OUT NOW: REPORT ON DONOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO FOOD SYSTEMSThis GDPRD Stocktaking Report provides a mapping of the patterns and scale of food systems-related funding and an assessment of the extent donors are embracing a food system framing and aligning their investments to the UN Food Systems Summit Action Tracks
The report provides an overview of the scale of food systems-related funding and actions currently supported by donors, contributing to one of the core objectives of the Global Donor Platform for Rural Development’s (GDPRD’s) engagement in the UN Food Systems Summit (UN FSS), which is to help optimize donor coordination and alignment. It assesses the degree to which donors are adopting a food systems framing to guide their future investments, identify key “flagship” programmes which contribute to food systems, and map out overall patterns of investment. It also looks at how donor programmes and investment align with the UN FSS Action Tracks. Among the key conclusions, the report found that to be effective, donor funding must focus on catalysing systemic change. The report was launched at the Platform High-Level Food Systems event “Leveraging Change: The Role of Donors in Food Systems Transformation”, which took place on 9 September. WEBLINK
DONOR DECLARATION OF INTENT ON FOOD SYSTEMS TRANSFORMATIONThe Global Donor Platform for Rural Development has just launched a new Declaration of Intent on Food Systems Transformation
The declaration signals the intention of the GDPRD and its members to work proactively and in a coordinated way to help take forward the outcomes of the FSS. All Board Members of the GDPRD (Australia, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, European Commission, Finland, France, Germany, IFAD, Italy, Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States, Switzerland) have endorsed the Declaration, which has been opened for endorsement by GDPRD members and partners. Together with the Stocktaking Report on “Donor Contributions to Food Systems”, the Declaration shifts the conversation around donor coordination from the “what” to the “how”. WEBLINK
HIGH-LEVEL FOOD SYSTEMS EVENTLeveraging Change: The Role of Donors in Food Systems Transformation
Donors play a key role in supporting initiatives that form the foundation for collaborative efforts across food systems through their innovations, programming and investments. This independent Food Systems event of the GDPRD was a contribution to discuss how donors and their partners collaborate to realize the full leveraging potential of funding. The event also launched the Stocktaking Report on “Donor contributions to food systems”, a mapping of the patterns and scale of food systems-related funding and an assessment of the extent donors are embracing a food system framing and aligning their investments to the UN FSS Action Tracks. WEBLINKCONVERSATIONS WITH OUR CO-CHAIRSThe Secretariat spoke with the Platform co-chairs ahead of the High-Level Food Systems event. Tristan Armstrong, Senior Sector Specialist, Agricultural Development and Food Security, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Australia, talked openly about why donors play a key role in food systems transformation. He also shared his own lessons learned around the issues of climate change and how his experience will shape his approach to implementing GDPRD’s mission as its new co-chair. Conrad Rein, Policy Officer, Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA), European Commission, shared his thoughts on stepping up donor coordination and exchanges, his experience with the GDPRD, and his ideas on how the GDPRD can realize its full potential to help partners work together. PLATFORM SENIOR MANAGERS MEETINGOn 7 September, the Platform Board organized a regular annual meeting of senior managers. The meeting provided strategic advice on directions and priorities for the Platform and a forum to discuss emerging issues that require cross-donor alignment, collaboration and strategic influencing. In addition, the meeting fostered productive conversations on coordination among the member organizations of the platform towards and following the Food Systems Summit. INVESTING IN LOCAL AND NATIONAL-LEVEL CAPABILITIES FOR A BETTER FOOD SYSTEMA CONVERSATION WITH MARTIN BWALYA, AUDA/NEPAD
Jim Woodhill spoke with Martin Bwalya, Ag Director, Knowledge Management and Programme Evaluation (KMPE) at the Africa Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), about the UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) and the catalytic role of finance in transforming food systems. Martin provided insights on how the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) worked to coordinate a common position for African countries towards the Summit. On the role of donors, he reiterated the importance for donors to think about how to invest in processes and capabilities at the local and national level. This is key to achieve better project and policy coordination as increased financial resources will not mean much unless we also get the process right. MEETING WITH CHAIRS AND VICE-CHAIRS OF THEMATIC WORKING GROUPSThe GDPRD Secretariat organized a meeting with the chairs and vice-chairs of the Land Governance, Rural Youth Employment and SDG 2 Roadmap Thematic Working Groups on 20 September, to get to know each other, share ideas and experiences, and discuss ways to work together and how the Secretariat can support their path forward.
RECENT HIGHLIGHTSUNITED NATIONS FOOD SYSTEMS SUMMIT The UN FSS was held on 23 and 24 September. Over the past 18 months, the Summit brought together UN Member States and constituencies from around the world – including thousands of youth, food producers, Indigenous Peoples, civil society, researchers, private sector, and the UN system – to bring about tangible, positive changes to the world’s food systems. As part of the Summit process, national dialogues were led by over 147 UN Member States. Their outcomes are being consolidated into national pathways as clear visions of what governments, together with various stakeholders, expect of food systems by 2030. As part of the ‘Decade of Action for Delivery on the Sustainable Development Goals’, the UN FSS aimed to address global challenges of hunger, climate change, poverty and inequality. COMING UP IN THE GDPRDDEVELOPMENT OF THE WHITE PAPER ON DONOR COORDINATION
The GDPRD will build on the Stocktaking Report and the Declaration of Intent to develop a White Paper on donor coordination. It aims to provide further details on priorities and options for donor investments in response to the outcomes of the UN Food Systems Summit. This menu of options available to donors will inform the direction of greater donor coordination in food systems transformation. OTHER NEWSAFRICAN GREEN REVOLUTION FORUM (AGRF) After four days of active engagement around the creation of resilient and sustainable food systems in Africa, the AGRF 2021 Summit came to an end on the evening of Friday September 10, 2021. At the closing ceremony, leaders from across Africa appealed for the participation of all stakeholders in the pursuit of a food systems transformation to increase food security and income for all in the continent. G20 AGRICULTURE MINISTERS’ MEETING The G20 Agriculture Ministers met in Florence on 17-18 September 2021 and reiterated their commitment to achieve food security and nutrition for all and to ensure sustainable and resilient food systems, leaving no one behind. Despite global efforts, hunger levels are rising and the multi-faceted impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to increase food insecurity and malnutrition. Ministers emphasized the need to enhance cooperation in food and agriculture between G20 members and developing countries to build forward better. PRE-COP MILAN The Pre-COP in Milan, from 30 September to 2 October, brings together climate and energy ministers from a selected group of countries to discuss and exchange views on some key political aspects of the negotiations and delve into topics that will be addressed at COP26. Building on the July Ministerial in London, Pre-COP is the final formal, multilateral opportunity for ministers to shape the negotiations in detail ahead of the meeting in Glasgow in November. Additionally, the Pre-Cop gathered almost 400 young people for the ‘Youth4Climate: Driving Ambition’ meeting, to address the main urgencies and priorities of climate action. This meeting is part of the process of involvement of young people, which started in 2019. |
