High Level Debate – Revisiting GFFA 2021
What happens once the GFFA is over? Each GFFA, we are looking back on the penultimate GFFA. This panel will revisit GFFA 2021 that focused on “How to Feed the World in Times of Pandemics and Climate Change?” The World Bank and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the UK will host this panel. High-level participants will discuss what has happened since GFFA 2021, where progress has been made and which measures should be taken.
Redirecting Agriculture Policies and Support to Address Climate Change
The World Bank Group
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)
Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL)
Time: Thursday, 19. Januar 2023, 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Languages: English, German, Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish
Summary:
The current global food insecurity crisis has exposed the fragility of our agriculture and food systems: climate change and environmental destruction are key long-term drivers, with COVID-19, the Ukraine war, and devastating droughts, or floods, in some of the poorest parts of the world the latest tipping points to skyrocketing levels of food insecurity. Recognizing the need to address the fundamental challenges to a thriving food and agriculture sector, in 2021 the GFFA focused on the urgency of climate action to secure our food systems and, through this forum, the UK COP26 Presidency and the World Bank launched the ‘Policy Dialogue to Accelerate Transition to Sustainable Agriculture’. The Policy Dialogue has gained significant momentum over the last 2 years, highlighting leadership in efforts to reorient public policies and support to deliver a more resilient and sustainable agriculture and food system. Yet, far more urgent, bolder and greater effort is still needed globally to protect against and reverse the increasingly destructive impacts of climate change and nature loss. With volatile food, fuel and fertilizer prices and high levels of debt and fiscal stress, policy reform and repurposing the support governments provide to agriculture represents a $800 billion opportunity to deliver more effective support for addressing needed short-term relief whilst securing long-lasting benefits. Incentives created through appropriately designed policies and public support can redirect public and private investments to help farmers and other stakeholders become more productive and resilient, while shifting away from harmful to climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable practices. This panel will bring together policy makers from a cross section of the global north and south to discuss challenges, transformative options and opportunities for collaboration in building climate-resilient, low-carbon and sustainable agriculture and food systems through policy action. The panel, co-hosted by the World Bank Group, The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), in cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), aims to showcase progress and identify next steps for both domestic policy action and international collaboration to achieve this.