Summary report, 30–31 July 2015

The 2nd Africa Ecosystem Based Adaptation for Food Security Conference (EBAFOSC 2) took place from 30-31 July 2015 at UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, under the theme ‘Re-imagining Africa’s Food Security through Harnessing Ecosystem Based Adaptation Approaches Now and Into the Future under Climate Change.’ More than 1200 delegates from governments, research and policy institutions, civil society, the private sector and youth organizations attended the event, which was convened by the UNEP Regional Office for Africa (UNEP/ROA) and partner organizations.

The Conference was structured around plenary and parallel discussion sessions that aimed to contribute to seven core objectives: harnessing ecosystem-based adaptation (EBA) to protect and restore Africa’s ecosystems and contribute to a sustainable overall agricultural policy framework; building scalable and inclusive business models for EBA-driven agriculture that can create opportunities across the entire agricultural value chain; identifying scalable and innovative financing models for EBA-driven agriculture to stimulate growth, job creation and value chain partnerships in Africa; understanding the benefits of EBA in achieving the proposed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); identifying enabling policies and legislation that will incentivize countries to invest in agriculture, soil conservation and EBA; gaining knowledge on key agents that can help transform the dominant agricultural development paradigms towards EBA-driven agriculture in Africa; and developing strategies to incentivize private sector involvement in EBA-driven agriculture for increased capital mobilization and competitiveness.

EBAFOSC 2 produced two main outcome documents: ‘The Nairobi Action Agenda on Africa’s Ecosystem Based Adaptation for Food Security’; and a Constitution establishing a new pan-African institution, the Ecosystem Based Adaptation for Food Security Assembly (EBAFOSA). This summary report highlights discussions from plenary sessions, as well as from selected parallel sessions.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF EBAFOSC

Africa continues to face formidable challenges in achieving food security and sustainable livelihoods for its growing population. An estimated 25% of Africa’s population still lacks access to sufficient food to meet basic nutritional needs, and nearly 40% of children aged less than five continue to suffer from chronic under-nutrition. With an estimated 60% of Africa’s workforce directly dependent on agriculture for survival, there is additional pressure to tackle the rapid degradation of agricultural land and the natural resource base that further exacerbates food insecurity and poverty, while generating new employment opportunities for a growing youth population, which is expected to double to nearly 400 million by 2045.

REGIONAL POLICY INITIATIVES FOR SUSTAINABLE FOOD PRODUCTION: The AU and its Member States, regional institutions and other development partners have initiated a number of policy initiatives and programmes over the past few decades to boost agricultural production and rural livelihoods. These include: the AU 2003 Maputo Declaration on Agriculture and Food Security in which African Heads of State and Government agreed to allocate at least 10% of national budgetary resources to agriculture and rural development policy implementation within five years; the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), implemented by the AU’s New Partnership for Africa’s Development, which aims to realize a 6% annual growth in agricultural gross domestic product; and the AU’s Agenda 2063, a strategic framework for optimizing the use of Africa’s resources for the socio-economic transformation of the continent.

Furthermore, a number of AU Summit outcomes have specifically addressed the issue of agriculture and food and nutrition security, notably: the 2004 Sirte Declaration on the Challenges of Implementing Integrated and Sustainable Development in Agriculture and Water in Africa; the 2007 Decision on the Abuja Summit on Food Security in Africa; the 2009 Sirte Declaration on Investing in Agriculture for Economic Growth and Food Security; and the 2014 Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Transformation for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihoods, adopted during the African Year of Agriculture and Food Security.

Related decisions adopted by the African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN) at its recent meetings include: Decision 15/1 on ‘Sustainably Harnessing Africa’s Natural Capital in the Context of Agenda 2063’; and Decision 14/9 on ‘Engaging Member States to Ratify and Adopt a Strategy on the Promotion of the Ratification of the Maputo Convention on Nature and Natural Resources.’

UNEA 1: At its inaugural meeting in June 2014, the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) of UNEP adopted Decision 1/8 on EBA, which, inter alia: recalls the concern expressed in the outcome document of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20) that the adverse impacts of climate change threaten efforts to achieve sustainable development, eradicate poverty and achieve food security; and recognizes the adverse impacts of climate change on ecosystems and their ability to meet local food production and national food security needs. The UNEA requested the UNEP Executive Director to continue: providing and enhancing support to developing countries for the development and implementation of community-based, national and regional EBA programmes and activities; and collaborating with the UN Development Programme and other relevant institutions and organizations to integrate ecosystems as a key element in national adaptation planning processes.

EBAFOSC 1: The 1st Harnessing Ecosystem Based Approaches for Food Security and Adaptation to Climate Change in Africa Conference took place from 20-21 August 2013 at UNEP headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. The meeting was co-organized by UNEP, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) and other partners and was attended by over 700 participants from 54 countries, including representatives of governments, civil society and intergovernmental organizations. The main outcome of the meeting was a ‘Conference Declaration on Ecosystem-based Approaches for Food Security and Climate Change Adaptation’ that, among other things, recognizes EBA approaches as the first step towards building resilient food systems and adapting to climate change in Africa.

