Agricultural land continues to be under pressure all around the world. Thus, the 2022 Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) worked on new strategies for soil protection, sustainable soil management and fair access to arable land.
Jan Rübel is author at Zeitenspiegel Reportagen, a columnist at Yahoo and writes for national newspapers and magazines. He studied History and Middle Eastern Studies.
‘Without soil, the only thing that can grow is hunger.’ These were Ophelia Nick’s opening words to mark the beginning of the 14th Global Forum for Food and Agriculture. ‘More than 90 per cent of the global food production depend on it’, the Parliamentary State Secretary of the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture continued. The international community is at a crossroads. While the United Nations still maintain ‘zero hunger’ by 2030 as one of its Sustainable Development Goals, hunger and poverty have been on the rise for years as climate change, environmental pollution and armed conflicts continue to unleash a torrent of global problems. The GFFA has responded to these developments by focusing on soil as an essential resource: this year’s conference was titled ‘Sustainable Soil Use: Food Security Starts in the Soil’. The event took place in Berlin in the last week of January; like in 2021, it was held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic.
‘At least the digital format allows us to reach an even greater audience’, Ms Nick commented. The conference comprised 20 events in five days, attended by more than 2200 international guests who listened to around 120 speakers from a wide range of backgrounds in politics, business, academia and civil society. Around 10,000 people accessed the livestream. Three specific insights emerged as a common theme across all panels: green agriculture continues to gain traction – as it should. Access to arable land must become fairer. Smallholders must remain at the focus of efforts in this field.
The GFFA has been an established and important international conference for many years, dealing with questions about the future of nutrition and agriculture.
All participants agreed that soils need protection, yet there was plenty of scope for discussion about concrete measures and how to implement them.
Rattan Lal’s response, for instance, sounded somewhat disillusioned. The professor and Director of the CFAES Rattan Lal Center for Carbon Management and Sequestration at Ohio State University merely said: ‘research must be turned into practice. Christiane Lambert, on the other hand, spoke out against excessive regulation. ‘We would prefer a tailored solution to a top-down approach’, the President of the European farmers’ union federation COPA commented.
The annual GFFA monitor and document developments in the global discussion on food security. The first high-level panel, jointly organised with the European Commission, was dedicated to the quintessential question of how to make soils more sustainable. Joe Swinnen, Director General of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), called for a holistic approach:
Global and local measures must be connected.
'All players along the value chain must be included in the process – not just farmers but consumers, too.’ María Emilia Undurraga highlighted the need for soil to absorb more carbon. ‘We must remember to decommission land in order to strike a balance and protect biodiversity’, the Chilean Minister of Agriculture said. Across all panels, participants saw a clear need to take action: the limited amount of land that is available worldwide must be managed sustainably. Speakers, audience members and participants in the live chat all emphasised the importance of biodiversity for soil. One resolution ran through the conference like a silver thread: climate protection and climate change adaptation need to be advanced further. In his summary, EU Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski emphasised the EU’s influence on consumers all over the world. ‘We heavily focus on satisfying demand in a sustainable, socially responsible way.’ He announced that sustainable cultivation would become standard. ‘The Commission will enshrine these practices in its strategy.’
The Question of Soil Exploitation is Fraught with Controversy
But how do people organise soil management among themselves? Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure (VGGT), adopted ten years ago, offer an answer to this question. During the second high-level panel, Gabriel Ferrero de Loma-Osorio, Chairman of the Committee on World Food Security, argued for the use of this global framework by governments and all other players. ‘We have many innovative approaches’, he said as he demanded that the food systems be viewed from a different angle. Maximo Torero voiced a similar sentiment. The Chief Economist at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) argued that following the adoption of the VGGT, the focus was on building awareness. ‘There were some successes, but we need to upscale now.’ In other words: fair and rights-based access to arable land must be guaranteed. All panelists agreed on this.
At the subsequently held Summit of Agriculture Ministers, Cem Özdemir welcomed 67 participants virtually. When the final communiqué was being presented, European Commissioner Wojciechowski recited a proverb:
Humankind owes its existence to a fifteen-centimetre layer of ground.
The adopted paper listed soil protection, strengthened biodiversity, climate protection and climate change adaptation as its most important demands. It also included the following sentence: ‘Investment, cultivation, research, innovation and digital transformation will be an important part of the solution that is needed to use soils sustainably.’ The GFFA has set the direction for global agriculture: more than just a buzzword, sustainability is a concrete programme now.
