The Food and Land Use Coalition marked the International Day for Biological Diversity by hosting a workshop in Nairobi, Kenya.
The workshop brought together experts from diverse backgrounds.
They discussed the critical transitions needed to move from agreements to action and address the global challenges of biodiversity loss, climate change, and food insecurity.
This year’s celebration theme was “From agreement to action: Build back biodiversity”.
The Food and Land Use Coalition is a global partnership that brings together businesses, governments, civil society, and researchers to transform the world's food and land use systems.
The coalition focuses on identifying and implementing solutions to achieve sustainable food and land use systems that support the needs of people and the planet.
FOLU Kenya is one of the FOLU country platforms.
The workshop participants discussed the ten critical transitions identified by the FOLU growing better report, which include shifting to regenerative agriculture, reducing food loss and waste, and protecting natural ecosystems.
The participants emphasized the need for urgent action to implement these transitions to address the biodiversity crisis and build resilient food systems
.Speaking during the workshop Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN Kenya) Head of Policy Charles Opiyo noted:
"Today, as we celebrate the International Day for Biological Diversity under the theme “From Agreement to Action: Build Back Biodiversity.”
"I celebrate the work that stakeholders in the Food and Land Use Coalition in Kenya have done in prioritizing five critical transitions (Healthy diets, productive and regenerative agriculture, protecting and restoring nature, gender and demographics and food loss and waste to enable a shift to a sustainable food and land use system and restore the losses in biodiversity.”
Jeremiah Rogito, FOLU Kenya secretariat on his part said:
"To move towards a sustainable food and land use system in Africa and Kenya, there is a need to develop clear action plans, robust monitoring and coordination framework and track them through the implementation period."
"We believe that working together is key to achieving sustainable development and addressing climate change, and we look forward to completing this process and implementing the Kenya Food and Land Use Action Plan 2023-2028."
He added.
"I applaud FOLU Kenya for supporting this initiative at a time when food systems are in a critical state; we need stronger partnerships now more than ever."
Eng. Laban Kiplagat, the Director for Land and Environment in the State Department of Crop Development and Agricultural Research, on his part said the Kenya Food and Land Use Action Plan 2023-2028 will go a long way in ensuring we address the systemic challenges in the food systems in Kenya.
This, he said, is in line with the government's Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda of ensuring we achieve food and nutritional security.
The workshop also highlighted the importance of collaboration between diverse stakeholders to achieve meaningful impact.
Participants recognized the need for collective action and the role of governments, businesses, and civil society in driving the transformation needed for sustainable food and land use systems to build back biodiversity loss.
The Food and Land Use Coalition will continue to work towards achieving its vision of a sustainable food and land use system that benefits all.
The coalition is committed to supporting stakeholders in implementing the ten critical transitions and will work to strengthen partnerships and collaboration to achieve this goal.