REPORT OF THE MEETING

HIGH LEVEL OPENING SESSION

Welcoming participants, Richard Munang, Coordinator, Africa Regional Climate Change Programme, UNEP/ROA, said the conference is a multi-stakeholder process that aims to inform, influence and catalyze actions to advance the EBA-driven agriculture framework to enhance food security in Africa.

Cosmas Ochieng, Executive Director, African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS), lamented that 250 years after the agrarian revolution and more than 60 years after the green revolution, Africa still cannot feed itself. Stressing that the issue is not related to technology or finance, he called on delegates to reimagine Africa’s food security and ecosystems and then ask themselves “why not?”

Yemi Akinbamijo, Executive Director, Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), underscored the impact of climate change on Africa’s ability to scale up its food systems and sustain livelihoods. He noted that with the Paris Climate Change Conference fast approaching, the continent “deserves to be informed about what we are up against,” and to receive support to fast-track the integration of climate-smart agriculture.

Anthony Nyong, Head, Gender, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Unit, African Development Bank (AfDB), described the EBA framework proposed by UNEP and its partners as a win-win solution that can achieve both adaptation and mitigation goals. Outlining the AfDB’s strategic focus on the transition to green growth, he said the Bank will invest more than US$1 billion to help African countries develop frameworks for attracting investments in climate-resilient agriculture and strengthening their agricultural value chains.

Rhoda Peace Tumusiime, Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, African Union Commission (AUC), noted the EBA approach offers a framework for achieving the 2014 Malabo Declaration on Agriculture and Post Harvest Losses, which was adopted by Heads of State at the conclusion of the 2014 Year of Food Security and Agriculture. Describing the declaration as a commitment “at the highest level” to end hunger by 2025, she called on all delegates to “seize this opportunity to put our continent’s food systems on track.”

Agnes Kalibata, President, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), underlined the role of smallholder farmers in driving agricultural transformation in support of food security, and called for enhanced support to such farmers in dealing with climate change through, inter alia, EBA, access to improved seeds, increased financing, enhanced market access, strengthened farmer organizations and scaled up public-private partnerships (PPPs).

Patrick Kormawa, FAO Sub-Regional Coordinator for Eastern Africa and Representative to the AU and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), outlined central challenges to achieving food security in Africa, including waste and lack of access to food, competition with other land-based activities, low tenure security, water scarcity, rising temperatures and erratic rainfall. He called for a transformation of agricultural systems to make them more resilient to climate change, including through approaches, such as climate-smart agriculture, sustainable land management and payments for ecosystem services (PES).

Mounkaila Goumandakoye, Regional Director, UNEP/ROA: stressed the importance of women in driving change for food security; emphasized EBA and climate-resilient agriculture as key strategies in line with the proposed SDGs; underlined the importance of AU leadership for EBA; and welcomed a proposed assembly on EBA for food security in Africa.

BUILDING SCALABLE AND INCLUSIVE BUSINESS MODELS FOR EBA-DRIVEN AGRICULTURE

Conference Chair Alice Kaudia, Environment Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Kenya, welcomed participants to the session, which was moderated by Elias Ayuk, Director, UN University Institute for Natural Resources in Africa.

Lloyd Mbulwe, Zambia Agriculture Research Institute, highlighted food security challenges in the region and discussed ongoing initiatives to promote traditional crops, such as sorghum, that contribute to multiple benefits, including sustainable land management, resilience to drought, improved nutrition security, and income generation through improved processing and marketing techniques.

Clement Adebooye, Osun State University, Nigeria, presented the results of a project to boost sustainable production and utilization of indigenous vegetables in southwestern Nigeria. He outlined the project’s contribution, including through: conducting field-based studies; creating direct employment; supporting farmers groups; promoting sustainable seed production; and establishing linkages with government research institutions and extension services.

Bashir Jama, AGRA, highlighted strategies for the transition to EBA-driven agriculture, emphasizing, inter alia: improving productivity of smallholder farmers while sustainably managing land resources; exploring “best bet” technologies; and scaling up sustainable agriculture through private sector engagement. He underscored the importance of exploring the judicious use of fertilizers within a sustainable agriculture framework in order to meet agricultural productivity targets and achieve food security.

Christina Kwangwari, ActionAid, shared experiences from a project promoting EBA-driven agriculture and women’s rights to sustainable livelihoods in Ghana and Rwanda, highlighting the project’s success in improving food security. She underlined the importance of strengthening market access, policy reforms, value addition of agricultural products and promoting EBA opportunities throughout the value chain.

Roland Bunch, Groundswell International, stressed that as a result of declining yields and an impending food security crisis, a generation of rural children are not getting enough nutrition, and said that intercropping legumes that both feed people and fertilize soil is a potential long-term solution to the problem, highlighting experiences from a project implemented in 15 countries.

In a round of questions to panelists, participants highlighted, inter alia, the importance of rainwater harvesting, the complementarity of organic and non-organic approaches, and the role of rural education for youth in promoting understanding of indigenous knowledge systems.

PARALLEL DIALOGUE SESSIONS ON MAKING EBA-DRIVEN AGRICULTURE WORK IN AFRICA NOW AND IN THE FUTURE – OPTIMIZING AND UNLEASHING OPPORTUNITIES

On Thursday afternoon, participants convened in seven parallel dialogue sessions. This report highlights discussions from the sessions on youth and women, and financing for EBA-driven agriculture, and provides brief summaries of the discussions of all sessions as reported back to plenary.