Möhring formuliert ihren Ansatz aus der Opposition heraus genereller und schärfer: „Um Staaten nachhaltig und langfristig darin zu unterstützen, ihre eigene Bevölkerung zu versorgen, müssen sowohl Freihandelsabkommen, die es Staaten verunmöglichen eine eigene Wirtschaft aufzubauen, ausgesetzt werden, als auch die Landwirtschaft selbst zu einer nachhaltigen Produktionsweise umgebaut werden, beispielswiese durch eine Förderung der Agrarökologie. Der Einfluss großer Agrarkonzerne muss zurückgedrängt werden.“
In gegensätzlicher Richtung ist Frohnmaier von der AfD unterwegs. „Ich trete für einen grundsätzlichen Richtungswechsel in der Entwicklungshilfepolitik ein“, schreibt er. „Die Entwicklungshilfe muss sich kohärent mit der Außen- und Außenwirtschaftspolitik Deutschland an strikt an den deutschen Interessen ausrichten. Im Fokus stehen vor diesem Hintergrund die Abwehr unerwünschter und illegaler Migration und damit einhergehend der Abbau fehlerhafter Anreize, die Rückführung illegaler Migranten, die Verbesserung der wirtschaftlichen Kooperation Deutschlands mit Entwicklungs- und Schwellenländern, die Erschließung von Märkten und Ressourcen.“
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A Contribution by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
At the network meeting "Partners for change - Transformation to a food secure, resilient and sustainable future", almost 250 participants from over 20 countries came together to exchange experiences and ideas on the transformation of agricultural and food systems. The final product, joint recommendations to transform agricultural and food systems, can now be read online.
Halfway through the 2030 Agenda, the BMZ invited participants to a network meeting entitled "Partners for change - Transformation to a food secure, resilient and sustainable future". Experts from around the world developed recommendations in a consultation process and then consolidated them in Berlin. A site visit.
A Contribution by Harry Hoffmann (TMG) & Nathalie Demel (WHH)
At the halfway mark of the 2030 Agenda and two years after the UN Food System Summit 2021, a stocktaking moment was held in Rome to analyze the progress of countries on the commitments to action in transforming food systems. Dr Harry Hoffmann, TMG Think Tank, and Nathalie Demel, Welthungerhilfe, were on site and take stock as well.
It takes the joint efforts of diverse actors to achieve a transformative impact on the global food system. Barbara Rehbinder, Scaling Up Nutrition Movement (SUN), discusses four people-centred principles to get closer to this goal.
Insurance companies could provide protection during droughts in Africa. How exactly this could be done is what the industry is currently trying to figure out. First experiences are available. An interview with the Managing Director of the Munich Re Foundation, Thomas Loster
For years, place-based approaches to development have been considered important features in development cooperation, at the BMZ and in FAO. Both organisations are aiming at advancing these approaches: an interview with Adriano Campolina from the FAO on territorial and landscape perspectives.
The Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2020 shows that the world is not on track to meet the international goal of “zero hunger by 2030”. If we continue at our current speed, around 37 countries will not even have reached a low hunger level by 2030.
With the help of sustainable farming methods, soils can be preserved and made fertile again. The investment required is also worthwhile from a financial perspective.
Africa is home to the world’s youngest and fastest growing population. For many young people, agriculture could offer a job perspective. But to improve the living conditions and job prospects of young people in rural areas, political reforms and investments are desperately needed, as these people will be at the centre of agriculture and agricultural development in the future.
What are the consequences of using synthetic pesticides in agriculture? Where do they help, where do they harm? Lena Luig, expert for the development policy organization INKOTA, and science journalist Ludger Weß discuss this controversial topic of international scope.
Stefan Liebing is chairman of the Africa Association of German Business. The manager calls for a better structure of African farms. Jan Rübel asked him about small farmers, the opportunities for German start-ups and a new fund.
Africa has a huge opportunity to make agriculture its economic driver. However, the potential for this is far from being made exhaustive use of, one reason being that women face considerable difficulties in their economic activities. The organisation AWAN Afrika seeks to change this state of affairs.
Stig Tanzmann is a farmer and adviser on agricultural issues at ‘Bread for the World’. Jan Rübel interviewed him about his reservations about AGRA's strategy.
What do electrical engineering, telecommunications and agriculture have in common? They arouse the passion of Strive Masiyiwa: Thirty years ago, he started an electrical installation company with $75, later riding the telecommunications wave as a pioneer. Today he is committed to transforming African agriculture.
In this article, the author describes what we know about interlinkages, what role agriculture has to play in the sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity, and what the necessary changes in agricultural systems might look like, both on small and large-scale farms.
The WWF has published a sensational study on food waste. The focus: farm-stage food waste. Peter McFeely, Global head of communications and strategic planning at WWF, explains what needs to be done.
