EGM on SDG 2: Jean-François Soussana Statement

Jean-François Soussana
Vice-Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board (SAC) of the UN Food System Coordination Hub / National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment, France

Session 7: Tackling Underlying Causes and Drivers of Stagnated or Reversed Progress Towards SDG 2 in a World with Recurring Crises

We are failing, because we act too late, on the symptoms of a systemic crisis rather than on the entrenched causes. The recurring crises concerning hunger are in our days largely triggered by extreme weather events (pulses) and trends of climate change acting on food systems that are already fragile and unequal especially in low income countries. Unfortunately, such crises will occur more and more frequently in business as usual scenarios. Therefore, we need to change the approach by considering risks. I would like to suggest the use of the Sendai Protocol for Disaster Risk Reduction to frame responses. The Sendai protocol has four priorities that could be better used to promote resilient food systems.

1. Understanding disaster risk could be developed by downscaling climate scenarios, near real term monitoring of crops, pastures, land degradation and water resources. Combining biophysical risks and vulnerability would allow to better monitor the magnitude of food and nutrition disaster risks.

2. Strengthening disaster risk governance. Developing drought and flood contingency plans to combine preparedness and near real time implementation involving several agencies for districts/ sub-district levels, especially in vulnerable districts, as well as index-based insurance services.

3. Investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience. This implies restoring the natural capital, the soils, the watersheds and the agro-biodiversity. Carbon credits for soil carbon sequestration and agroforestry is another way to secure additional revenues for smallholders, while promoting low-carbon agriculture.

4. Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response and to “Build Back Better”. Disaster preparedness involves the upscaling of food reserves, purchase of healthy food for vulnerable populations, while controlling excessive speculation.

These four priorities could be used to promote a paradigm shift towards more resilient food systems in the face of climate change, while transitioning towards healthy, sustainable and just food systems.