THE ROLE OF YOUTH AND WOMEN IN EBA-DRIVEN AGRICULTURE: Moderator Richard Munang, UNEP/ROA, noted the strategic role of youth and women in food production and explained the session would explore four key questions: what strategies are needed to make agriculture a more competitive profession to attract young people; what needs to be done to ensure youth become the torch bearers of EBA-driven agriculture; how to unlock the potential of women in enhancing EBA-driven agricultural productivity; and how to harness the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to transform the agricultural sector.

Tim Mugerwa, President, African Youth Union, called for a greater focus on youth by extension services, educational institutions and policymakers, noting this would help improve young people’s perceptions about the potential of agriculture as a profession and business opportunity. He noted the need to provide mentoring and support for young entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into bankable businesses.

Conference Chair Kaudia called for existing youth funding mechanisms to be channeled towards promoting agribusiness, noting that if young people learn that “it is more than getting your hands dirty,” they will be attracted to agribusiness as a career.

Observing that “youth want to make money,” Yanira Ntupanyama, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Malawi, said empowering youth through appropriate education and skills is required, and called for a reformulation of existing policies in this regard.

Speaking on the role of women in attracting youth to agriculture, Kwangwari underscored the importance of addressing access to land for women and youth through implementing existing policy frameworks, such as provided for in the FAO Voluntary Guidelines and the CAADP.

During successive discussion rounds, participants highlighted the need for policymakers and other agricultural stakeholders to, among other things: meet the high expectations of youth; address tradition and culture that impact on women’s land ownership; encourage youth to venture into commercial and large-scale farming; provide access to high quality seeds and reduce post harvest losses; promote access to predictable markets; move beyond seed funding to promote venture capital and other mechanisms that can tap into youth entrepreneurship; and provide business skills training for women and youth.

In their responses, panelists proposed, inter alia: enhancing consultative mechanisms to encourage young people to identify their needs and interests; and seeking commitments from traditional leaders and other “custodians of culture” to tackle land tenure issues and other barriers preventing women and youth from putting land into productive use.

During a final exchange on specific policies that can encourage women and youth to participate in agriculture, delegates stressed the need to: directly target youth and women in government tenders for agribusinesses; provide integrated mentorship and capacity-building programmes that bundle technology, markets, finance and training; provide agricultural training across the school system; encourage young people to view challenges as business opportunities; embrace new technologies, such as mobile-based early warning systems and online platforms, to provide market information and technical support; and reintroduce vocational training institutions and agricultural incubation centers to help young people acquire new skills and technologies, and launch viable businesses.

FINANCING EBA IN AFRICA: INNOVATIVE FINANCING MODELS FOR EBA-DRIVEN AGRICULTURE: Moderator Johnson Nkem, African Policy Centre, ECA, opened the session by: underlining the timeliness of finance as a theme; alluding to the negotiations on financing for development, the SDGs and climate change; and emphasizing that adapting to climate change and enhancing food security will require scaled-up innovative finance solutions and policy frameworks.  

John Wakiumu, AGRA, highlighted the limitations of existing finance solutions for smallholder farmers, including limited government funding, and shared AGRA’s experiences in leveraging US$170 million in credit over the past six years, stressing the importance of capacity building for borrowers.

Esther Muiruri, Equity Bank Ltd., Kenya, underlined that while the agricultural sector faces many risks that limit the willingness of banks to lend, partnerships can help banks manage these risks and develop financial products that meet the needs of smallholder farmers.

Speaking on the role of multilateral financing, Mohamed I. Bakarr, Global Environment Facility (GEF), stressed the need for a more comprehensive approach to food security, as called for by many governments, and highlighted a US$120 million GEF programme dedicated to food security and sustainability in Sub-Saharan Africa that was launched in June 2015.

In response to several questions on lenders’ risk assessments in the agricultural sector, Muiruri highlighted the importance of establishing partnerships with institutions, such as AGRA and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, who can share part of the risk and build the capacity of borrowers, while increasing banks’ understanding of smallholder conditions.

Responding to a question on how EBA financing can be given priority, participants highlighted the role of governments considering the still limited interest of the private sector in investing in small-scale agriculture, and mentioned strengthened cooperatives, PPPs and multilateral finance institutions as sources of finance that can be tapped.

Participants also mentioned agricultural banks, village community banks and corporate social responsibility (CSR) as interesting models that could be scaled up in support of EBA for food security. In addition, some participants called on multilateral finance institutions to be more accessible to smallholder farmers, including via a scaled-up GEF Small Grants Programme.

In a round of concluding remarks, panelists underlined the importance of policy incentives to unleash private sector investment in agriculture, highlighted EBA as a key risk mitigation measure that can increase the willingness of banks to lend to farmers, and called for more solutions with significant impact at scale.

PRESENTATIONS FROM PARALLEL DISCUSSION SESSIONS: Dennis Garrity, UN Drylands Ambassador and Senior Fellow, World Agroforestry Centre, moderated the session, where representatives from the seven parallel sessions reported back to plenary on Thursday afternoon.

