The World Agroforestry Centre at Rio+ 20

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The World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) supports Rio+20’s focus on sustainable development and hopes the conference will establish a sound development basis for the rest of the 21st Century by adopting as a guide, strategies agreed upon at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), agreements from World Summit on adopting Sustainable Development (WSSD) and other high profile sustainable development meeting proceedings such as from COP17.

Our key messages to RIO+20

• The future of humanity through the rest of the 21st century depends upon an integrated and sustainable intensification of agricultural production (crops, livestock, trees, fisheries and energy) to deliver consistent food, nutrition and energy and to address and overcome the negative effects of land degradation, loss of biological diversity, water scarcity and the effects of climate change.
• Sustainable intensification of agricultural production can be achieved through Climate and Development Smart Agriculture. Such agriculture achieves the necessary increases in food production and energy, builds the resilience of the underpinning ecosystem (land, water and results in biological diversity) and enables smallholder farmers to adapt to climate change while mitigating it by reducing and avoiding the emission of greenhouse gases at all land scales.
• Agroforestry is a vital component of resilient ecosystems and resilient livelihoods because it can serve as a central practice for achieving climate- and development-Smart Agriculture.

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Catch up with our scientists at the conference as they participate in the following events:

Re-greening for Resilient Landscapes

Lead-organizer: World Vision International

Date: 16 Jun 2012

Time: 11:30 - 13:00

Venue: Room T-6, RioCentro, Rio de Janeiro

Organizing partners: International Partners for Sustainable Agriculture (IPSA)/ Citizens Network for Sustainable Development, Savory Institute (SI), United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)

The drylands are the best chance we have to achieve multiple goals at a scale that has significant and durable impact. Globally, the drylands support 2.1 billion people, with the majority still dependent upon the success of extensive grazing systems and sustainable crop production intensification. Yet, drylands have been considered marginal subject to degradation, loss of biodiversity and ineffective water management while the people they support have been marginalized. Targeting drylands is key in the march towards sustainable development because of the strong connection between land degradation and desertification and other global issues, including climate change, droughts and floods, famine, poverty and social disruption). Read more

Pro-poor Payment for Ecosystems Services: global knowledge networking

Lead-organizer: Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC)

Date: 16 Jun 2012

Time: 13:30 - 15:00

Venue: Room T-3, RioCentro, Rio de Janeiro

Organizing partners: The World Agroforestry Centre ( ICRAF)

Thematic partners: Forest Trends; CARE International; McGill University, Canada

Donors: Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) within the APFED Showcase Program; Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway

Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) is increasingly recognized as a tool for sustainable management of natural resources. Although PES was initially intended to achieve conservation goals, the dependence of the majority of rural populations upon local ecosystems have brought about a consideration of PES being designed to be both pro-poor and community-based. This can be achieved by integrating pro-development objectives into the design of PES schemes. ICRAF and the consortium WWF/CARE International, for example, proposed an approach of pro-poor rewards for environmental services and equitable payments for watershed services, with the objective to deliver sustainable natural resource management and improve livelihoods for the rural poor. Read more

Fair Ideas: Sharing Solutions for a Sustainable Planet

Lead-organizer: International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)

Date: 17 Jun 2012

Time: 11:30 - 13:00

Venue: Room T-9, Auditorium, RioCentro, Rio de Janeiro

In recent years, private sector expectations of higher agricultural commodity prices and government concerns about longer-term food and energy security have triggered a wave of large-scale land acquisitions for agricultural investments in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Dubbed 'land grabs', land acquisitions have kindled much international debate: some see new livelihood opportunities in lower-income countries, others raise concerns about negative social impacts, threats to local food security and the risk of marginalizing family farmers. Still others point to more inclusive models of agricultural investment and sustainable agricultural intensification as the main way forward. This session will discuss the challenges and opportunities concerning private sector investment in agriculture, with a focus on possible ways forward, particularly investment models that support and build on the aspirations of small-scale farmers. Read more

World Day to Combat Desertification: Securing Healthy Soils and Stopping Land Degradation - Outcomes for Rio+20

Organizers: UNCCD Secretariat; Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), European Commission.

Date: 17 June 2012

Time: 10:30-19:00

Venue: Rio Conventions Pavilion, Athletes Park

The demand for life’s essentials will rise significantly in the next 20 years. About 50% more food will be needed, 40% more energy and 35% more water. How will these demands be met and with what resources? Past trends show that land, the foundation of these goods and services, is not only getting destroyed, but is outside the radar screen of policy-makers because there is no political will to get something done. Read more

The Satoyama Initiative and the Green Economy

Organizers: Ministry of the Environment Japan, IPSI Secretariat (UNU-IAS)

Date: Monday, 18 June 2012

Time: 14:30–16:00

Venue: Japan Pavilion

Partners: Government of Japan, UN University, UN Development Programme, World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)

The Satoyama Initiative is a comprehensive effort to benefit biodiversity and human well-being through promoting the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources in human-influenced natural environments. The Initiative has demonstrated global appeal across sectors and was specifically recognized in 2010 at CBD COP10. Human-influenced natural environments or socio-ecological production landscapes (SEPLs) are found all around the world; they have been formed and maintained through sustainable land use, and support human life by providing various goods and services.

During the side event, there will be presentations by leading experts and an in-depth panel discussion examining the effectiveness and usefulness of the Satoyama Initiative. Particular emphasis will be placed on the development of new business models based on sustainable land use including mosaic landscape management. Read more

Food and the City

Organizers:  World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA)

Time: 15:30 - 17:00

Date: 18 Jun 2012

Venue: Room T-4, RioCentro, Rio de Janeiro

Speakers:
Mr.Marcio de Araujo Lacerda, Mayor of Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Dr. Alexander Muller, Assistant Director General, Natural Resources Management and Environment,FAO
Keith Kenny, senior director McDonalds Europe
Constance Neely, World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)

Shortly after the world urban population surpassed the world rural population and the food price crisis of 2007-8, the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD17) called for strong rural-urban linkages and partnerships between countryside and communities, to enhance livelihoods and food security. Food Security and Cities are both priority theme areas of the green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication. Read more

The 4th Agriculture and Rural Development Day

Organizers: CGIAR Commission for Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change

Date: Monday 18 June 2012

Venue:  SulAmérica Convention Center, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Thirteen learning events will share knowledge on successful, concrete examples of successes that illustrate one of the recommendations from the Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change. Read more

Aiming for a Food Secure Future - Think Global, Act Local

Date: 19 June 2012

Venue: SHERATON RIO HOTEL & RESORT Av. Niemeyer, 121 – Leblon

Time: 09:00am – 19:00pm

This event is jointly organized by the Rome-based Agencies (FAO, IFAD, WFP and Bioversity International) to focus attention on the issues of fighting hunger and malnutrition, reducing poverty and enhancing the resilience and sustainability of production systems and people’s livelihoods. It will also address best practices and strategy orientations for the future, and make recommendations to support communities and governments in overcoming hunger and promoting sustainable rural development in a holistic manner. Read more