Out of 40 consortia that applied from all over the world, 14 were invited to present their innovative concept on agroecological approaches in the form of an online pitch and to face the questions of an international jury of experts. Find out which six semi-finalists were selected by the jury and what happens next in this article.
The future is rural. Young African entrepreneurs gave their generation a vocie during the G-20 conference in Berlin. "World Without Hunger" asked six of them, how more jobs can be created in rural areas.
"One World no Hunger" (SEWOH) becomes one of the five core themes of the BMZ. Dirk Schattschneider, SEWOH Commissioner about previous approaches, future areas of action, and the political will to end hunger.
An Interview with Shamika Mone (INOFO) and Elizabeth Nsimadala (EAFF)
At the UN Food Systems Summit, farmers organizations have been represented on the international stage for the first time ever. Two representatives talk about bridging personal aspirations with the representation of regional needs and international negotiations.
How the UN Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests (VGGT) contribute to fairer and more secure land access.
Indian farmers restore precious soil material combining traditional with innovative approaches. A case example how governance, agriculture and development cooperation can work together to combat climate change.
At the ICTforAg conference in March 2022, the digital agriculture community exchanged on the challenges and opportunities associated with the next green revolution.
Based on a scientific study by TMG Think Tank, the authors highlight various challenges in the fight against the hunger crisis. The findings show that climate change, conflict and covid-19 are increasing food and energy prices.
Nations adopted four goals and 23 targets for 2030 to foster biodiversity conservation and counter acceleration in the global rate of species extinction at the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15).
The potential the African food sector holds is still far too strongly associated with the continent’s natural resources, Ben Leyka maintains. He seeks to change this with the African Agri Council.
After a two-year break due to Corona, the doors of the International Green Week (IGW) in Berlin are opening again. From 20th to 29th January, visitors from all over the world can discover, marvel and taste the produce. But the event is not only feasting and fun. The BMZ stand asks questions about where food comes from & where it goes – and in the process becomes a crash test for many habits.
Regarding deforestation free supply chains, there are challenges and opportunities for smallholder farmers as well as for international forest governance. Also, responsibilities for companies and potential incentives for manufacturers to use materials from fair trade and sustainable sources need to be explored. But what does “deforestation-free” actually mean?
The Africa Agriculture Trade Monitor 2022 (AATM) was published by IFPRI and AKADEMIYA2063. The report analyses the short- and long-term trends and drivers of African agricultural trade flows, including regional policies and the role of global markets.
The German government is struggling to pass a supply chain law. It is intended to address violations of human rights, social and environmental standards. What would the consequences be for business? A double interview with Veselina Vasileva from GEPA and economics professor Andreas Freytag.
Protectionist policies like tariffs supposedly protect domestic producers if they cannot compete with cheaper imported products. Some African countries have therefore opted to impose such import restrictions for a number of products. For the case of chicken imports in Ghana, this study analyses whether restrictions would lead to overall positive or negative welfare effects among households.
Kenya is a large importer of vetable oils mainly from Indonesia and Malaysia - amongst them sunflower oil. Due to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, there were supply bottlenecks and food shortages, leading to less affordable vegetable oils in Kenya. As a response to the lack of supply, the Sanga'alo Institute of Science and Technology, took that impulse, teamed up with the GIZ and established regional cultivation and refinement of sunflowers.
Four interviews kick off the relaunch under the new name „Food4Transformation“, asking the same questions from different perspectives. "Women and young people need access to land. And they need financial support to cultivate this land." - says Kolyang Palebele, President of the Pan African Farmers Organisation (PAFO).
Agrivoltaics is a concept that combines photovoltaic electricity generation and agricultural production, providing the opportunity for a more efficient land use and contributing overall to the integration of food, energy and water systems. This can be particularly interesting for countries in the Global South, where rural electrification rates are often low and food security needs to be improved.
Given the urgency of transforming agricultural and food systems, GIZ India's Food Systems and Agroecology Working Group is exploring the potential of agroecology in collaboration with Think20 partners. A policy brief has now been published.
During the Women Leadership Programme in May 2024, around 20 women from African countries and Germany met again for a one-week workshop in Bavaria, Germany to become fit for leadership in their organisations. One topic that concerns the women across countries is climate change, but also violence against women and their discrimination in agriculture.
As a passionate social scientist and entrepreneur from Malawi, Ngabaghila Chatata knows that she can overcome any challenge. Her story stands out in a country faced with high unemployment, particularly in its rural areas. As the managing director of Thanthwe Farms, she has set out to inspire the next generation of young agripreneurs – proving that successful business starts with the right mindset, not only capital.
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