Role of Youth and Women: Chair Kaudia outlined the key messages of the session as, inter alia, the need to: provide affordable finance and other incentives for women and youth involvement in agriculture; provide decision support tools at all levels, such as gross margins for different agricultural options; ensure land ownership rights of both men and women; develop new business models to enable direct marketing by farmers; mainstream EBA-driven agriculture throughout the education system; invest in shared infrastructure, such as access roads and water resources, to reduce market barriers; and prioritize use of ICTs, such as mobile apps and training videos, to attract youth and reduce the mentoring costs.

The Role of the Private Sector in Upscaling EBA: Grace Ojiayo, Nairobi City County Government, highlighted the disparate character of the private sector, noting it ranges from small-, medium- and large-scale agribusinesses to philanthropists interested in supporting farmers. Among specific recommendations, she highlighted the need to: demystify EBA-driven agriculture and clarify “what is in it for us”; make financial services more affordable across the value chain; improve physical infrastructure and the overall regulatory framework to reduce the costs of engaging in agribusiness; promote PPPs to reduce risks for private capital; provide appropriate business training and advocacy support; create multi-stakeholder platforms to support market identification and business planning; and bridge the gap between smallholders and financial service providers through awareness creation and matching mechanisms.

Financing EBA in Africa – Innovative Financing Models for EBA-driven Agriculture: Moderator Johnson Khem, ECA, reported that panelists had highlighted the need for: enhanced knowledge of smallholder farmer circumstances in financial institutions; state funds for EBA to leverage private sector financial products; enhanced multilateral funding; and adequate policy frameworks. On potential sources of finance, the session discussed community banks, private sector CSR engagement, and strengthening cooperatives at the local level. He reported that a long-standing collaboration between AGRA and Equity Bank Ltd. Kenya had been mentioned as a successful innovative finance model, and that PES, small-scale community banks, dedicated agricultural banks and the GEF Small Grants Programme offer models for further scaling up and replication. He noted that the session had also stressed the importance of alignment of the agricultural and financial value chains, and highlighted EBA as a critical tool to mitigate risks in the agricultural sector, with a potential to enhance access to private sector loans. 

Education, ICT, Data and its Role in Transforming EBA-driven Agriculture in Africa: Justus Ochieng, Tegemeo Institute, Kenya, presented the outcomes of the session. He began by stressing the importance of “educationalizing” EBA across Africa through, inter alia, mainstreaming EBA into all education systems, revising curricula in schools and establishing EBA clubs. Session participants concluded that policymakers play a key role in enabling ICT to contribute to upscaling EBA, including via fiscal measures and steps to enhance data and technology access for farmers. On how to make such innovations available to youth, he noted that participants had suggested, inter alia, access to ICTs in rural youth centers, social media tools, internships in rural areas and games simulating EBA farming experiences.

The Role of South-South Cooperation in Harnessing EBA for Food Security in Africa: Philip Kilonzo, ActionAid, presented a set of key impressions from the session, noting that South-South programmes are dominated by exchanges between research institutions and the need to “trickle down to include ‘people-to-people’ collaboration.” He outlined water, energy, leadership and governance as areas where further South-South cooperation should take place, and stressed the importance of understanding the local context rather than applying a “cut-and-paste” model. He further reported that the session had discussed the importance of regional African cooperation to address EBA and the management of shared natural resources, and called for strengthened leadership in this field by the AU. He noted that gender, traditional knowledge and the economics of ecosystems were also discussed as issues that could spark further South-South cooperation.

Innovations to Reduce Post Harvest Losses (PHLs) – EBA Role in Africa PHL and Waste: Discussions at this session were summarized by Moderator George Owusu Essegbey, Director, Science and Technology Policy Research Institute, Ghana, who stressed that the role of EBA in PHL must be mainstreamed across agricultural systems and value chains in Africa, noting that an EBA approach could contribute to food security, enhanced biodiversity and opportunities for job creation. He further reported that participants had discussed multiple options and innovations for crop storage facilities, ranging from refrigeration to mobile solar dryers.Essegbey stressed that storage must be complemented with processing and value addition to crops as strategies to reduce waste, generate income and extend the shelf life of agricultural products.

Climate Change and Resilience through EBA: Shanaaz Nel, Greenpeace South Africa, said participants had recognized that climate change and population growth necessitate new EBA tools and approaches. She said that a provocative question posed during the discussions was whether current education and extension systems are relevant to African contexts and environmental challenges. Among key constraints in this regard, she highlighted: silo approaches to knowledge; poor use of indigenous knowledge systems; and a focus on commercial large-scale agriculture rather than on sustainable smallholder models. On the role of EBA in building resilient food systems, Nel highlighted recommendations on the need to, inter alia: align climate processes and frameworks; expand local markets; reduce the conversion of agricultural land for other uses; introduce social safeguards for farmers, such as climate insurance; provide practical business models; encourage consumption of locally produced crops; clearly communicate climate change causes and consequences and the role of EBA; promote land-use policies and tenure systems that encourage investments by smallholders; avoid importing technologies that are not context-appropriate; link research and policy agendas and package climate information for different audiences; and monitor the impact of EBA measures at the ecosystem level.

MAKING EBA WORK IN AFRICA THROUGH MAXIMIZING POLICY FRAMEWORKS

Introducing this plenary session on Friday morning, Moderator Richard Munang said the issue for Africa is not the absence of policies, but rather their weak implementation. He invited panelists to provide concrete proposals on how to turn policies into action.

