Diversification is central to tackling today’s food security, nutrition and climate challenges

FAO participated at today’s session of the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate) Ideation series, speaking on agroecological innovations to transform our agrifood systems. 

Today saw the latest session of the of the four-part Ideation Series of the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate) Sprints 2022 focal areas, hosted by the United Nations Foundation. Discussion served to share latest agricultural research at the intersection of agronomy and ecology, advancing climate-smart agricultural solutions. 

FAO’s Agricultural Officer, Edmundo Barrios, presented FAO’s 10 elements of agroecology and their potential in harnessing and propelling forward an inclusive and resilient agrifood systems transformation. 

Developed between 2015 and 2019, the 10 elements resulted from a multi-stakeholder process intended to generate a system re-design framework to be optimized and adapted to local contexts. The elements are (i) diversity; (ii) co-creation and sharing of knowledge; (iii) synergies; (iv) efficiency; (v) recycling; (vi) resilience; (vii) human and social values; (viii) culture and food traditions; (ix) responsible governance; and (x) circular and solidarity economy.

Agroecology for transformative change: safeguarding food security and taking climate actions

Climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation and desertification, and the unsustainable management of natural resources, among other sustainability challenges, call for a new way of thinking and responding to these closely interwoven environmental imperatives.

With this in mind, Barrios spoke of FAO’s work on agroecology as a combination of efforts that sit at the crossroads of agricultural production, biodiversity conservation, better nutrition and healthy diets, and a systems-based approach to responding to climate risks and hazards.

Highlighting two critical elements, Barrios spoke of diversity and the co-creation and sharing of knowledge as foundational characteristics of agroecological systems, which help guide diversification choices in agrifood systems.

“The blending of local and scientific knowledge through participatory and inclusive methods should constitute an increasingly important part of our efforts to guide the selection of relevant system components that build synergies, optimize complementarities, and minimize tradeoffs,” he said.

Unpacking the biodiversity-nutrition-climate change nexus

The 10 FAO elements of agroecology also serve as a set of guiding principles that are interconnected, interdependent, and each critically important in its own right. They are also key ingredients of visual narratives describing plausible pathways for the agrifood systems transformation our world needs. 

The biodiversity-nutrition-climate change nexus, therefore, stresses that diversification is a cornerstone in addressing both climate change and nutrition challenges.

“Agricultural systems that are biologically diverse can make greater contributions to the stability and the variety of ecological functions that sustain food production and other ecosystem services, like soil health, pollination, and biological control of pests and diseases,” Barrios outlined.

The nexus analysis across sectors helps tap into synergies and anticipate potential trade-offs when designing and prioritizing viable transformation options for biodiversity, nutrition, and climate change adaptation. For instance, when using existing resources more efficiently by enhancing biological processes and recycling, the use of pesticides can be minimized and the use of fertilizers optimized, both in reducing costs of production and the negative impacts on the environment.

“Variations in agricultural use and management of plant and animal diversity can have important impacts on the adaptive capacities of agricultural systems on climate change, as well as on the contributions nutritious and healthy diets,” Barrios said.

Consumers, moreover, have a role to play. Increasing consumer demand for biologically diverse food can support cleaner production, shorter value chains, diversified markets, and opportunities for green jobs and innovation. 

About AIM for Climate

AIM for Climate is a joint global initiative developed by the United States and the United Arab Emirates, addressing climate change and global hunger by uniting participants to significantly accelerate investment and support for climate-smart agriculture and food systems innovation over during 2021-2025. 

Related links

• Watch FAO’s video on the 10 elements of agroecology and review the latest research on the topic.
• Learn more about FAO’s work on agroecology and climate-smart agriculture.