice.

TAPE was developed to fulfil a request of the FAO members countries to strengthen normative, science, and evidence-based work in agroecology and develop metrics, tools, and protocols to assess the contribution of agroecology and other sustainable approaches to the transformation of our current food systems.

The wide range of use for TAPE such as for a baseline assessment to characterize the agroecological transition, advocating for sustainable food systems, supporting the process of agroecological transition and the co-creation of knowledge, and measuring the performance on sustainability has been highlighted.

Each step of the TAPE process was addressed by practical cases and followed by a roundtable. An open survey was published online to receive feedback from the users of TAPE and its results were an entry point for the discussions of the workshop.

The key points resulting from these fruitful and constructive discussions are the need to establish a community of practice to enhance exchanges between users and provide further guidance to partners on TAPE different steps by updating existing guideline.  

TAPE team accompanied by Vincent Martin, Office of Innovation Director. 

Participants of the TAPE validation workshop.