Wilbur Ottichilo, Member of Parliament, Kenya, proposed that budgetary provisions should be included from the outset during policy formulation, cautioned African countries against assuming that donors will provide funding for policy implementation, and noted that even when available, such funding often comes with added conditionalities.

Cosmas Ochieng, ACTS, called on all stakeholders to “reimagine” their role in policy implementation. Noting that advocacy organizations often “pat themselves on the back” when their proposals are adopted, he challenged civil society and other stakeholders to constitute themselves as effective interest groups to hold governments accountable. He suggested that empirical data could be used towards this end to “name and shame” institutions responsible for policy failures and empower ordinary citizens to monitor the implementation of public policies.

Remarking that “if there were to be a policy Olympics, Africa would win face down,” Michael O’Brien-Onyeka, Director, Greenpeace Africa, lamented the lack of policy implementation, further noting that policy coherence is also a challenge. He cited fertilizer subsidies as an example of a perverse policy that leads to unintended consequences.

Daniel Gad, Board Chairman, Ethiopian Horticulture Cooperative, discussed PPP models, noting they can only work if they are adapted to the local context and clarify the economic value for farmers. He stressed the need to build equity for smallholders through innovative partnerships with agribusinesses and highlighted a successful example from Tanzania, where farmers not only supply raw products to their agribusiness partner, but have also acquired a 40% share of the company, enabling them to derive a share of any additional profits made through value addition and to have a say in its management. Gad welcomed the rise of new mobile applications, saying they offer an opportunity to level the playing field for smallholders through improved access to market information and business services.

During several discussion rounds on how to improve implementation of policies for EBA, participants and panelists highlighted the importance of, inter alia: enhanced intra-governmental coordination and improved targeted communication adapted to stakeholders’ own language; tackling high costs of production and low market prices for smallholders; prioritizing food production for local markets; removing bottlenecks in delivering government allocations to youth and women; leveraging remittances from the diaspora by promoting safe investment opportunities in EBA; integrating ecosystem-based land-use planning; and reforming the education and vocational training systemso provide practical skills in project management and business.

Other speakers called for: increased attention to preventing capital flight; enforcing tax schemes to fund EBA; agreement to earmark a percentage of donor funds and government spending on agriculture for EBA; and facilitation of civil society, local government and private sector access to existing government funds and incentives, including via enhanced capacity building. Participants also stressed that African civil society and the media need to be more active in advancing EBA reforms and holding politicians accountable for their commitments

Responding to some of the issues raised, Ottichilo spoke about Kenya’s Climate Change Bill, which received praise for being the first of its kind in Africa. Kaudia mentioned Kenya’s state budget allocations supporting youth and women entrepreneurs as a good example of how funds are being mobilized internally. On implementing start-up funds for EBA-driven agricultural enterprises, she stressed the importance of building a track record, noting that if recipients do well, they should then be eligible to diversify and scale up.

Speaking on the alignment of conceptual frameworks, O’Brien-Onyeka described climate-smart agriculture as a “gimmick” that can be easily misinterpreted. He preferred using EBA or ecological agriculture, noting they are explicit about promoting development that is “consonant with nature, not against it.” With regard to food security, he said the real issue is not insufficient production, but the “broken” global system that leads to overproduction and the waste of nearly half of all food produced, while many go to bed hungry. He called for a fundamental shift in agriculture and trade policies to reward production by smallholder farmers for local markets and reduce imports.

Recalling the early failures of Apple founder Steve Jobs, Gad encouraged young people to “get real and get busy.” He noted that with “great local ideas and great local products, you can mobilize funds locally,” highlighting agricultural waste as an example of a low-cost investment opportunity.

In a final round of discussions on how to integrate some of the ideas discussed at the continental level, panelists highlighted, inter alia, the need to: focus on restoration of degraded land to bring it into productive use; reform capacity building and education programmes to promote EBA-driven agricultural production; maximize the opportunities that EBA offers for integrating economic and environmental goals; and shift CAADP’s focus from climate-smart agriculture to EBA.

WAY FORWARD – PLANS AND STRATEGIES FOR IMPLEMENTATING AND SCALING UP EBA APPROACHES AND AGRO-VALUE CHAINS TO ENSURE FOOD SECURITY, ECOSYSTEM PRODUCTIVITY, CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND INCOME GENERATION

Cosmas Ochieng, ACTS, moderated this plenary session on Friday morning. Jephias Matunhu, Midlands State University, Zimbabwe, stressed that research and evidence-based policymaking is key to achieving EBA and stimulating entrepreneurship in the agricultural sector. Yanira Ntupanyama, Malawi, stressed the need to amplify political will and fill in policy gaps, and emphasized that realizing demonstrable, practical EBA actions at the community level is key to building community trust and commitment to implementing government policies. AU Commissioner Tumusiime underscored the importance of mainstreaming EBA at all levels, and of coordination between, and engagement with, multiple government ministries.

On strategies for scaling up EBA at the regional level, further discussions among participants touched upon: the need for stronger AU leadership on and institutionalization of EBA; the need to reconcile and harmonize national and continental EBA-related policy frameworks, including the AU Agenda 2063, and to support their implementation nationally via monitoring and evaluation through the AU; and the importance of viewing EBA for food security not only in the context of agricultural policy, but from a wider ecosystems perspective.

