From frugal origins to sustainable solutions: Empowering community-led agrifood innovations

Solving global food and agriculture challenges can start with an act as simple as looking to nature. Imitating nature’s processes and ecosystems can help solve global challenges via local approaches that minimize environmental impact.

“Frugal innovation” is the development of sustainable and affordable solutions that maximize value while preserving natural resources, biodiversity and ecosystems.

The concept was front and centre during a 3 October hybrid event that aimed to advance sustainable, inclusive and resilient agrifood systems in Europe and Central Asia. It is crucial for empowering smallholders, women, youth and rural communities to create locally relevant solutions that strengthen the resilience and inclusivity of agrifood systems.

The regional event – “Frugal and Inclusive: Community-led Nature-driven Innovation for Greening Agrifood Systems” – was part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Science and Innovation Forum 2024, with its focus on “Inclusive and Community-Driven Innovations” aimed at transforming agrifood systems while leaving no one behind.

In his opening address, Raimund Jehle, FAO’s Regional Programme Leader for Europe and Central Asia, emphasized the power of nature and frugality.

“Nature has been our greatest teacher for millions of years,” he said. “It has demonstrated resilience, efficiency and sustainability in countless ways. By studying and imitating these natural processes, we can create agrifood practices that are more in harmony with nature.”

Vincent Martin, Director of FAO’s Office of Innovation, echoed the importance of innovation in achieving FAO’s strategic objectives and global development goals.

“Innovation is a key accelerator of the four betters and an enabler of all the Sustainable Development Goals,” he said. “By harnessing nature-inspired solutions and frugal approaches, we can unlock transformative potential in agrifood systems that are both inclusive and sustainable.”

Both speakers highlighted the vital role of smallholders and grassroots communities in driving this transformation, ensuring that solutions are locally adapted, equitable and efficient. They noted that the region’s history of resourcefulness, developed during its time under a planned economy, has nurtured a culture of resilience and fuelled a long tradition of frugal innovation.

This regional event served as a crucial platform for smallholder farmers, local communities, civil society members, state actors and researchers to engage in discussions centred on the strategic integration of nature-inspired, frugal innovations within agrifood systems. Participants explored the pressing needs, gaps and potential opportunities for harnessing nature’s processes to enhance sustainability in agriculture.

Throughout the event, emphasis was placed on the exchange of best practices drawn from grassroots innovations and community-driven solutions.

In the words of Tania Santivanez, FAO Agricultural Officer, “such examples, often tailored to local contexts and ecosystems, underscore the transformative potential of bottom-up approaches in reshaping agrifood systems in Europe and Central Asia. We should embrace frugality not as a limitation but as an opportunity to innovate within our means.”