Tool for Agroecology Performance Evaluation (TAPE) - Validation Workshop

Rome, 2-3 May 2023 – The Divisions of Animal Production and Health (NSA) and Plant Production and Protection (NSP) co-organized this workshop, marking the end of the four-year testing phase of the Tool for Agroecology Performance Evaluation (TAPE). The workshop saw the participation of main donors that supported the development of the tool, McKnight Foundation, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Government of France. Fifty-three  experts who have been implementing TAPE including representatives of civil society, scientists, and government representatives gathered in Rome while over 100 participants joined virtually, with a total of 53 countries represented. Thanawat Tiensin, Director of the Animal Production and Health Division, underlined in his opening remarks how TAPE is a clear example of excellence both in work and delivery. 

TAPE was developed to fulfil a request of the FAO members 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 promote the development of data driven integrated policies that can support the transformation of our current agrifood systems. 

The event aimed at providing an update on the development and implementation of TAPE, taking stock of the lessons learned during the testing phase of data collection and analysis. The two-day event was also an opportunity to meet in person the growing members of TAPE’s informal community of practice; and to discuss in detail each step of the TAPE methodological process using practical cases, followed by a roundtable discussion to evaluate strengths and weaknesses. An open survey was published online to receive feedback from the users of TAPE and results obtained provided entry points for the discussions of the workshop. Participants at the workshop confirmed that TAPE is a very dynamic, useful, innovative, and well appreciated tool to characterize and assess agroecological transitions. Its methodology has been refined and validated thanks to the collective process of co-creation and sharing of knowledge that is the basis for agroecology.

Vincent Martin, Director of the Office of Science, Technology, and Innovation, provided closing remarks, highlighting FAO’s commitment to accompany the movement towards the adoption of more sustainable practices. Director Martin observed how agroecology is innovation, with the right mixture of traditional knowledge and technological advances; OIN will continue to work to give agroecology the importance that it needs worldwide. 

FAO will continue to share experiences and receive advice to make the tool more relevant and user friendly. The collaborative work among TAPE users will be consolidated with the creation of a Community of Practice. Partnerships with developers of similar tools and metrics will be stablished to ensure synergies in supporting sustainable agrifood systems transformation, contributing to the Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals. 

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