Identifying field-level approaches that are conducive to success, participants reiterated the need for evidence-based policymaking. Several participants stressed that learning from indigenous knowledge must be combined with innovation and modernization of agricultural practices.

Several participants also raised concerns in relation to existing intellectual property rights and crop laws in African countries, and the constraints some of these laws impose on smallholder farmers’ ability to breed their own seeds and share genetic material.

Participants also raised issues linking to wider political processes, including proposals for EBA to be used to drive and scale up agroecological approaches and initiatives in Africa, which are currently under-funded, and to contribute to global efforts to restore degraded lands under the framework of commitments by African governments following the UN Climate Summit held in New York, US, in September 2014.

Participants also discussed the need to ensure that the EBAFOSC 2 outcomes are translated into concrete actions, including via the proposed new pan-African Assembly, EBAFOSA and Trust Fund.

In a final round of comments, panelists reiterated calls to harness indigenous knowledge and products, while letting go of counterproductive practices. They also highlighted additional best practices in implementing EBA beyond the agricultural sector, for example in sustainable land management, afforestation and flood prevention, reflecting the emerging consensus that EBA is a multi-sectoral concept which must be mainstreamed in agricultural, forest, water, infrastructure, energy, education and other policies. One panelist stressed the need to ensure that any new initiatives be fully funded and capitalized.

ADOPTION OF EBAFOSC 2 OUTCOME DOCUMENTS

Conference Chair Kaudia opened this session on Friday afternoon, explaining that two outcome documents had been finalized and would be presented for adoption by the Conference: a draft declaration titled ‘The Nairobi Action Agenda on Africa’s Ecosystem Based Adaptation for Food Security’ and ‘The Constitution of the Ecosystem Based Adaptation for Food Security Assembly.’ Patrick Luganda, Chair, Network Climate Journalists in the Greater Horn of Africa, and drafting committee chair, thanked members and reported that the committee had worked overnight to complete the documents, which built on the recommendations of a task force working in the months preceding the conference. He explained that since EBAFOSC is not an intergovernmental conference, the declaration would be adopted by consensus, rather than by a vote. Robert Wabunoha, UNEP/ROA, then presented the two documents, which were adopted by consensus.

EBAFOSC 2 DECLARATION: ‘The Nairobi Action Agenda on Africa’s Ecosystem Based Adaptation for Food Security’ notes, inter alia, that: EBA is essential for climate resilience, ecosystems productivity, food security, job creation and value addition in Africa; and African governments are the main drivers of creating enabling policies and laws to provide incentives for the private sector and to scale up EBA-driven agriculture. The declaration recognizes various AU policy frameworks of relevance for EBA, and the UNEA resolution on EBA from June 2014 as a basis for mainstreaming EBA in Member States.

The declaration states that EBAFOSC 2 delegates resolve, inter alia, to:

• form the EBAFOSA;
• adopt the EBAFOSA Constitution;
• form a EBAFOSA Trust Fund to support implementation of the decisions and activities of the Assembly on EBA initiatives in Africa;
• request ACTS, in cooperation with UNEP, the AMCEN Secretariat, the AUC and other partners, to host the secretariat of the Assembly; and
• request FARA and other institutions and partners to support its work.

In a concluding section, the Conference declares, inter alia, that it will:

• urge governments in Africa to create an enabling environment for technological advancement and to create platforms for resource mobilization;
• request research institutions to promote implementation of EBA-driven agriculture;
• call on governments and stakeholders to empower youth, women and people living with disabilities to drive innovation in agriculture;
• request governments and institutions to integrate EBA approaches into their policies;
• call upon AU, AMCEN and UNEP to take note of EBAFOSA’s establishment and recognize it as the leading forum for promoting EBA policies and actions in Africa;
• support the AU’s work; and
• submit the Conference outcomes to all governments in Africa and other partners.

EBAFOSA CONSTITUTION: The Constitution describes the EBAFOSA’s vision and mission as, respectively: a food secure Africa with sustainable ecosystems; and to provide a framework for EBA that ensures food security in Africa.

The Constitution establishes three main objectives for the Assembly, namely to: promote environmentally friendly approaches to food production; promote value addition for all EBA products by efficient technologies; and develop a regional monitoring instrument and evaluation instruments on EBA. It also outlines the main functions and responsibilities of the EBAFOSA, including, inter alia, to: provide a platform for countries and stakeholders to discuss and provide solutions relating to food security; mobilize stakeholders towards using EBA approaches for food security; and collaborate with the AUC, UN agencies and other institutions in implementation programmes that have an impact on Africa’s food security ecosystems and climate change resilience.

The Constitution also establishes, inter alia, the scope, structure, composition, rapporteur, bureau and membership of the Assembly. It contains articles providing, inter alia, guidance on its host institution, establishment of national branches, observers, the Assembly secretariat, subsidiary bodies, session of the Assembly and a Trust Fund supporting its work, for purposes of voluntary contributions from members, observers and partners. The Constitution also establishes ACTS as the interim Host Institution of the Assembly, and calls for an in initial EBAFOSA Bureau meeting to take place no later than 31 December 2015.

CLOSING SESSION

During the closing session on Friday afternoon, Chair Kaudia highlighted some next steps in establishing the new continental EBA body, noting that in addition to appointing ACTS as the interim EBAFOSA host, the Bureau had accepted an offer from Zambia to convene the first Assembly session and said Zambia would assume the Assembly Presidency. She further reported that South Africa would serve as Rapporteur, while Uganda, Cameroon and Ghana would serve as Vice Presidents representing the East, Central and West Africa subregions, respectively. She noted the EBAFOSA Bureau would determine a representative from North Africa to serve as the fourth subregional Vice President. In conclusion, she said these decisions would be forwarded to AMCEN and the AU for endorsement.

In a closing address, Commissioner Tumusiime thanked all individuals, and public and private institutions, for reaffirming the concept of EBA for food security and expressed confidence that it would contribute to Africa’s implementation of the SDGs. She urged all stakeholders to ensure that Africa’s rich biodiversity and wildlife resources are protected in the course of pursuing these objectives.

Chair Kaudia then declared EBAFOSC 2 officially closed at 3:15 pm.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

International Conference on Sustainable Uses of Soil in Harmony with Food Security: This conference will focus on five themes: soil information for supporting sustainable uses and management; integrated soil management and conservation for food security; role of soil ecology in relation to climate change and food security; innovative techniques and tools for soil resources inventories and appropriate management; and public participation, networking and policy implementation on land management. The conference, which is organized under the auspices of the International Year of Soils (IYS) 2015 and the Thailand Land Development Department’s Volunteer Soil-Doctor Program, aims to provide a platform for diverse stakeholders, including soil scientists, field-based extension workers, decision makers and land users, to share knowledge on appropriate technologies and soil management practices to enhance food security and conservation of the natural resource base.  dates: 18-21 August 2015  location: Phetchabun, Thailand  telephone: +66 899671719  e-mail: isc2015@ldd.go.th www: http://www.ldd.go.th/WEB_ISC2015/Index.html

Second Wageningen Soil Conference on Soil Science in a Changing World: This is the second edition of the annual Wageningen Soil Conferences, which aim to explore the role of soil science in combating and mitigating global challenges, including food security, water resources, climate change, land functions and biodiversity conservation. The Conferences take a thematic, interdisciplinary approach that seeks to provide a platform for: sharing knowledge of soils “across the world and across science”; engaging in interdisciplinary exchanges of ideas, thoughts and opinions; and “thinking out of the box.” The 2015 conference is organized under the auspices of the IYS. In addition to keynote presentations and interactive discussions, the conference will explore the core themes in workshops and master classes.  dates: 23-27 August 2015  location: Wageningen, Gelderland, Netherlands  www: http://www.wageningenur.nl/en/Research-Results/Projects-and-programmes/Wageningen-Soil-Conference.htm

ADP 2-10: The tenth part of the second session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP) will take place in Bonn, Germany, to afford Parties the opportunity to accelerate their negotiations in advance of the Paris Climate Change Conference. Parties are expected to: produce a clearer understanding and articulation of the elements of the Paris package; and work towards bridging proposals and, where required, narrowing and crystallizing options for further negotiations.  dates: 31 August - 4 September 2015  location: Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany  contact: UNFCCC Secretariat  phone: +49-228-815-1000  fax: +49-228-815-1999  e-mail: secretariat@unfccc.int www: http://unfccc.int/meetings/bonn_aug_2015/meeting/8923.php

Fourteenth World Forestry Congress: The 2015 World Forestry Congress, the first to be held in Africa, will come together under the theme, ‘Forests and People – Investing in a sustainable future.’ The Congress, convened by FAO and the government of South Africa, will consider how forests can be mainstreamed into global sustainable development discussions and will facilitate the development of partnerships to address global forestry issues.  dates: 7-11 September 2015  location: Durban, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa  contact: South Africa Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries  e-mail: WFC-XIV-Info@fao.org www: http://www.fao.org/about/meetings/world-forestry-congress/en/

UN Summit for the Adoption of the Post-2015 Development Agenda: The UN Summit to adopt the post-2015 development agenda was mandated by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on 25 September 2013 (Resolution 68/6). The Summit will be convened as an UNGA high-level plenary meeting, per Resolution 69/244 of December 2014.  dates: 25-27 September 2015  venue: UN Headquarters  location: New York City, US  contact: Office of the UNGA President  www: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/summit

UNCCD COP 12: The 12th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 12) to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) will take place over two weeks in Ankara, Turkey. The overarching goal of COP 12 is to provide practical steps to make the rehabilitation of degrading land areas a reality. The meeting will, inter alia, focus on land rehabilitation as one of the pathways to meeting multiple SDGs, and the interlinkages among sustainable land management, food and water security, and reducing climate-induced migration. Parties are also expected to identify ways to contribute to the success of the 2015 Paris Climate Change Conference.  dates: 12-23 October 2015  venue: Congresium Ankara - Ato International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Söğütözü Caddesi No:1/A, 06510 Çankaya  location: Ankara, Turkey  contact: UNCCD Secretariat  phone: +49 228 815 2800  fax: +49 228 815 2898/99  e-mail: secretariat@unccd.int www: http://www.unccd.int/en/about-the-convention/the-bodies/the-cop/COP_12/Pages/default.aspx?HighlightID=391

First IPBES Capacity-Building Forum: The first capacity-building forum of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) aims to facilitate both capacity-building projects and strategic alignment of activities between interested institutions. The meeting will promote dialogue among receivers, implementers and funders of capacity-building activities, with the aim of: exploring opportunities for cooperation on aligned investments in capacity-building needs; furthering partnerships for piloting and delivering the IPBES capacity-building programme; and planning further action.  dates: 19-22 October 2015  location: Dehra Dun, Uttaranchal, India  contact: IPBES Secretariat  e-mail: secretariat@ipbes.net www: http://ipbes.net/images/documents/WP/1ab/IPBES_capacity-building_forum_Concept-Note.pdf

ADP 2-11: The ADP will hold the eleventh part of its second session to continue negotiations in advance of the Paris Climate Change Conference.  dates: 19-23 October 2015  location: Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany  contact: UNFCCC Secretariat  phone: +49-228-815-1000  fax: +49-228-815-1999  e-mail: secretariat@unfccc.int www: http://unfccc.int/meetings/bonn_oct_2015/meeting/8924.php

8th World Ecosystem Services Partnership Conference: The Ecosystem Services Partnership (ESP) is hosting the 8th World ESP conference under the theme ‘Ecosystem Services for Nature, People and Prosperity.’ The conference will pay special attention to the public and private sector dialogue on how the ecosystem services concept can be used to support conservation, improve livelihoods and engage the business community. To facilitate dialogue between scientists, policymakers and practitioners, the ESP organizes an annual international conference in different parts of the world.  dates: 9-13 November 2015  location: Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa  contact: Joël Houdet  e-mail: j.houdet@acts-net.org www: http://espconference.org/espconference2015#. VVdA5fmqqko

2nd AfricaLics Conference: The Second AfricaLics Conference, on the theme ‘Unpacking Systems of Innovations for Sustainable Development in Africa,’ will be hosted by the University of Rwanda in Kigali. The conference intends to bring together up to 150 early career and established researchers and scholars from different disciplines to enhance the quality of innovation studies in relation to development and growth in Africa.  dates: 17-19 November 2015  location: Kigali, Rwanda  e-mail: secretariat@africalics.org www: http://2015.africalics.org

UNFCCC COP 21: The 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 21) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and associated meetings will take place in Paris, where a new climate deal is expected to be agreed.  dates: 30 November – 11 December 2015  location: Paris, France  contact: UNFCCC Secretariat  phone: +49-228-815-1000  fax: +49-228-815-1999  email: secretariat@unfccc.int www: http://www.unfccc.int

World Soil Day 2015: World Soil Day 2015 will focus on the theme ‘Soils, a solid ground for life.’ In June 2013, the FAO Conference unanimously endorsed World Soil Day and requested official adoption at the 68th UNGA, which declared the 5 December as World Soil Day.  date: 5 December 2015  location: worldwide  contact: Global Soil Partnership Secretariat  e-mail: GSP-Secretariat@fao.org www: http://www.fao.org/globalsoilpartnership/world-soil-day/en/

Global Landscapes Forum 2015: The third annual Global Landscapes Forum will take place on 6 December 2015, in Paris, France, coinciding with COP 21 to the UNFCCC. A successor to past Forest Days and Agriculture and Rural Development Days, the Forum focuses on land use as a key sector for achieving global climate and sustainability goals, and brings together stakeholders from different land-use sectors. In previous years, Global Landscapes Forum coordinating partners have included the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), the Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centers (CGIAR) Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), FAO and UNEP.  dates: 5-6 December 2015  venue: Palais des Congrès  location: Paris, Ile-De-France, France  contact: Ann-Kathrin Neureuther, Global Landscapes Forum  e-mail: a.neureuther@cgiar.org www: http://www.landscapes.org/setting-stage-2015-global-landscapes-forum/

Fourth Session of the IPBES Plenary: The fourth session of the IPBES Plenary will review progress made on the adopted IPBES work programme for 2014-2018, including the related budget and institutional arrangements for its implementation. It will, in particular, be invited to consider the two first full IPBES assessment reports on pollination and pollinators associated with food production, and scenarios analysis and modeling of biodiversity and ecosystem services. The reports will be considered for adoption and their respective summary for policymakers will be considered for approval.  dates: 22-28 February 2016  location: Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Malaysia  contact: IPBES Secretariat  e-mail: Secretariat@ipbes.net www: https://gallery.mailchimp.com/5da0fed71c7e4399fb28ab549/files/IPBES_4_Invitation_Letter_20150619.pdf

Second Meeting of the UNEA: The UNEA of UNEP, which will convene for the second time in 2016, represents the highest level of governance of international environmental affairs in the UN system. The Rio+20 conference agreed in June 2012 to strengthen and upgrade UNEP through measures, including universal membership of its Governing Council and ensuring the active participation of all relevant stakeholders. In March 2013, the 67th session of the UNGA changed the designation of the UNEP Governing Council to UNEA, reflecting the intention to elevate its status.  dates: 23-27 May 2016  venue: UNEP Headquarters, UN Offices in Nairobi, Gigiri  location: Nairobi, Kenya  contact: Jiri Hlavacek  phone: (254-20) 7621234  e-mail: unepinfo@unep.org www: http://www.unep.org/unea/en/